Heritage sites in Texel

Heritage Sites of Texel

Texel’s heritage is defined by its strategic maritime position and a centuries-long battle against the sea. This collection spans from the 16th-century Fort De Schans, built by William of Orange, to the 1425 white-towered church of Den Hoorn. It highlights the island's role in the Dutch Golden Age at Museum Kaap Skil, its tragic WWII history at the Georgian Cemetery, and its engineering feats through traditional polder mills like Het Noorden and modern coastal monuments.

Rasbak / CC-BY-SA-3.0

Het Noorden

A large polder mill located north of Oosterend. Built in 1878 to drain the Het Noorden polder, it remains one of the island's most prominent historical windmills.

Jcb / CC BY-SA 3.0 nl

Eierland Lighthouse

The Eierland Lighthouse is a lighthouse on the northernmost tip of the Dutch island of Texel. It is named for the former island Eierland.

Ecomare/Salko de Wolf / CC BY-SA 4.0

Fort De Schans

A star-shaped fort built in 1574 by William of Orange. It was designed to protect the island and control the strategic shipping lanes of the Reede van Texel.

Unknown / CC BY-SA 4.0

Hervormde kerk

Iconic 15th-century church in Den Hoorn. Its distinctive white tower has served as a crucial navigational landmark for mariners for centuries.

Rasbak / CC-BY-SA-3.0

De Kemphaan

A traditional meadow mill used to manage water levels in the Waalenburg polder, specifically to maintain the habitat of the local bird sanctuary.

Museum Kaap Skil

Maritime museum in Oudeschild featuring the "Palmwood Wreck" treasures, a massive 17th-century scale model of the Texel Roads, and historic fisherman's cottages.

Fort Lunette

A Napoleonic-era fortification located near Oudeschild, forming part of the defensive line along with Fort De Schans and Fort Redoute.

Zeemanskerk

Known as the Sailors' Church, this 17th-century building in Oudeschild served crews of the Dutch East India Company waiting for favorable winds.

Maritiem- en Juttersmuseum Flora

The world's first beachcombing museum, housing a vast collection of objects salvaged from the North Sea over more than 75 years.

Georgische Erebegraafplaats Loladze (Russenkerkhof))

Cemetery and memorial for 476 Georgian soldiers who died during the 1945 uprising against German forces on Texel at the end of WWII.

Lancastermonument

Memorial dedicated to the crew of a British Lancaster bomber that crashed here in 1943 during a mission over the Netherlands.

De Schicht

A striking modern monument commemorating the completion of the dike-strengthening project that brought Texel's sea defenses to Delta height.

Maartenskerk

A historic church in Oosterend with foundations dating back to the 11th century, featuring a mix of Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles.

Protestantse Kerk

Located in Den Burg, this church features a prominent 15th-century tower and serves as a central landmark of the island's capital.

Fort Redoute

A defensive fortification built during the Napoleonic era to protect the port of Oudeschild and the surrounding coastline.

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Texel Essentials Bird Watching on Texel Campsites & Holiday Parks