Gorinchem

Gorinchem is a fortified town in the Groene Hart region of South Holland. The town, while small, has a historic town center with a lot of character. Some foreign visitors have already discovered this gem, but it's still missing from the average guidebook and thus very authentic. It's best to hire a bicycle and explore the surrounding countryside. Windmills, rivers and dikes, all are present in an endless flat, green polder landscape.

Understand

Gorinchem, spoken and occasionally written as Gorkum, is a city and municipality in Zuid-Holland, along the rivers Linge and Boven-Merwede. The city is partly within the Alblasserwaard and the Tielerwaard. The eastern part of the city, the part in the Tielerwaard, was a part of Gelderland until 1986.

The city is believed to have been settled around 1000 AD. The first reference to the then town dates from 1224. The town was purchased in 1273, and at the end of the 13th century, the town was fortified to protect against the neighbouring counties and duchies of Holland and Guelders. This time also saw the construction of the first public services, such as the Heilige-Geestkapel, Gasthuis and the Kanselarijkapel. Halfway through the fourteenth century, the city's ramparts were enforced with stone walls, which has a 7 gates and 23 towers. The city then gained its city rights in 1382. A large fire destroyed almost the entire town only 6 years later. Gorinchem became a part of the County of Holland in 1417.

Gorinchem would expand over time, with a large boom happening during the Dutch Golden Age. The town was heavily damaged as a result of French troops withdrawing from the country during the Napoleonic era. In 1815, Gorinchem was set to become a part of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie. The town's defence works were updated at this point.

The Industrial Revolution gave Gorinchem another boost, with industry improving, and travelling times to the rest of the country being significantly reduced with the introduction of the Staatsspoorlijn railway between Breda and Rotterdam. The Industrial Revolution, however, also resulted in the city's defence works being no longer sufficient and virtually unusable.

The first expansions of the city since the seventeenth century happened in the twentieth century. The bloom of the previous century had attracted a lot more citizens, which could no longer be housed in the city centre alone. Gorinchem has grown significantly since, but this did not deteriorate the city centre, which is still a lovely fortified city.

Get in

By car

Gorinchem can be found along the A15/E31 and A27/E311 highways. The A15 starts on the Rotterdam Maasvlakte, not too far from Brielle, and terminates in between Arnhem and Nijmegen. The A27 connects Almere and Utrecht with Breda. Gorinchem is about halfway down either of these highways. The city is serviced by three highway exits, two of which are on the A15, namely exit 27 (Gorinchem) and exit 28 (Arkel). The A27 connects to the binnenstad via exit 24 (Avelingen).

By public transit

Gorinchem is serviced by a single train station, namely 🌍 Station Gorinchem. The railway connects Gorinchem to Dordrecht in the west and Geldermalsen in the east. Either of these two stations is well-served by national trains. The train station of Gorinchem is also its main bus hub, with buses connecting to most of the city. The city centre, however, is a twelve-minute walk away from the train station.

Get around

By boat

The region is easily explored by the various river ferries and 'water taxi' (Veerdienst Gorinchem).

  • 🌍 Riveer, ☏ +31 6-22558233. The company provides a local ferry services between Gorinchem, Woudrichem and the village of Sleeuwijk. In summer there are additional services to the Loevestein Castle and the Fort Vuren. They also provide water taxi services in the area. (updated Jul 2016)

See

Landmarks
  • 🌍 Grote Kerk. The original medieval St. Martin's church was demolished in the 19th century, but the original bell tower survived and can be visited during summer. (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 Gorcums Museum (Oude Stadthuys). Tu-Sa 10:00-17:00, Su 11:00-17:00. The town's museum, with a display on the history of Gorinchem and the internationally known Martyrs of Gorcum. (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 Lingehaven. A picturesque historic harbour of the town on the river Linge. It is now a tourist harbour. (updated Jun 2016)

Notable buildings
  • 🌍 Dit is in Bethlehem (This is in Bethlehem). 16th-century building with rich Renaissance facade. It hosts a bookshop. (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 Dit is in Abraham's Schoot, Langendijk 72. Evangelical Lutheran Church in Gorinchem. (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 De Doelen, Molenstraat 30-32. (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 Burgerkinderenweeshuis (former ophanage). (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 Heilige Geestkapel (former Holy Spirit Chapel). With a remarkable Kapeltoren — chapel tower. (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 Huis 't Coemtal van God. (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 Tolhuis (toll house). (updated Jun 2016)

Other sites
  • 🌍 Dalempoort. The only survived of the 4 original city gates. (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 De Hoop. Windmill. (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 Nooit Volmaakt. Windmill. (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 Vestingwallen (Town fortifications). (updated Jun 2016)

Eat
  • 🌍 Galileo, Hoogstraat 25, ☏ +31 183 636-793. A good Italian restaurant that overlooks the canal that splits the fortified center in half. The pizzas are relatively large, so a good value for those on a budget. Meat and fish menus are a lot more expensive though. €13-27. 
  • 🌍 La Caponnière, Kanselpoortweg 1. Sa Su 13:00-19:00. Wine and tasting room located at the former captioner. (updated Jun 2016)

Drink
  • Pavlov, Langendijk 23, ☏ +31 183 630 392. Cosy bar with interesting choice in beers, small terrace and lunch. 
  • De Keizer, Keizerstraat 14, ☏ +31 183 634 661. Beer pub with large range of Belgian and Dutch beers. 

Sleep
  • 🌍 Le Bon Apart, Eind 16, ☏ +31 183 666 211. Hotel located in the historical town centre. 
  • Pakhuis Handelslust, Robberstraat 2, ☏ +31 183 689910. B&B in the historical town centre. 
  • Klein Loevestein, Pompstraat 48, ☏ +31 616 504 767. B&B in the historical town centre. 

Go next
  • 🌍 Slot Loevestein (Loevestein castle) (out of the city reachable by ferry ). Oct-Apr: Sa Su 11:00–17:00; May Jun Sep: Tu-Su 11:00–17:00; Jul-Aug: daily 11:00–17:00. Medieval castle on the other shore of the Merwede. €12.50. (updated Jun 2016)
  • 🌍 Vesting Woudrichem (Woudrichem Fortifications). Woudrichem is a historic fortress-town that is worth seeing. (updated Jun 2016)
Routes through Gorinchem
Brielle ← Rotterdam ← Dordrecht ←  W  E  → Nijmegen → Cologne → Mainz
Almere ← Hilversum ← Utrecht ←  '  '  → Oosterhout → Breda
Dordrecht ← Sliedrecht ←  W  E  → Leerdam → Geldermalsen


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