Amersfoort

Understand

Geography and history Amersfoort takes its name from a ford (voorde) in the Eem river, which was once called the 'Emer' or 'Amer', at the edge of higher ground, the Utrecht ridge. The ford is on the shortest route across low marshy ground, from the ridge to the nearest higher ground on the east. As a result, Amersfoort was, and still is, on the main road from the western Netherlands to northern Germany, and the later Amsterdam - Berlin railway followed this route. The low-lying area between the Utrecht and Veluwe ridges is called the Valley of Gelderland, Gelderse Vallei, and it is now a zone of intensive farming. The first written record of the settlement was in 1028. In the 12th century the Bishopric of Utrecht fortified it (because of its strategic location), and in 1259 granted it city rights. The first city wall of stone was built in the late 13th century. Around 1380 a new wall was built: some of the city gates still survive. The city was a late medieval pilgrimage centre, and in 1444 began the construction of a cathedral. Most of it was destroyed in an explosion in 1787, but the tower survives, one of the highest church towers in the Netherlands. The 98 meter late-medieval eye-catcher is called Onze Lieve Vrouwentoren. Because of its visibility, it was the starting point for the accurate triangulation of the country, and it is still the true origin of the Dutch national grid (coordinates 463.000, 155.000). Amersfoort's medieval industries were cloth and beer: in the 18th century it prospered due to the locally-grown tobacco. The railway began the modern expansion. Growth has accelerated, with suburban expansion mainly to the north. During its medieval heyday Amersfoort was a popular place of pilgrimage and an important city in the brewing industry. The oldest of Amersfoort's bars, In Den Grooten Slock, still stands today. The historic brewery, De Drie Ringen, brews excellent beers and is open to the public (from F-Su 13:00-17:00). The central location allow

Getting there

By bicycle You can cycle from Amsterdam to Amersfoort in about 4 hours. Utrecht to Amersfoort takes about 90 minutes. The long-distance cycle route LF9, from Breda in the south, to the German border at Nieuweschans, at passes through Amersfoort. (There is also a route variant which passes outside the city).

By train Amersfoort station is a rail junction. One line comes from Amsterdam via Hilversum, another from Utrecht. Beyond Amersfoort, they split. The main line to the east goes to Apeldoorn, Deventer, and on to Enschede. The line north-east to Zwolle is the main line to the north of the country, to Leeuwarden and Groningen. Trains arrive and depart at similar times on both sides of the platform, so you need to be careful which train you board. There are two suburban stations, Schothorst and Vathorst. The main station is served:

from Amsterdam Centraal: 2 Intercity trains per hour, in 33 minutes, and 2 slower trains from Amsterdam Zuid: 2 Intercity trains per hour, in 35 minutes, and 2 slower trains from Utrecht: 4 Intercity trains per hour, in 14 minutes, and 2 slower trains from Deventer: 2 or 3 Intercity trains per hour, in 36 minutes from Zwolle: 2 Intercity trains per hour, in 35 minutes, and 2 slower trains from Ede-Wageningen station, connecting with trains from Arnhem, every 30 minutes, journey takes 33 minutes. The Berlin - Amsterdam international trains also stop at Amersfoort, 6 trains per day, and one more from Hannover (with a connection from Berlin).

NS train route planner

By bus Amersfoort is served by regional bus lines, some with limited services. The main bus lines run every 30 minutes: line 80 from Wageningen, and three with parallel rail routes: the 70 from Hilversum, the 101 from Harderwijk and the 102 from Apeldoorn.

Public transport route planner

By car Amersfoort is next to a major intersection between the A1 motorway from Amsterdam to Hengelo and onwards to Germany, and the A28 motorway from Utrecht to Groningen. Nearby at Ba

Getting around

Tourist Office 1 Tourist Office (VVV), Breestraat 1 (Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren/ Our Lady tower), ☏ +31 900 11 22 364 (€0.50 p/c), [email protected]. The Tourist Office of Amersfoort is located in the heart of the city center, next to the Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren in the city centre. They are happy to help you with more information, maps, walking- and cycle routes and souvenirs.

Public transport Amersfoort does have a city bus network with 10 lines, operated by Syntus Utrecht. Services are not as frequent as you would expect, in a city this size. The city centre is small enough to walk everywhere, the station is 10 minutes walk from the centre. Outside the centre, the best way to get around is to cycle. Car access to the city centre is restricted.

Carparking Amersfoort city centre is easily accessible and offers multiple parking facilities, including eight parking garages in and around the city centre. The Parking Route Information System (PRIS) can guide you to any of our parking garages.

Parking Services in Amersfoort city center

Rent a bike or scooter At the Central Train Station and various other locations in and around the city centre you can rent (electric) bicycles which you may then park for free at one of the many cycle racks in the city centre. In combination with the Eemlijn Fietsboot this can be a perfect day out. Alternatively, you can rent a scooter from the Tourist Bureau Amersfoort, where they also have information on scooter routes.

Tourist Bureau Amersfoort

See

The roughly circular historic centre is the main attraction of Amersfoort. The Eem river runs diagonally through the old city, south-east to northwest, from the Monnickendam to the Koppelpoort. It is crossed at right angles by the Langestraat, part of the old highway from Utrecht to Zwolle, and still the main street. The station is on the west side, and the Town Hall is at the western edge of the old city, on the road to the station. Most of the office buildings in the centre are located on or near this road. Apart from the Langestraat, most of the shopping streets are on the west side of the centre also. Specific sights include:

Museums

1 Mondriaanhuis, Kortegracht 11, [email protected]. Situated in the house of birth of the famous artist Piet Mondriaan, this museum is completely dedicated to his work and includes a reconstruction of his 1920s Paris studio. The museum has English descriptions of objects and artefacts, English brochures and guided tours in English. Please make a reservation for a tour in English at least four days in advance. 2 Museum Flehite, Westsingel 50, ☏ +31 33 247 1100, [email protected]. Housed in buildings dating back to around 1540 the Museum Flehite hosts art exhibitions and artefacts that reflect the history of Amersfoort. English summary of history of Amersfoort available. Guided tours in English possible. Please make a reservation for a tour in English at least four days by telephone. 3 Kunsthal KAdE, Eemplein 77 (next to