Het Blaauwe Hof
On Hennepad in Wormerveer is het Blaauwe Hof, a unique courtyard with wooden houses, built in 1766 by papermaker Dirck Blaauw. He had twenty houses built there for the staff of his paper mills, an early form of social housing. The houses stand in two rows facing each other with a bleaching field between them, now a park with grass, a rose bed and a small square with a sundial.
Each house has an authentic Zaanse fireplace with blue and white biblical tiles. Living in the courtyard means peace, community spirit and charm, but also limited space and privacy. Fences replace fences, and residents at the time had to be 'gnap and orderly' as well as attend church every Sunday.
Dirck Blaauw donated the hofje to the ...
On Hennepad in Wormerveer is het Blaauwe Hof, a unique courtyard with wooden houses, built in 1766 by papermaker Dirck Blaauw. He had twenty houses built there for the staff of his paper mills, an early form of social housing. The houses stand in two rows facing each other with a bleaching field between them, now a park with grass, a rose bed and a small square with a sundial.
Each house has an authentic Zaanse fireplace with blue and white biblical tiles. Living in the courtyard means peace, community spirit and charm, but also limited space and privacy. Fences replace fences, and residents at the time had to be 'gnap and orderly' as well as attend church every Sunday.
Dirck Blaauw donated the hofje to the Friesche Doopsgezinde Gemeente. Due to high costs, the rent was later increased, and in the 20th century the houses fell into disrepair. In the 1970s, part was demolished and the other half restored, partly with original materials. One cottage was restored to its former state.
Het Blaauwe Hof is the last remaining wooden courtyard in the Netherlands. A special historic piece of Wormerveer.