Urk is a town and municipality in the Dutch province of Flevoland. This former island is situated on the edge of the Noordoostpolder and directly connected to the IJsselmeer. Because of this people in Urk still say they are living 'on' Urk instead of 'in' Urk.
Urk is a very old settlement, with written records of its existence dating back to the 10th century. While Urk endured, the conditions around it changed - the water body next to Urk turned from a peaceful sweetwater lake into a bay of the North Sea, ravaged by storms and tidal waves, while finally becoming shielded from the Sea by the dams built as parts of the grand water management works in the Netherlands. Finally, when the Noordoostpolder was reclaimed, Urk lost its status as an island and became a part of the large land mass, but did not lose its access to the IJsselmeer, which by that time was a sweetwater lake again.
All through that time, as well as today, Urkers have been relying on fishing as a source of both food and income. It was not easy life, which hardened the spirits of Urkers, and made them one of the most traditional and socially, as well as religiously, conservative communities of the Netherlands, which is a trait lasting until today. Urk has also developed a unique culture, with its own dialect and folk costumes, in which Urkers take pride.
Compared to the rest of Flevoland, which is mostly deprived of any historic buildings, Urk is quite unique in being a genuinely old settlement rife with genuinely old architecture.
Urk used to be an island and still is a very traditional fishery village. There is a lighthouse, a fishery museum and the old part of the town is still very authentic and pleasant to walk around in.
Outside Urk there is a stone reservation, a place where a lot of stones which were laid there during the last ice age.
Urk Lighthouse.
- Books. Koster-Urk is a large bookstore at the handelskade. Mangroove is a large bookstore in the city centre. Mangroove also sells DVDs, Blu-rays, and music.
- Winkelcentrum Urkerhard. Is a new and big shopping area at Urk.
Books. Koster-Urk is a large bookstore at the handelskade. Mangroove is a large bookstore in the city centre. Mangroove also sells DVDs, Blu-rays, and music.
Winkelcentrum Urkerhard. Is a new and big shopping area at Urk.
When you come to Urk make sure you try some fish. There are several restaurants of which one, De Boet, is in the top 50 of Netherlands's best restaurants.