Sliedrecht

Sliedrecht is a city and municipality along the Binnen-Merwede river in Zuid-Holland. Sliedrecht is well-known as the home of many large dredging companies.

Sliedrecht consisted of two towns before 1421, those being Sydrecht to the south of the Merwede, where the modern-day Biesbosch is, and Over-Slydrecht. Sydrecht was destroyed during the Saint Elizabeth's flood of that year, which led Over-Slydrecht (lit. Upper Slydrecht) to change its name to simply Slydrecht, which over time became Sliedrecht.

Sliedrecht was an average town in the Dutch river delta during the fifteenth and sixteenth century, with many citizens living from what they caught at sea, and a few others from what they farmed. Dredging became Sliedrecht's claim to fame during the Industrial Revolution, but the citizens, fighting against the water for their entire lives, were crafty hydraulic engineers by trade. As soon as the thirteenth century there were coordinated constructions of irrigation canals, dikes and other ways of keeping the water tame. The Sliedrecht farmers quickly found that there was more money to be made in creating dikes than by keeping livestock, and thus changed their trade. Harbours in Dordrecht were dug in the fifteenth century and were largely built by Sliedrechters.

Historically speaking, Sliedrecht is quite uneventful, and the town is nowadays more of a suburb of Dordrecht and Rotterdam. In recent history, Sliedrecht's claim to fame is the opening of the first Dutch IKEA in 1978, but this shop was closed in 2006 due to the building being too small and other, considerably larger establishments were located not far from the city.

• Nationaal Baggermuseum, Molendijk 204, +31 184 414 166. Though its name in Dutch has two meanings, one considerably more neutral than the other, the quality of the museum is for you to judge. The museum's collection consists of historical and modern models of dredging fleets, as well as an overview of the history of the trade and a collection of objects that were recovered during dredging works. Adults: €6, Children (age 4-14): €3.
• Sliedrechts Museum, Kerkbuurt 99, +31 184 413 404. Wednesday and Saturday from 14:00 to 17:00. The Sliedrechts Museum documents the history of the town, showing how its citizens used to live and how the town came to be. The museum is located in two beautiful historical buildings in the city centre. Adults: €2, Children: €1.
• Visit the Biesbosch National Park, which can be reached by taking a ferry from either Boven-Hardinxveld and Werkendam in the east or more directly via Kop van het Land.

Nationaal Baggermuseum, Molendijk 204, +31 184 414 166. Though its name in Dutch has two meanings, one considerably more neutral than the other, the quality of the museum is for you to judge. The museum's collection consists of historical and modern models of dredging fleets, as well as an overview of the history of the trade and a collection of objects that were recovered during dredging works. Adults: €6, Children (age 4-14): €3.

Sliedrechts Museum, Kerkbuurt 99, +31 184 413 404. Wednesday and Saturday from 14:00 to 17:00. The Sliedrechts Museum documents the history of the town, showing how its citizens used to live and how the town came to be. The museum is located in two beautiful historical buildings in the city centre. Adults: €2, Children: €1.

Visit the [[Biesbosch National Park]], which can be reached by taking a ferry from either [[Hardinxveld-Giessendam|Boven-Hardinxveld]] and [[Werkendam]] in the east or more directly via [[Dordrecht|Kop van het Land]].

• Spek & Bonen, Kerkbuurt 140, +31 184 412 022. Tue-Sat: 11:00 - 0:00; Sun: 12:00 - 0:00.
• De Dijk, Kerkbuurt 43b, +31 184 414 490. Closed on Sundays, Thu: 9:00 - 21:00; Mon-Wed & Fri-Sat: 9:00 - 17:30.
• Kom aan tafel!, Kerkbuurt 32, +31 184 412 289. Tue-Sat: 11:00 - 22:30.
• Il Mango, Middeldiepstraat 89, +31 184 420 510. Wed-Sun: 17:00-22:00.
• De Heeren van Slydrecht, Stationsplein 8, +31 184 444 888. Mon-Fri: 10:00 - 23:00; Sat & Sun: 12:00 - 0:00.

Spek & Bonen, Kerkbuurt 140, +31 184 412 022. Tue-Sat: 11:00 - 0:00; Sun: 12:00 - 0:00.

De Dijk, Kerkbuurt 43b, +31 184 414 490. Closed on Sundays, Thu: 9:00 - 21:00; Mon-Wed & Fri-Sat: 9:00 - 17:30.

Kom aan tafel!, Kerkbuurt 32, +31 184 412 289. Tue-Sat: 11:00 - 22:30.

Il Mango, Middeldiepstraat 89, +31 184 420 510. Wed-Sun: 17:00-22:00.

De Heeren van Slydrecht, Stationsplein 8, +31 184 444 888. Mon-Fri: 10:00 - 23:00; Sat & Sun: 12:00 - 0:00.

• The Moonshine, Stationsweg 3, +31 184 426 222.

The Moonshine, Stationsweg 3, +31 184 426 222.