Alkmaar
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By bus
There is an hourly long-distance bus service (350) to/from Harlingen in Friesland, connecting at Harlingen station with the local train to/from Leeuwarden. You can buy a ticket Alkmaar-Leeuwarden, valid for bus and train. The bus route crosses the Afsluitdijk, the long enclosure dike of the former Zuyder Zee. This is one of the few long-distance bus routes in the Netherlands, avoiding a much longer train journey via Amsterdam and Zwolle.
By Ferry
You can get to visit Alkmaar from the UK by using a ferry to Holland. There are a number of ferry companies based in the North East of England whos ports in Holland are only a short drive away from Alkmaar, which also offer a range of mini cruises.
By train
Alkmaar has two stations:
Alkmaar
Alkmaar Noord
There are direct trains to Den Helder, Hoorn, Zaandam, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Ede, Arnhem, Nijmegen, 's-Hertogenbosch, Eindhoven, Maastricht, Heerlen, Haarlem, Leiden and The Hague
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Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar
Stedelijk Museum Alkmaar is a city museum located in the center of Alkmaar on the Canadaplein. The museum is devoted to presenting and preserving the cultural history of Alkmaar and the surrounding region.
In 1873 the museum was founded on the Breedstraat. In 1968 it moved to the Doelenstraat in the old Schutterij building. It moved to its present location in 2000. The museum hosts a collection of historical paintings and artifacts, some of which date back to the period before the Protestant Revolution.
The Hof van Sonoy
The Hof van Sonoy is a larger version of a hofje, incorporating part of the former convent of Maria Magdalena. During the Siege of Alkmaar, the convent was used to house those displaced by new defensive works. After the siege, it was sold to Diederik (Dietrich) Sonoy. The notorious Sonoy was a nobleman from Kalkar, in the Duchy of Cleves , who choose the side of William of Orange in the conflict with the Spanish court. He was appointed governor of 'Holland's Northern Quarter', the region around Alkmaar, and played an important role in defeating the Siege of Alkmaar. However, he was not a 'liberator': like some other leaders of the revolt, he was a religious fanatic. He burnt the Abbey of Egmond, and persecuted, tortured, and and killed Catholics.
Hofje van Splinter
This hofje was founded in 1646, with a legacy from Margaretha Splinter. It was rebuilt after her death as a hofje for eight unmarried ladies, in needy circumstances but of good family. The Splinter coat of arms is on the facade. The unmarked door beside the lawyers office leads to a small covered passage, along the eight tiny houses. The hofje is private, but the door is often open for visitors, on the expectation they will visit quietly.
The Broeker Veiling
The Broeker Veiling is now a museum illustrating the traditional agriculture of the area, and the auction system. By now it is surrounded by suburban development, and the relationship with the landscape is no longer visible. Museum Broeker Veiling, Museumweg 2, 1721 BW Broek op Langedijk. Open from Easter Sunday to October, Monday to Friday 10.00-17.00, hours. Saturday and Sunday 11.00-17.00 hours. No fixed times for tours, depends on the number waiting.
July - February
Information not available
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