Dutch Dikes: Keeping the Netherlands Dry for 700 Years

While dikes are a Dutch cliché (right up there with tulips and wooden shoes), they’re also an essential part of the Netherlands’ history and contemporary life. Roughly half of the land and half of the people here in the Netherlands are below sea level. And our new television show about the Netherlands includes a segment on these marvels of Dutch engineering.

The Netherlands is bounded by the North Sea. Where there are no natural dunes to keep the sea out, the Dutch have built mighty barriers, or dikes, to protect their farms and communities. For 700 years, the Dutch have been developing their skills at keeping this country dry. It’s a constant battle. And with climate change and rising sea levels now a reality, the work is that much harder and more expensive.

Each of our shows begins with a goofy little bit (called a “tease”) where I say a something about the destination, then reveal the location in a fun way. For our Netherlands show tease, I stood on a chair and said, “Hi, I’m Rick Steves, back with more of the best of Europe. The people here claim if you stand on a chair, you can see all across their country. We’re exploring the best of the Netherlands. Thanks for joining us.”

I was so happy with what we shot. Then, as we were driving away, I realized it would have been stronger if I added “this country is so small and so flat, they say if you stand on a chair…” But it was still a fun bit.

 

rick-steves-netherlands-farmerWhen it came time to stand on the chair and say my line, Rolinka drove into the neighboring farm hamlet and had no trouble finding us the perfect chair for our needs. In fact, the friendly farmer brought two chairs so that we’d have a choice.

 

rick-steves-on-chair-on-dikeMy line about standing on a chair to see all the way across the Netherlands is a joke. But from way up here, you really can see for miles.

 

netherlands-north-sea-dike-with-ship-spewingModern dikes work hard — as they have for centuries — to preserve drained and reclaimed Dutch land.

 

Dutch-ship-spewing-sludgeEven with an impressive dike already in place, the Dutch are moving mountains of sand and mud to fortify their dikes and protect the next generation. Famous for both their frugality and their foresight, the Dutch are investing billions of euros as climate change makes its costly impact felt on sea-level communities here and around the globe.

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