Netherland Stories

Madurodam

When visiting The Netherlands, a visit to Madurodam is a place not to be missed.  It is a man-made Park of miniatures, which are 25 times smaller and objects which are 25 times bigger than their real life counterparts and depicts the stories of the Dutch life. The miniatures / models are exact replicas of special buildings and objects.

Once you enter Madurodam, the first thing that will catch your eye is the statue of Hansje Brinker. We all have heard of the true story of Hansje Brinker in our school days, about a boy who saved Holland from a flood, by putting his finger in the hole in the dyke.  Inside the miniature park, you will learn more about Hansje and his famous act of bravery!!!

When I visited Madurodam, it was a rainy day and it was really icy-cold out there in the park as I strained myself not to miss out on a single thing.  Took some pictures with difficulty, protecting my camera against the rain. So if you decide to visit Maurodam, please ensure that it’s on a bright sunny day, to derive maximum benefit for the ticket paid for it.

Madurodam consists of three themed areas: City Centre, Water World and Innovation Island. 

The City Centre area shows how the Netherlands has grown from our old cities to the country we see today: characteristic, free and eccentric.

In Water World, you discover how the Netherlands deals with water as a friend and as a foe. You can experience for yourself the hustle and bustle of the port of Rotterdam, view the workings of a watermill and operate the locks of the Oosterschelde barrier.

On Innovation Island, the international success of the entrepreneurial spirit and innovative strength of this Country.

One of the interesting points to look out for is the Windmills of Kinderdijk.  The windmills of Kinderdijk have been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997. Nowhere in the world would you find as many Windmills as in Kinderdijk and the same is beautifully depicted at Madurodam Park.

Another must see during your visit to Netherlands as well as at Madurodam Park are the Tulip Bulb Fields.  The Tulip trade took extreme form around 1636, when one tulip bulb was worth as much as an Amsterdam canal house!!!!!!!

Don’t forget to visit the actual Tulip Fields at Keukenhof from Mid March and the beginning of May months. Come to Holland in mid-April to see the tulips in bloom in their peak season. At Keukenhof  there are more than 7 million bulbs in bloom during spring, with a total of 800 varieties of tulips. An unique and unforgettable experience!!!!!