IJmuiden - North Holland's Gate To The North Sea

North Holland's Gate To The North Sea

After the war, the town was rebuilt according to a plan by the architect Willem Marinus Dudok. The statistical area IJmuiden, which includes the surrounding countryside, has a population of 30,466. The headquarters of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij is located in IJmuiden.

The North Sea Canal connects the North Sea with the IJ Bay in Amsterdam, and the importance of this ship canal has been recognized with the introduction of the "Holland Route" along the canal by the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH). The places to see on this route are the Hoogovens Museum, the system of sluice gates at the mouth of the canal, and the Zee- en Haven Museum in IJmuiden.

Besides the Velsen Municipality Hall (Raadhuis van de gemeente Velsen), designed by the architect Willem Dudok as a centerpiece to his plan for a new IJmuiden, important sights in IJmuiden are the North Sea locks. The latter are among the largest in the world and one set is able to close off a shipping lane 50 metres (164 ft) wide and 12 meters (39 ft) deep. There are plans to enlarge or build a new set to facilitate passage for even larger vessels.

DFDS Seaways serve a route between Amsterdam and Newcastle via IJmuiden. A new roll-on/roll-off ferry route between IJmuiden and Great Yarmouth in the United Kingdom was considered. Any plans in that direction appear to have been abandoned by the relevant authorities.

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