In the city of Haarlem , the capital of the province of North Holland

 “Thus I am in Holland, the kingdom of things, great principality of objects. In Dutch, schoen means beautiful and at the same time clean, as if neatness was raised to the dignity of a virtue.”

― Zbigniew Herbert
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(in The Western Netherlands) The capital of the province of North Holland, Haarlem is located at the northern edge of the Randstad, one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe; it is also part of the Amsterdam metropolitan area, being about 15 kilometers (~9 mi.) to the west of the city of Amsterdam. Haarlem, which lies along the Spaarne River, is also 4.5 miles (~7 km) from the North Sea.

+ Haarlem was mentioned in the 10th century and by the 12th century had become a fortified town and the residence of the counts of Holland. It was chartered in 1245 and was ravaged in 1346 and 1351 during the civil wars in Holland. In 1492 it was captured by insurgent peasants of North Holland, and, after being retaken by regular troops, was deprived of its privileges. In the mainly Protestant rising against Spain (in 1572), it endured months of siege until starvation forced its surrender to the duke of Alba’s son, Frederick. Recaptured (in 1577) by William of Orange and incorporated in the United Netherlands, it entered a period of prosperity that reached its peak in the 17th century, when it was a refuge for Huguenots and an artistic center. The Haarlem school of painting included Frans Hals, Salomon van Ruysdael, Jacob van Ruisdael, Philips Wouwerman, and Adriaen and Isack van Ostade. The sculptor Claus Sluter was born in Haarlem, and Laurens Coster, also of Haarlem, was one of the first medieval printers to use movable type.

+ The center of Haarlem is formed by the Old Town, which has many canals and gabled houses. The Amsterdam Gate, moats, and some earthworks remain of the Old Town’s medieval fortifications. In the market square are the City Hall (with 17th-century additions), the Meat Market (or Vleeshal), and the Great Church (St. Bavokerk, or St. Bavo’s Cathedral). The Great Church has an 80-meter high tower and contains notable choir screens and stalls, the tomb of Frans Hals, and a famous pipe organ made by Christian Müller in 1738. Among the city’s other churches are the former chapel of the Béguinage (the oldest in the city), the Bakenesser Church, the New Church (Nieuwe Kerk), and the Roman Catholic Cathedral. The city’s museums include the Frans Hals, the Roman Catholic Episcopal Museum, and the Teyler Museum. The Public Library preserves old manuscripts and incunabula and has a collection of early Dutch literature. (The Dutch Society of Sciences and the Teyler Foundation are in Haarlem.)

+ In summary, this classic Dutch city of cobbled streets, historic buildings, grand churches, even grander museums, cozy bars, fine cafes, and canals is just a 15-minute train ride from Amsterdam. To its west are the coastal dunes of the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park and the popular beaches of Zandvoort and Bloemendaal aan Zee.