The best family-friendly hikes and walks around Merwehaven

Schiedam's Old Town Hall is located on the Grote Markt. Built in 1538, it was rebuilt in 1606 after a fire in 1604, and given its current gables in 1637. The double staircase dates from 1717-1718. In 1782, it was modernized by then-city architect Rutger van Bol'es. The last meeting of the city council was held here in January 1973. One section of the town hall houses a restaurant, while the other is used for weddings, meetings, and other representative functions. Professor Pieter van Vollenhoven opened the restored Town Hall on October 22, 2004. The restoration took eighteen months and was made possible by a Kanjer grant from the National Heritage Agency. The restoration of the old town hall addressed both the interior and exterior. The paintwork, ceilings, and furnishings of various rooms have been renovated. The exterior facade and the turret have also been restored. A restaurant is located in the basement of the old town hall. The old town hall is also used as a wedding venue.

At 30.5 meters tall to the top of its roof, De Kameel Mill is no small feat. Yet, it looks modest compared to the other giant windmills Schiedam boasts. This is because this malt mill was (originally) built during the early years of the jenever industry in 1715. The demand for malt was not high at the time, so the mills, with their slender stature and smaller height, could suffice. Rebuilding De Kameel Mill De Kameel Mill officially opened in 2011. After years of preparation, the reconstruction of this mill began on Monday, November 10, 2008. De Kameel Mill stood near this square between 1715 and 1868 and was one of approximately 20 smock mills. These mills ground grain for Schiedam's then-large jenever industry. The mill is fully operational and has several public functions. Cave Another striking feature of De Kameel is the so-called cave. A semicircular passage allowed small ships to enter the mill for loading and unloading.

The Appelmarkt Bridge over the Lange Haven between the Appelmarkt and the Vismarkt is one of Schiedam's three monumental double cast-iron drawbridges, built around 1860. When a boat passes through the harbor, this bridge is manually raised by two bridge keepers. Source: https://www.sdam.nl/zien-doen/ct/molens-en-monumenten/info/appelmarktbrug

The monument, which includes two wrought-iron Art Deco entrance gates recovered from a meadow outside Schiedam, was designed by Schiedam native Sjef van Duin. The monument is a tribute to the former owners and the thousands of employees who, over the nearly 75 years of the company's existence, have brought honor to the city of Schiedam with their striking ships and steel structures. Sources: https://werf-gusto.com/monument-werf-gusto-2018/ https://historischeverenigingschiedam.nl/nieuws/geschiedenis-van-werf-gusto/

In July 2025, it will be exactly 120 years since Werf Gusto opened its doors. In 1901, August Smulders, his father, and his sons Henri and Frans, set their sights on a plot of land in the Nieuw-Mathenesse district on the Schiedam side, bordering the Maas River. Within ten years, this successful shipyard was established at this location. On July 13, 2018, it was exactly 40 years since Werf Gusto had to close its doors, leaving deep wounds for thousands of Schiedam residents. To mark the occasion, a monument was unveiled on that day at the head of the Maasdijk in Schiedam-Zuid. Source: https://werf-gusto.com/monument-werf-gusto-2018/

The statue "The Shipbuilder" (1995) was created by sculptor Ineke van Dijk. https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ineke_van_Dijk

De Plantage is a neighborhood in Schiedam situated around the oldest city park in the Netherlands. A historic city park that will have entered its 256th year in 2025. The park was laid out in 1767 by then city architect Arij van Bol’es. At the time, this area was a green zone on the edge of the city. Wealthy people built their houses there with spacious gardens and gazebos on the water. Over time, a number of companies also settled in De Plantage. In 2013, the northern part of De Plantage, called the “Kop van het Park”, was redesigned. With the new redesign, De Plantage also got a clear entrance again; this invites visitors to enter the park to walk, picnic and enjoy. Source: https://www.plantagebewoners.nl/het-mooiste-park

There is such a special tree in the Plantage. This world tree is an Oriental Plane and is called “De Plantage Plataan” because of its location in the park. This plantain was planted around 1870.  The world tree community of the Plantage, together with the tree protector, prevents the tree from being damaged.