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City and municipality in South Holland, Netherlands
Photo: S.J. de Waard, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Zoetermeer is a city located in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. The first record of the city's existence dates back to the 11th century, when veen, a fuel for stoves, was harvested from the land.
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With first constructions dating back to the 16th century, it's one of the oldest buildings around. The Italian architect Guidici made the design in Classicist style. The church houses some nice antiquities, for example a Louis XVI style pulpit, made in 1664 by Harmannus Brouckman from nearby Leiden.
In its present shape, it's been around since 1896. You can visit the windmill when the blue wimple (flag) is up or when it works.
Zoetermeer City Museum
A small museum about the history of the city with temporary exhibits.
A 45-m watertower built in 1928. Not really interesting to see unless you have some special affection for them. Being converted to a B&B as of November 2025.
The biggest indoor ski facility of Europe, here you can do some skiing and snowboarding. There is also a restaurant with a nice view on the piste.
The museum has a selection of arcade machines and gaming consoles on display that can be played. Most machines do not require tokens. Note: the museum has moved to a new (temporary) location and will move again in 2026. For updates, see the website.
By car
From the A12 highway, take the "Zoetermeer-Oost" or "Zoetermeer-Centrum" exit.
By train
From The Hague you can take the sprinter train to Gouda or Utrecht. Jump out at "Zoetermeer" or "Zoetermeer-oost". Please note: the Intercity Services do NOT call at Zoetermeer Stations.
Zoetermeer has an excellent transportation system. The "randstadrail" runs throughout the whole city. Parts that are not covered by it are easily reachable by bus. There are 2 bus operators in the area.
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Rotterdam · International · RTM
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