Walking route 11fountains: Sloten
About the city walk
Welcome to the smallest of the eleven cities: Sloten Although small, it is by no means less beautiful. Here you will find the loveliest façades of Friesland, and all this in a car-free environment. Trees that line the canal, flowers on the footbridges, and centuries-old cobblestones add colour to the streets and alleys of this natural gem. This short walk takes you through and around Sloten, so you can see its beauty from all sides.
Easy navigation?
View the route in Google Maps
About the fountain
‘Peewit’ shows a girl standing on the shoulders…
About the city walk
Welcome to the smallest of the eleven cities: Sloten Although small, it is by no means less beautiful. Here you will find the loveliest façades of Friesland, and all this in a car-free environment. Trees that line the canal, flowers on the footbridges, and centuries-old cobblestones add colour to the streets and alleys of this natural gem. This short walk takes you through and around Sloten, so you can see its beauty from all sides.
Easy navigation?
View the route in Google Maps
About the fountain
‘Peewit’ shows a girl standing on the shoulders of a man. She is holding a bird in her hand. Under the man’s feet, a haphazard stack of buckets, jerrycans and wash tubs forms the base of the fountain. These universal containers through which water flows in and out quietly, refer to something that we in our society possess in abundance but that cannot be taken for granted in other parts of the world: water – the source of all life. The bird the girl cherishes is a peewit, an endangered species in Friesland.
Sights on this route
11Fountains Sloten
The ‘Peewit’ shows a girl standing on the shoulders of a man. She holds a bird in her hand. Under the man’s feet a disheveled pile of buckets, jerry cans and barrels form the base of the fountain.
11fountains Sloten
Kievit’ toont een meisje dat op de schouders van een man staat. Ze houdt een vogel in haar hand. Onder de voeten van de man vormt een slordige stapel emmers, jerrycans en teilen de basis van de fontein.
Waslijnen van Sloten
Sloten houdt zijn bleekjes in ere. De 'Bleekweide’ was vroeger het centrale grasperk waarop pas gewassen linnen lag te drogen en bleken in de zon. Alleen ligt de was nu niet uitgespreid op het gras, maar hangt het gewoon aan de waslijn.
VVV locatie Sloten
VVV Sloten is gevestigd in Museum Sloten. Loop hier naar binnen voor toeristische informatie, een stadswandeling door Sloten of fietsroutes, maar ook voor souvenirs of ansichtkaarten ben je hier aan het juiste adres.
Museum Sloten
Midden in Sloten - echt een betoverend museum: ervaar de rijke geschiedenis van de stad en beleef de magische wereld van de toverlantaarns.
Grutte Tsjerke Sloten
De protestantse laatgotische kerk van Sloten werd in 1647 gebouwd op de plaats waar daarvoor de Sint-Janskapel heeft gestaan.
De Mallemok | Smokehouse & Grill
No Grill, No Glory! Welkom bij Restaurant De Mallemok in Sloten
De Lemsterpoort
Varend vanuit Lemmer vormt de molen samen met de Lemsterpoort een prachtig beeld dat al oneindig vaak op de foto is vastgelegd, maar nog steeds weet te boeien. Aan de voet van de Lemsterpoort staat een schandpaal.
Kanongebulder Sloten
In het hoogseizoen schiet de stadsschutterij iedere vrijdagavond het kanon van Sloten af op het molenerf van korenmolen De Kaai. Stadsomroeper Pieter Haringsma geeft hierbij uitleg.
Korenmolen De Kaai
Korenmolen De Kaai in Sloten maalt al sinds 1775 het koren tot meel en is de opvolger van een eerdere molen die op deze plaats stond.
11Fountains Sloten
The ‘Peewit’ shows a girl standing on the shoulders of a man. She holds a bird in her hand. Under the man’s feet a disheveled pile of buckets, jerry cans and barrels form the base of the fountain.
Directions
11Fountains Sloten
The ‘Peewit’ shows a girl standing on the shoulders of a man. She holds a bird in her hand. Under the man’s feet a disheveled pile of buckets, jerry cans and barrels form the base of the fountain.
The tour starts at the tall, slim fountain of Sloten. A pile of dark, plastic containers, with atop of it a man with a girl on his shoulders. She is holding a peewit, an endangered bird. The containers symbolise water, abundant in some parts of the world, but extremely scarce elsewhere. From this unique fountain, we head eastwards, where we walk on the bulwark for a bit. On the bridge you get a glimpse of Sloten, with its beautiful façades and old cobbled streets.
On the other side of the bridge, on the right, you will see a cannon, used in the defence of this once very important city. Due to its location, Sloten was strategically of great importance to Friesland and needed considerable defence. Now the cannon points to the lovely rolling landscape, with practically no signs of pollution by humans. It’s green wherever you look.
On your left you will see one of the three churches of Sloten. We walk behind it and there, along the outskirts of the village, are the famous clotheslines of Sloten. In the past, on this green, people left their linen outside to get bleached by the sun. Sloten is built very compactly, and only at the edge of the town there is enough space, sun and wind to let the laundry dry. It looks nice and it saves on energy!
Follow this path until you can turn left into Dubbelstraat. On your left and right you will see lovely houses, but the highlight is yet to come.
Cross the canal and turn right. The façades in this street are real gems. Because the city used to be so important, a lot of time and money was put into the houses, to make them stand out. You can see this in the centuries-old stepped gables and clock gables. Behind one of these beautiful façades, you will find the VVV tourist office and Museum Sloten, housed in the former town hall of Sloten. The museum offers a surprising view on the city’s history and in its attic you will find Laterna Magica: the most beautiful collection of magic lanterns in the Netherlands.
Continue your way along the water and cross the first bridge you pass. This bridge is not suitable for buggies or people who have difficulty walking, although that somewhat applies to all bridges in Sloten. You should be able to climb stairs for this bridge.
When on the other side of the water, continue the route to the south side of the stronghold. Here you will find the marina Lemsterpoort, with behind it the beautiful flourmill. At the foot of the Lemsterpoort is a pillory, which reminds of the time when Sloten could pass and execute sentences.
Behind flourmill De Kaai there is a small field with a large cannon. Sloten still has an active town crier, named Pieter Haringsma. In the high season, Pieter calls the city together every Friday evening for the traditional firing of the canon on the grounds of flourmill De Kaai. The cannon is fired by the “shooter’s guild” of Sloten, who wear traditional attire.
If you keep following the road, you will arrive at the fountain again. The end of the route! On to the next city. All restaurants and cafés of Sloten can be found here.
11Fountains Sloten
The ‘Peewit’ shows a girl standing on the shoulders of a man. She holds a bird in her hand. Under the man’s feet a disheveled pile of buckets, jerry cans and barrels form the base of the fountain.
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