Netherlands 24: A wander along the Eem to Koppelpoort and a visit to the Mondriaanhuis

Before arriving in Amersfoort, we’d spent some time looking for interesting things to see and do in the city. This included some of the more popular spots that Amersfoort is known for, as well as some less less common places.

Having been there back in 2017 and taken a boat trip around the city, we did know a little of what to expect from Amersfoort and we were keen to see more. So on our fifth day, we headed out into Amersfoort to explore further.

De Nieuwe Stad

Something a little different that piqued our interest was De Nieuwe Stad (The New City) in Eemhaven. Made up of various old industrial buildings, including the Prodent toothpaste factory and Rhom & Haas soap factory, it is now a mixture of recreation, event, education and work spaces.

What’s currently in De Nieuwe Stad is just the start. There’s significant plans to develop the area further, with a focus on residential developments, which will augment the current mixed uses. I expect these developments will further radically change the area, once complete.

After riding there from our Airbnb home, we arrived at De Nieuwe Stad for a wander, starting at the Het Lokaal shop and restaurant. The shop had an interesting selection of food and drink, and would be somewhere we’d return to. We didn’t stop in the restaurant, but it looked like an interesting place to eat.

We continued wandering round De Nieuwe Stad, stopping to look round some of the creative units, such as StudioZAND, who specialise in ceramics and jewellery. They had some fantastic pieces, including a coffee cup that my other half bought for me, that I’m still using for my morning coffee.

There were further creative units as we made our way along Oude Fabriekstraat, towards the River Eem. Wandering along the river, there were street art and sculptures to see, that are part of De Nieuwe Stad, where it faces the Eem.

Back in De Nieuwe Stad, we had a look around Oliemolenhof, which is the large public space in the middle, featuring planting and trees, seating and a round sunken area in the middle. It also had charging points for cars, which seemed a little out of place.

We noticed that KROAST, a bar and restaurant was open, so we decided to stop there for lunch. Sitting in the courtyard garden, we enjoyed a very pleasant lunch in the sunshine, surrounded by lots of greenery and bits of salvaged and repurposed items.

I have read now that KROAST has permanently closed, which is a shame. Though I expect it won’t be long before this becomes another restaurant or is transformed into something else.

Outside Oliemolenhof 14-18 — Outside Het Lokaal shop and restaurant

River Eem and Koppelpoort

After our wander around De Nieuwe Stad, we continued walking along the Eem towards the centre of the city. Next on the river was Eemplein, which is a large square featuring housing, shops, a cinema and Eemhuis, Amersfoort’s cultural centre.

While it felt a little bland at Eemplein, it was a quite a pleasant space to hang out, which we did while enjoying an ice cream. The square is a large open, traffic-free space, with views of the river, so it is a good spot to spend some time in the sunshine.

The most striking building in Eemplein is definitely Eemhuis, a cultural centre featuring De Bibliotheek Eemland (library), Scholen in de Kunst (school of arts), Archief Eemland (archives) and Kunsthal KAdE (contemporary art museum).

On top of its distinctive exterior, Eemhuis is equally impressive inside. Unfortunately, we didn’t get chance to see it in person, which was a shame.

"There are Worse Things You Could Be Accused of Than Being a Flower" by Kathrin Schlegel, Venetian chandelier cast in bronze — “There are Worse Things You Could Be Accused of Than Being a Flower” by Kathrin Schlegel, Venetian chandelier cast in bronze

Continuing along the river from Eemplein, we walked under the railway tracks that pass over the River Eem. There’s a pleasant surprise in what looks like a pretty unassuming underpass, with the installation of a sculpture by Kathrin Schlegel.

Called There are Worse Things You Could Be Accused of Than Being a Flower, this Venetian chandelier cast in bronze floats above the river, in a gap between the two sides of the viaduct that carries the railway.

It’s hard to see from a distance, but the chandelier uses a theme of Narcissus (daffodil) that are just past the peak of their bloom in its construction. It’s quite striking to see this from the underpass, at a point where it separates the old city from the new.

Once through the underpass, we continued to the Koppelpoort, the water gate that spans the River Eem. This is probably the most famous building in the city and what probably comes to mind, when people think of Amersfoort.

Built between 1380 and 1425, as part of the second city wall, the Koppelpoort successfully repelled attack in 1427, during the siege of the city. It has combined land and water gates, which is unique in the Netherlands.

Koppelpoort gained its current appearance during the restoration by Pierre Cuypers in 1886. A more recent restoration was completed in 1996, which was clearly very successful, as it’s stunning.

We took some time to explore around the Koppelpoort, taking in the river behind the gates and the sluices to the side, while stopping for the odd photo. After that, we made our way back along the river to where our bikes, to ride to our next destination.

Mondriaanhuis

The most well known of all the De Stijl artists, Piet Mondrian was born in Amersfoort in 1972, where he lived until he was eight. The house he was born is now a museum to Mondrian, called the Mondriaanhuis.

In addition to a small collection of Mondrian’s paintings, the museum tells the story of the artist’s life with The Mondrian Route. There’s also a recreation of Mondrian’s Paris studio you can explore, as well as some interactive exhibits.

In particular, the New York room was a really enjoyable immersive experience. It features a large cube, where a video of the story of Mondrian’s move to the city during WWII is projected.

After the exhibition, there’s also the DIY workshop, a room featuring lots of activities for kids, including a Lego wall, where you can create your own Lego Mondrian artworks.

While it wasn’t massive, we did enjoy our visit to the Mondriaanhuis. After our visit, we carried on wandering round Amersfoort, before riding back to our Airbnb home.