Schokland

Schokland and Surroundings
UNESCO World Heritage Site
	The elevation of the former island is clearly visible
Location	Noordoostpolder, Netherlands
Criteria	Cultural: iii, v
Reference	739
Inscription	1995 (19th Session)
Area	1,306 ha
Website	schokland.nl/en/
Coordinates	52°38′03″N 5°46′40″E / 52.634183°N 5.777875°E / 52.634183; 5.777875
	Location of Schokland in Netherlands

Schokland (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈsxɔklɑnt]) is a former island in the Dutch Zuiderzee, in the municipality of Noordoostpolder. Schokland was an elongated strip of peat land which ceased to be an island when the Noordoostpolder was reclaimed from the sea in 1942. It is now just a slightly elevated part of the polder, with a still partly intact retaining wall of the waterfront of Middelbuurt. On 1 April 2014, it had 8 inhabitants,^[1] but according to Statistics Netherlands there are five people living on the former island.^[2]

History

Schokland was an attractive settlement area in the Middle Ages when it was much larger. By the 19th century, it was under continuous threat of flooding due to the rise in sea level. By then the Schoklanders had retreated to the three most elevated parts: Emmeloord, Molenbuurt, and Middelbuurt. A major flood in 1825 brought massive destruction, and in 1859 the government decided to end permanent settlement on Schokland. The former municipality of Schokland was joined to Kampen on the mainland.

Today Schokland is a popular archeological site and host to the Museum Schokland [nl]. Schokland was the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Netherlands.

Public transportation

The nearest railway stations are in Kampen and Dronten.

Bus service 682 operates from Kampen and serves Schokland.

Church of Schokland at Middelbuurt
Church with sea wall
Church
Glacial erratic. The label on the left stone shows the Dutch for "Stones from Norway".
Church ruins at Ens
Schokland seen from the north
Schokland Museum [nl] houses

References

^ (in Dutch) Feiten en cijfers Archived 2014-04-19 at the Wayback Machine, Municipality of Noordoostpolder
^ "The island on dryland: The Dutch island of Schokland". www.radionetherlandsarchives.org. Feb 4, 2001. Retrieved Feb 19, 2023.

External links

Media related to Schokland at Wikimedia Commons
Schokland travel guide from Wikivoyage
Official website

[1] (in Dutch) Feiten en cijfers Archived 2014-04-19 at the Wayback Machine, Municipality of Noordoostpolder

[2] "The island on dryland: The Dutch island of Schokland". www.radionetherlandsarchives.org. Feb 4, 2001. Retrieved Feb 19, 2023.

v t e Populated places in the municipality of Noordoostpolder
Towns	Emmeloord
Villages	Bant Creil Ens Espel Kraggenburg Luttelgeest Marknesse Nagele Rutten Schokland Tollebeek
List of cities, towns and villages in Flevoland

v t e World Heritage Sites in the Netherlands
North	Colonies of Benevolence¹ Eisinga Planetarium in Franeker D.F. Wouda Steam Pumping Station Wadden Sea²	Flag of the Netherlands
East	Lower Germanic Limes³ Schokland and Surroundings
West	Beemster Polder Canals of Amsterdam Defence Line of Amsterdam Lower Germanic Limes³ Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout Rietveld Schröder House Van Nelle Factory Wadden Sea²
Curaçao	Historic Area of Willemstad
¹ Shared with Belgium ² Shared locally with other region/s and with Germany and Denmark ³ Shared locally with other region/s and with Germany