Visit Lelystad
Lelystad is named after the man who had the dream to drain the ocean. It is a place of big water and even bigger ships. You can find a full scale model of a gold age ship at the harbor. It is a city that celebrates the battle between man and the waves. The ground here is four meters below the level of the sea.
Explore the Batavialand museum to see the famous wooden ship. You can climb the masts and see how sailors lived on the way to the east. The museum also shows how the whole province was pumped dry with giant machines. It is a story of grit and clever engineering. You can even see the old wrecks that were found when the water was removed.
Drive to the Oostvaardersplassen to see the wild side of the polder. This is a massive nature park where horses and deer roam free. It looks like a wild savanna in the middle of a modern country. You can watch rare birds from the wooden hides along the water. It is a stunning contrast to the straight lines of the city.
Top sights to visit
- Batavia Ship Wooden masts and heavy cannons define this full scale model of a 17th century Dutch sailing ship. You can explore the tiny cabins and see exactly how sailors lived during their long global voyages.
- Batavialand Museum Giant machines and old shipwrecks tell the story of how this entire province was reclaimed from the sea. It is a powerful look at human grit and the clever engineering that keeps the land dry.
- Aviodrome Flight fans will love this museum which features dozens of old planes and a giant jumbo jet you can enter. It includes a 1930s airport terminal and offers a deep look into the history of wings and engines.
- Batavia Stad Fashion lovers should head to this designer outlet mall which is built to look like a historic wooden village. It features over one hundred shops and is a favorite stop for high end shopping on a budget.
- Oostvaardersplassen Reeds and marsh land fill this famous nature park where cattle and horses live without human help. The visitor center provides a stunning view over the water and is a top site for bird watchers.
- The Marker Wadden Man made islands in the lake offer a new home for fish and birds and can be reached by a short boat trip. You can walk on sandy paths and see how the Dutch are still building new land today.
- Exposure Statue Metal beams form a giant man crouching on the dike and looking out over the wide water. This massive piece of art is a landmark for the city and looks incredible during a northern sunset.
- National Park Nieuw Land Hiking trails wind through the newest national park in the country, covering the edge of the vast polder. It shows the future of Dutch nature where water and land meet in a wild and beautiful way.
- Lelystad Nature Park Wild boar and elk roam through this large forest park which is located just outside the city center. The animals have plenty of space and the quiet paths are perfect for a long afternoon walk.
- The Houtribdijk Driving across this thirty kilometer long dike makes it feel like you are in the middle of the ocean. It connects two provinces and is one of the most scenic and unique roads in the entire country.
- Werkeiland Lelystad Historic wooden houses from the 1950s are found on this small hill which was the first part of the city ever built. It has a very different feel from the rest of the town and shows the early days of the polder.
- Zilverpark Modern water works and stylish silver buildings surround this central park in the heart of the city. It is a great place to sit on a bench and enjoy the urban design and the clean, fresh air.
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History of Lelystad
Lelystad is named after Cornelis Lely the man who had the crazy dream to turn the sea into a province. For a long time it was just a tiny island of mud where workers lived while they built the dikes that would protect the new land. It was the first place in the polder to be built and it feels like the true capital of the Flevoland province. The city is a monument to the battle between the people and the waves.
The harbor is the heart of the city and holds a full scale replica of the Batavia a golden age ship that once sailed the world. It reminds everyone that the Dutch were masters of the water long before they learned how to drain it. The city also holds the great museums that tell the story of the shipwrecks found in the mud and the massive pumps that keep the ground dry. It is a place of maritime pride and bold engineering.
Nature has also claimed a huge part of this new land in the marshy parks on the city edge like the Oostvaardersplassen. Here wild horses and rare birds live in a world that looks like it has been there for thousands of years. It is a city where the high tech world of the harbor meets the raw power of nature. For the traveler it is the best place to understand how the Dutch took control of their destiny and built a home where the fish once swam.