all locations
De Boerenboom
The fortress wall was designed by the Alkmaar mayor Adriaan Anthonisz and is an example of the so-called old Dutch fortress system. At 2 points, the Boerenboom and the Oude Gouwsboom, one can enter or leave the city. This was necessary because until the 20th century much land in the polder around the city could only be reached by boat. The mechanism for closing the passage with a slider still works.