Uithoorn

Uithoorn in Dutch means outer corner. The corner is located between the Zijdelmeer Lake and the Amstel River. In the 10^th century, Uithoorn and the surroundings were one big peat swamp. In the 12^th and 13^th century many little villages such as Kudelstaart, Vrouwenakker, Uithoorn and de Hoef were built, and today we can tour those villages from the canals.

In the 16^th and 17^th century, peat was a very important material to create fuel. At that time, they dug out all the peat and it was used mainly as fuel to help progress Amsterdam. The lasting effects of the dug out peat changed the Netherlands geography, such as wider lakes and canals.

History of Amstel River Countryside (Amstelland):

• Amstel River
• Uithoorn
• Rondehoep
• Nes aan de Amstel
• Amstelveen
• Ouderkerk aan de Amstel
• Amsterdam