Giethoorn Village, Netherlands
Giethoorn Village, Netherlands
Often dubbed, “the Venice of the Netherlands,” Giethoorn is the most beautiful and picturesque village in the Netherlands.
Every year over one million tourists travel to Giethoorn to immerse themselves in the charming little community that boasts stunning scenery and breathtaking culture.
But what is so attractive about Giethoorn village? There are no roads.
Let’s find out more about this fairytale village—where people actually live.
Where is it?
The sleepy little village of Giethoorn is located in the Northeastern part of the Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel, which is just over an hour drive from the capital city of Amsterdam.
What is the history of Giethoorn?
The Giethoorn Village was founded in the 13th Century, and was primarily occupied by a farming community. While farming, residents unearthed large quantities of goat horns buried in the ground.
It is believed the horns belonged to the wild goats that were drowned in the Flood of 1170.
In fact, this is how the village got its name.
What does “Giethoorn” mean?
The village got its name "Geytenhoren", referring to the goat horns discovered there. It was then shortened to its present form, “Giethoorn.”
When did it become popular with visitors?
The village’s tourism potential came to notice after 1958, when the Dutch filmmaker, Bert Haanstra, shot his popular comedy, Fanfare, in this same village.
Once people saw the immense beauty of this unusual fairytale village, they had to see it for themselves.
