Chilly Winds and Warm Impressions in Urk

Yesterday, on my way to a meeting in Groningen, I finally made time to stop in Urk and snap a photo of its famous lighthouse. I’ve always thought of Urk as a deeply religious, close-knit community that’s proud of its traditions and maybe a little “we do things our way.” I didn’t talk to anyone, so I’m not sure if that impression is totally fair or not.

Anyway, I spent about an hour on the beach waiting for the right light. It was cold and windy (and my lightweight tripod didn’t help, which is probably why the photo isn’t perfectly sharp). Still, I was impressed by the village and definitely plan to go back—there are better photos to be taken for sure!

A little about Urk: it’s in Flevoland and used to be a fishing village back when it was an island in the Zuiderzee. In 1932, the Afsluitdijk turned the Zuiderzee into the IJsselmeer, and later land reclamation projects connected Urk to the mainland.

Even with those changes, Urk still feels unique, with its narrow streets, traditional houses, and a pretty big fishing harbor. And, of course, there’s the lighthouse—built in 1844, it’s 18.5 meters tall and sits on a small hill by the water. It’s a real symbol of the town’s maritime past.

​Urk, Flevoland, the Netherlands