Home > Europe > Netherlands > B and B Church of Etersheim

B & B Church of Etersheim

Bed and Breakfast in a traditional Dutch church by the Markermeer lake.

High up in the church, a spacious room with attached private bathroom is available for Bed & Breakfast with breathtaking view over the Markermeer lake and the surrounding Noord-Holland scenery. Exactly 40 years after the church's public function was lost, guests can now cross the threshold again and sleep in this unique building.

The room
On the top floor of the building, the room for 2-4 people is situated, with adjoining bathroom with shower. (About 30 square meters) The room is very light and has large windows overlooking the lake.

This room is furnished with a double bed with adjustable bed frames, and possibly 1 or 2 additional beds on request. Also a crib and changing table are available. A television and a computer with internet are present in the room and the bathroom has a shower cabin, toilet and sink.

Enjoy breakfast privately in your room or downstairs in the big living room with original church windows. In the room itself it is possible to make coffee and tea etc. yourselves. On request it may be possible that a simple diner is cooked for an additional 10 euros. The tower platform is accessible from the room and the adventurous guests can, at request, climb the ladders to the tower for a amazing panoramic view.

Good to know: The room is only accessible by stairs, and also includes some steps itself. There is a sweet Golden Retriever dog and cat in the house, obviously not in the vicinity of the guestroom.

Prices
Per night, including breakfast:
1 person € 50, -
2 persons € 70, -
3 persons € 90, -
4 persons € 110, -

A church that lost its tower
The village Etersheim already existed in the year 800. The at that time still large village at the mouth of the river Ee, was swallowed up, church and all, by several floods of the Zuiderzee. The inhabitants fled further inland, safely behind the dike, where they built a new church in 1639. This old church was demolished in the late 19th century, but the stones were reused in the in 1901 completed new, current church. Since 1971 this church has not been in function.

In the time period the church was build, big towers were considered a status symbol and the modest sized church could not withstand the weight of the large tower that was built on it. In the 1980's, the tower was about to collapse and had to be removed. This gives the church a special appearance: Instead of the high tower with pointed tip, the flat remnant.

Since 2002, the church is owned by the current occupants, who have used it for housing only. The original, high placed cemetery, next to the church, is still in use.

Contact
For any information or for reservations, please contact S. Oostra:
Address Etersheim 10
1474 MT Oosthuizen
Telephone 0299-403907
Cellphone 06-13996973

Neighborhood
Etersheim is an ancient hamlet, between city Hoorn and picturesque towns Edam and Volendam. Open air museums Enkuizen and Zaanse Schans and capital city Amsterdam are just 30 minutes by car.

Besides walking and cycling, whisperboats are popular daytourvehicles, even as canoeing, sailing or cruising on the Markermeer. The many swimming beaches of the Markermeer are within walking distance of the Bed & Breakfast.

The church overlooks the restored mill of Etersheim, a museummill with a cozy coffee house. The larger village Oosthuizen is close, with shops and cafes. The church is just yards away from the popular Zuiderzeeroute. In addition to this continuous route around the IJsselmeer lake, (former Zuiderzee), it is also located in the center of several smaller walking and cycling routes, through the Dutch agricultural landscape, with cows and sheep, dikes, canals and ponds, protected bird meadows, land behind the dikes and lovely old villages.

This includes the Beemster 'polder' area, that is protected world heritage. Nice walks are the Dik Trompad specially for children, named after the books of writer C. Joh. Kieviet who lived and taught in the old school of Etersheim, or the Route where one has to cross canals with little pull ferries. The church is also part of the QR route that runs along little old churches in North Holland.