When Edam after 1357 dug a new and shorter east-west connection from the Purmer lake to the Zuiderzee, the ancient harbor was "full" or could be closed.
Thus begins the history of Volendam in making a dam on a dam.
As in later centuries a dam or a dam would assert it’s influence.
Soon settled, alongside the farmers who lived along the old dike, some fishermen on the dam.
Five centuries their settlement was no more than a forgotten fishing village.
So they maintained almost complete isolation in the old customs, the costumes and the old Catholic faith. The old Volendam village built their houses on poles, for the sea often hit the houses around. The earliest construction can still be found on “Slobbeland”. The houses are still outside the dikes, because the sea is not dangerous anymore. Since the dam on May 28, 1932, the Zuiderzee from the North Sea closed.
The history of Volendam is set because it lay’s between two closing dikes.
The first of 1357, the second of 1932, the first dam “Volendammers” built along the their homes.
The second dike put an end to the expansion as the fishing village of Volendam.
The fleet of 240 vessels there still remains a number 20 fishermen who fish on the Ijsselmeer and 8 North Sea fishermen. The real seafish disappeared shortly after 1932 from the Ijsselmeer because the water became sweet (instead of the salty water from the sea). Only the eel and perch which has come from Germany are well developed and provide some compensation! This allowed many to continue to fish and Volendam remained what it was, the most typical fishing village in the Netherlands.

This village maintained its unique character for six centuries, thanks to a complete isolation, and the tough life of fishermen.
Tourism is also encouraged because the village is visited by the French painter Henry Havard, in 1883 he made a trip with a barge along the Zuiderzee. The village of Volendam made a huge impression on him an he encouraged his fellow artists to visit Volendam.
Lots of artists followed Henry Havard en visited Volendam and they received a friendly and open welcome by the Volendammers
In the period 1875-1914, Volendam was a true artist colony, it became the model for 4000 to 5000 painters.

Besides the daily work, the Volendam also have time to relax.
There are many sports clubs, where many internationally renown.
Volendam costume on the various groups are invited Volendammerdag and runs some of the people in the costumes of their parents.



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