A Bit of History: Vreeland and Amsterdam

Vreeland, the charming little “town” on the Vecht River, owes its name to Vredelant Castle, which was built in 1250 by Bishop Hendrik van Vianden. This strategically located castle was intended to protect the entry points between the provinces of Utrecht and Holland, serving as a symbol of peace. A settlement grew up around the castle and was soon granted city rights, including the right to hold markets and collect tolls. The rectangular street layout of this medieval bastide settlement is still recognizable in Vreeland’s streetscape.

Vreeland is located about 20 km south of Amsterdam, on the Vecht River, which served as an important trade route between Utrecht and Holland as early as the Middle Ages. This route connects to the network of rivers and canals—such as the Kromme Rijn and, later, the Vaartse Rijn—that linked Utrecht to the Lek and the Hollandse IJssel.

Amsterdam developed along that same route. Around the year 1000, a settlement arose at the mouth of the Amstel River, where a dam was later built—the origin of the name “Amstelledamme.” In a document from 1275, Count Floris V granted the residents freedom from tolls: they were allowed to travel freely through the county of Holland without paying tolls at bridges, locks, or dams. This privilege attracted merchants and laid the foundation for Amsterdam’s flourishing as a trading city.

Vreeland and Amsterdam are connected both geographically and historically: through water, trade, and a shared background. At Hendrik, those two worlds are now coming together again.