Overview of Coevorden’s Attractions
The oldest town in the province of Drenthe, Coevorden developed around a castle strategically located at a ford along the route connecting Münster and Groningen. In the 17th century, Coevorden underwent significant reconstruction into a fortified city by the Dutch military strategist Menno van Coehoorn. The layout of concentric polygonal streets and a star-shaped outer moat remain intact to this day.
The section of the moat situated north of the historical city center is now the lush Van Heutszpark, while the fort’s arsenal houses the municipal museum, and the old castle is utilized as a hotel and restaurant. Drenthe is known for its rich cultural heritage, which is evident at attractions such as the nearby Ellert en Brammert open-air museum.
1. Stedelijk Museum Coevorden
Adjacent to the marketplace, Coevorden’s restored 17th-century arsenal encompasses the library and this municipal museum. The museum was fully renovated in 2013 and presents the complete history of Coevorden, from the castle’s inception and its Burgraves to contemporary times.
A notable exhibit features a 36-meter timeline, showcasing artifacts such as fossils, weapons, pottery, tools, book bindings, and armor, all supplemented by interactive panels and multimedia presentations. The museum includes seven scale models of Coevorden from different eras, highlighting the intricate system of bastions and ravelins from the 17th century.
Engaging temporary exhibitions delve into specific historical periods in Coevorden, alongside themes like local music, architecture, and folk traditions.
2. Kasteel van Coevorden
Situated at the heart of the city’s polygonal street layout, the Castle of Coevorden dates back to 1522, when it was reconstructed by Charles II, Duke of Guelders. By the 20th century, this Renaissance palace had deteriorated significantly, and upon acquisition by the municipality, only a portion was restored.
The castle now serves as a hotel and restaurant and can be accessed via its former ramparts, which have been transformed into green lawns adorned with cannons. The medieval structure that preceded this building appears on the Drenthe Province’s maps and held considerable strategic importance, collecting tolls from traffic between the Hanseatic cities of Münster and Groningen.
Currently, the patio offers a charming location for dining within a green space at the city’s core.
3. Hervormde Kerk
Coevorden boasts one of the earliest Protestant churches constructed in the Netherlands, established in the 1630s following the dilapidation of a prior building. Initially facing financial difficulties, funding improved after a tax on beer sales in Coevorden was implemented.
During the construction of the new church, services were temporarily conducted in a stable. Designed in the Reformed style with a symmetrical octagonal layout, the church features four robust pillars within its hall, promoting full participation. Unfortunately, the roof tower succumbed to fire in the 19th century, taking with it the 17th-century organ.
A replacement organ was inaugurated in 1897 and is prominently placed on the restored wooden gallery from the 17th century.
4. Van Heutszpark
Along the irregular path of Coevorden’s former defensive moat, Van Heutszpark serves as a tranquil green space, ideal for picnicking by the water or observing ducks and boats navigating the Stieltjeskanaal. This waterway delineates the park’s eastern boundary, bordered by a cycling path shaded by mature trees.
Prominently overlooking the park is a handsome water tower erected in 1914, featuring a 150-cubic-meter reservoir. Additionally, visitors can discover the Oranjebank, a commemorative bench constructed from bricks to celebrate the birth of Princess Beatrix in 1939. The wall behind it showcases medallions of Beatrix’s grandmother, Queen Wilhelmina, along with her parents, the future Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld.
5. Ellert en Brammert
Visitors can explore the cultural history of southeastern Drenthe at this open-air museum located in Schoonoord. The attraction revolves around a pair of giants, Ellert and Brammert, who, as per folk tales documented by 17th-century historian Johan Picardt, resided in a hut beneath a moor. Notably, Picardt also served as a preacher at Coevorden’s Hervormde Kerk.
These giants allegedly set traps on paths using bells on strings, ambushing those who triggered the bells. The museum provides further insights into this legend while also showcasing a collection of historic rural buildings relocated to the site, including a church, a village prison, typical sod houses, a schoolhouse, a replica dolmen, and displays focused on traditional trades like peat cutting. Additionally, a country inn is available for refreshments.
6. Vogelpark “De Lorkeershoeve”
Located on the route to Hardenberg, this small family-run zoo park offers a diverse experience for all visitors. In the aviaries, guests can encounter various bird species, including ibises, kookaburras, macaws, parrots, cockatoos, pheasants, and a range of waterfowl. One notable resident, Tommy the cockatoo, may welcome visitors with a friendly “hallo.” The park is set within beautifully landscaped gardens featuring ponds and includes a walk-through area where birds can soar overhead.
Additionally, the park boasts a nine-hole miniature golf course, along with seven billiard golf holes, and a restaurant for dining.
7. Plopsa Indoor Coevorden
Connected to the nearby Center Parcs resort, this indoor theme park features attractions and performances linked to television programs created by the Belgian Studio 100 corporation. Targeted towards children up to eight years of age, characters such as Samson en Gert, Piet Piraat, Mega Mindy, and Kabouter Plop are popular in both the Netherlands and Belgium.
It is important to note that younger children need not be familiar with these characters to enjoy the park’s various attractions, which include around 18 amusements, such as carousels, bumper cars (and boats), a rollercoaster, playgrounds, and a ball pool. Cheerful mascots dressed in vibrant costumes inhabit the entire park, and outside, a new petting zoo inspired by the classic Japanese animation, Heidi, awaits visitors.
8. Beelden in Gees
Nestled in a picturesque section of the Drenthe countryside, Beelden in Gees combines a demonstration garden with seasonal exhibitions of contemporary sculptures. The garden features ponds, expansive lawns, tranquil groves, and meticulously labeled borders and flowerbeds.
Benches are strategically placed throughout to allow visitors to reflect on the water lilies, the garden’s surprising vistas, or the artworks on display. The garden hosts two exhibitions annually, with a larger summer exhibition emphasizing sculpture while also showcasing paintings and applied art in the garden’s airy pavilion. Over 30 artists participate in this event from April to September, followed by a smaller autumn exhibition from October to December.
9. Museummolen Jan Pol
Located five kilometers away in the village of Dalen, you’ll find the noteworthy smock mill, built in 1876 to replace a previous mill that was destroyed by a lightning strike. This mill stands as the tallest surviving windmill in Drenthe, measuring just under 22 meters, featuring a three-story brick base and a thatched smock above a wooden gallery.
The mill historically produced wheat flour and husked grains; however, following a period of disuse after the war, it was restored in the early 1970s. Visitors can observe the mill’s working machinery from early April to early November on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday afternoons.
10. Pieterpad
Coevorden lies along the longest walking trail in the Netherlands, which stretches down the eastern side of the country for 498 kilometers, beginning at Pieterburen on the Wadden Sea and concluding at Mount Saint Peter, south of Maastricht, bordering Belgium. For those interested in a day hike in Coevorden, one could traverse the segment to Hardenberg, a distance of 19 kilometers southwest, following the path’s distinct white-red markings.
This portion of the trail features idyllic countryside, particularly as one enters the picturesque Vecht river valley at De Haandrik, where Highland cattle and grazing horses may be observed along the way. Cyclists can similarly traverse alongside the Vecht on the LF 16 trail, which follows the river’s course from its source in Darfeld, Germany, to its confluence at Zwolle.
