What did Gouda look like when cargo barges sailed through the city every day, city gates still dominated the streetscape, and the water was the main link to the rest of Holland? During the first Historic Barging Day on Saturday, September 5 , visitors can take a special journey back in time through Gouda’s past.
Long before trains began running, towboats were the main form of public transportation between cities in the Netherlands. Gouda played a central role in this. This is where the Gouwe and the Hollandse IJssel rivers converged; locks were built; breweries operated at full capacity; and one of Holland’s most important trade routes ran right through the city. Every day, towboats sailed from the city to destinations including Rotterdam, Leiden, Amsterdam, and Utrecht. During the Historic Tugboat Day, you can discover for yourself just how important these waterways were for trade, exchange, and development in everyday life during the Golden Age.
Activities on and along the waters of the Hoge and Lage Gouwe tell the story of the historic tow canals. Free boat tours depart every hour starting at 1:00 p.m. There are also historical walks, lectures, children’s activities, and a special digital journey through time that brings the past to life in a surprising way for young and old alike. Tickets for boat tours and walking tours are available for free on the day of the event .
The free lecture begins at 2:00 p.m. at the St. Joost Chapel, Lage Gouwe 134 in Gouda. Theo Pronk of the Verborgen Stad Foundation and city historian Henkjan Sprokholt will take visitors on a tour of digitally reconstructed sites and demonstrate how crucial water has been to the city’s development.
The “History5D” app takes users on a virtual journey through time, allowing them to experience what Gouda looked like in the 17th century. Visitors can, as it were, stroll through a “Google Street View of the past.” Along the way, long-gone city gates, locks, and other historic sites come into view. But it’s not just buildings and streets; the people who have lived in Gouda over the centuries are also brought to life. You’ll meet, among others, passengers on towboats, soldiers, migrants, young and old. Even famous residents of Gouda make an appearance!
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End: 17:30p.m.