Jirnsum: visit 5 UNESCO World Heritage sites

Did you know… Many of our B&B guests use our Mauritius Church to visit five (5!) UNESCO World Heritage sites. Yes, five top attractions accessible by car or bike from Jirnsum (and sometimes by public transport). Read below to find out which five they are.

1. Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium in Franeker (Friesland)

In beautiful Franeker—a historic university town—you'll find the Planetarium of astronomer Eise Eisinga, officially a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2023. It's the oldest, still-functioning planetarium in the world. Experience a true Xperience here; a step back to the future. Every year, we're amazed when we visit this beautiful museum with family and friends (and the apple pie in the garden or café is divine!).

Eisinga's clock is handcrafted and completely intact. On the ceiling of Eisinga's home, you can see our solar system, with all the planets orbiting the sun. There's a museum with a large collection of astronomical instruments and a cinema with continuous video screenings. The Planetarium is a feast for the eyes, both young and old.

Don't go home after your visit: Franeker offers plenty of beautiful things and entertainment. Say hello to the ice cream vendors at the ice cream shop across from the Planetarium. Did you know Franeker once had a university? Yes, after Leiden, a university was founded in Friesland—Frankeker, of course. Unfortunately, Napoleon decided to close it down—otherwise, not Groningen, but Franeker would have become and remained the smartest city in the North. (You can learn all about this remarkable history and more at the Martena Museum in Franeker, a 3-minute walk from the Planetarium. Our tip: buy or reserve a double ticket for both museums.)

And afterward: stroll through the living museum that is Franeker, a truly wonderful experience with so many friendly people. Franeker also has plenty to offer in terms of culinary and shopping delights.

Franeker and the Eise Eisinga Planetarium is 24 km from Jirnsum and our Mauritius Church B&B.

Tip: Due to the popularity of the Planetarium, you should book your tickets online in advance.

Tip 2: Bring a 50-cent coin if you want to see the miniature fairground on the 5th floor of the Martena Museum, which will shine, spin, and sound! A must for fans of (authentic) fairs.

2. Wadden Sea (Friesland)

The world's largest system of Wadden Sea and coastal islands is located in Friesland. The Wadden Sea has been an official World Heritage site since 2009.

Our B&B guests love to drive to the harbor town of Harlingen for a walk on the beach and the Wadden Sea coast. Or, today's tip: visit De Zwarte Haan restaurant, uniquely situated at the foot of the Wadden Sea dike. From here, you can breathe in the fresh air and walk or cycle for miles along the dike, all while enjoying the Wadden Sea Nature Theater (free of charge!). Every day, every performance is different.

De Zwarte Haan's menu is local and mostly organic. So it's possible.

Distance Jirnsum – Harlingen: 40km, also easily done by train from Grou-Jirnsum station (change in Leeuwarden), distance Jirnsum-Zwarte Haan: 33km.

3. Woudegagemaal in Lemmer (Friesland)

A unique example of Dutch-Frisian water management and high-level engineering. Spectacular when it's windy and rainy: the DF Woudagemaal pumping station near Lemmer. A UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999.

Less than a half-hour drive from Jirnsum is the renowned Ingenieur DF Woudagemaal pumping station in Lemmer. It is the largest steam pumping station ever built in the world. This jewel in the crown dates back to 1920 and has been a World Heritage Site since 1999. Even though the monument is over 104 years old, it still functions. During high water levels, the Wetterskip (water board) Fryslân still uses the pumping station to ensure dry feet in Friesland. The pumping station is open to visitors on certain days.

Visit the exhibition space and learn all about the impact of climate change and water management. You can also use VR glasses to see how the pumping station works and walk around it on two nature trails. A visit to the Woudagemaal is both fun and educational.

Distance Jirnsum – Woudagemaal: 33 kilometers.

4. Schokland (Northeastpolder)

Don't be alarmed: Schokland, like Urk, was an island in the Zuiderzee (now the IJsselmeer). Since the draining of the Noordoostpolder in 1942, Schokland has been part of the mainland of the present-day Dutch province of Flevoland.

Schokland has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1995, because of the archaeological wealth and history of the area.

The rustic area is managed by the Het Flevolandschap foundation and covers an area of approximately 150 hectares. As of January 1, 2023, only five (!) people officially lived on Schokland, which has since been given village status.

The island of Schokland was once an important landmark for shipping in the Zuiderzee. It lay at the mouth of the IJssel River on a busy shipping route. Due to their years of isolation, the islanders of Schokland had their own culture, traditional dress, and even spoke their own dialect, known as Schokkers.

Traces of human habitation dating back to prehistoric times can be found on Schokland. Schokland's subsoil is gray, sandy, flint-rich boulder clay, the remnant of a moraine on which Texel, Wieringen, Urk, and Vollenhove also lie. The history of Schokland was recounted by Harry Mulisch—who doesn't remember him?—in his novella, "The Leap of Horses and the Sweet Sea" (1955).

Distance Jirnsum-Schokland near Ens: 59km.

5. Colonies of Benevolence (Drenthe)

In 2021, the Colonies of Benevolence in Veenhuizen and Frederiksoord were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. And rightly so, as both villages showcase the unique history of poverty reduction in the Netherlands (and Flanders!). The 1818 project was a social experiment unique in Europe and marked the beginning of the Netherlands' welfare state (yes, even then!).

In this Society of Benevolence, poor city dwellers were given the opportunity to start a new life as farm laborers in Drenthe and Overijssel in the 19th century. A pilot colony was established in Frederiksoord, and a penal colony in Veenhuizen.

The history of both colony villages is still visible in the landscape. Also visit the Prison Museum in Veenhuizen and the De Proefkolonie Museum in Frederiksoord.

The colonies were designed as settlements; they had residential buildings, farms, churches, and other communal facilities. At their peak in the mid-19th century, over 11,000 people lived in such colonies in the Netherlands. In Belgium, Flanders, their number peaked at 6,000 in 1910.

The colonies have recently become known again through Suzanna Jansen's bestselling book: Het pauperparadijs: een familiegeschiedenis (The Pauper Paradise: A Family History) from 2010.

Extras: Hop on your bike and take a ride through the beautiful Fochteloërveen to Veenhuizen. Or ride your e-bike through the Drents-Friese Wold, across the Doldersummerveld, and through the forests near Vledder towards Frederiksoord. Well worth it.

Also popular with our guests: the robber bus!

Distance Jirnsum – Colonies of Benevolence in Drenthe: 47.5km (Frederiksoord) to 53km (Veenhuizen).

UNESCO World Heritage List

The UNESCO World Heritage List is a list of world heritage sites compiled by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee at the recommendation of the member states. The World Heritage Convention has been ratified by 191 of the 197 countries. The Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property (The Hague, 1954) laid the foundation for UNESCO and its tasks regarding cultural heritage and describes the responsibilities of UNESCO and the contracting states with regard to cultural objects. More information about UNESCO World Heritage can be found on Wikipedia .

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