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Photo: Onderwijsgek, CC BY-SA 2.5 nl via Wikimedia Commons
This large church right on the central market was built in the 15th century and is dedicated to the archangel Michael. Already weakened by repeated lightning strikes, the tall church tower (the highest tower in the country at the time) collapsed in a 1682 storm. The church has Sunday services and is not open for visitors during the week.
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This church was built in stages, with the first parts completed in the late 14th century. The final stage was the tower, which was constructed between 1454 en 1463 and is commonly known as the Peperbus, a nickname it gained from its resemblance to a pepper pot. The church was granted the title of basilica upon its 600th anniversary in 1999. The 75-m-high tower is one of the main landmarks of the city and it's possible to climb the first part of the tower (236 stairs), to a height of 51 m, which allows for great views over town. Beware of the low roof of the stairs, especially when going down.
This arts museum is housed in the "Paleis aan de Blijmarkt", built in the first half of the 19th century as the regional Justice Palace. The neo-classicistic building was extensively renovated in 2012, with a new, large elliptical structure added on the roof (nicknamed the UFO by locals). The museum's collection consists of a good range of contemporary and modern art, mostly paintings. The collection is divided over two locations: this one, in the centre of Zwolle, and Nijenhuis castle near Heino.
The city museum houses in a 16th-century building, expanded in the 1990s. It is home to a collection of historic and cultural artefacts, as well as a range of both historic and contemporary art works. Of course, the focus of the collection lies on the city and its direct surroundings.
This is one of the smallest parks (only 1.2 ha in size), but due to its location right in the city centre, it's one of the busiest. In summer, locals use the grass fields to enjoy the sun. The park was established in the 19th century, on top and around a part of the historic defence structures. It holds a number of large, old trees, a fountain and some flower beds.
Building of this city gate started in the late 14th century. Today, it's one of the city's main landmarks. It's built largely with natural stones and today it's owned and maintained by the national government. It's classified as a monument of extraordinary cultural-historical importance. The building is open to visitors.
Only small pieces of the former city walls can be seen today. The best place to see them is at the end of the Diezerstraat. Once, the Diezer tower stood here too.