The Old Dutch Waterline is not only a historic defensive structure dating back to the Disaster Year of 1672, but also a place brimming with stories, heritage, and surprises. With four brand-new short vlogs, Struinen en Vorsen brings the Waterline to life: from imposing city walls to the flavors of yesterday and today. The series is available on the website and social media and shows how you can still experience the past today. And how!
A Journey into the Past: The Water Line Then and Now
The Water Line Experience takes viewers on a tour of four cities that served as safe havens in the flooded landscape of 1672. We follow the traces that are still visible today: historic buildings, museums, key figures, and culinary traditions. What did people eat during the Disaster Year? What traces of this can still be found in our regional products? And how have the Waterline cities managed to maintain their role over the centuries?
Vlogger Nina takes you on a journey through the past and lets you experience the Water Line like never before. In her own unique way, she uncovers the stories behind the fortified towns, samples local products with a historical twist, and shows how the Water Line has shaped our country.
“You don’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you came from,” says Anita van Staveren, project coordinator and creator of the series. “Through these vlogs, we show how history and experience come together and how you can still experience the Water Line today.”
Four short vlogs connect the past and the present
The video series consists of an introductory video and four short vlogs. Each vlog focuses on a historic city: Gouda, Schoonhoven, Nieuwpoort, and Gorinchem. Vlogger Nina discovers the stories in these cities through locations, food, and nature. The videos are aimed at a broad audience: from families and culture enthusiasts to young people who are discovering their heritage through Instagram.
Experience the Waterlinie online now at
On Friday, February 7, the official launch of the Waterlinie Experience took place at Museum Nieuwpoort, where the Old Dutch Waterlinie can still be fully experienced. At this unique location, attendees were the first to see the vlogs. The video series is now available for everyone to watch online at www.waterlinieexperience.nl and will be featured on Struinen en Vorsen’s Instagram and Facebook pages.
Heritage that leaves you wanting more
Would you like to experience the Waterline for yourself? "The vlogs give a glimpse of these Waterline cities, but above all, we hope they inspire visitors to set out on their own, to look, taste, and experience," Anita says enthusiastically. "That’s why we’ll soon be expanding the Waterline Experience with Expedition Tours, allowing visitors to discover the many traces that are still visible in the four cities. They can also meet passionate storytellers who bring the Disaster Year of 1672 and the Waterline to life with their tales."
The website www.waterlinieexperience.nl already features plenty of great tips for truly experiencing the Waterline.
Box:
About Struinen en Vorsen
Struinen en Vorsen is a network organization in the Green Heart region dedicated to experiencing and connecting landscape, heritage, and local products. The organization facilitates walking, cycling, and boating routes and brings together entrepreneurs, creators, experts, and visitors. This turns every trip into a unique experience.
To achieve this, Struinen en Vorsen has developed the Groene Hart Experience, an initiative that allows visitors to experience recreation, culture, and nature in a sustainable way. With the involvement of more than 140 affiliated participants—including museums, heritage organizations, and hospitality establishments from the recreational, cultural, and agricultural sectors—Struinen en Vorsen fosters connections and strengthens this diverse region.
The Waterlinie Experience is an initiative of Struinen en Vorsen and is made possible in part by the Old Dutch Waterline Heritage Table of the Province of South Holland.
