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Historic city · Volendam, Holanda Setentrional
Edam
Small town a few kilometres from Volendam that gave its name to Edam cheese, with canals, 17th-century houses and a staged cheese market on Wednesday mornings in July and August.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Edam
Edam emerged alongside a dyke on the river IJe, which flowed into the Zuiderzee; hence the name. It was granted city rights in 1357 and grew with shipbuilding, herring fishing and the cheese trade. In 1526 Emperor Charles V granted the town the right to hold a weekly fair and to have a public weighing house (waag), where cheese was weighed.
The round red-rinded cheese known worldwide as edam takes its name from the town. The market trade continued until 1922. Since 1989 the cheese market (kaasmarkt) has been staged by volunteers: the cheeses arrive by cart and by boat and are traded on the square as in the past. The staging takes place on Wednesday mornings in July and August; check the dates.
The centre is small and calm, with canals, bridges and houses from the 17th and 18th centuries. The Edams Museum is in a merchant's house on Damplein, and the Grote Kerk, the church of São Nicolau, stands at the end of the main street.
Edam and Volendam form the municipality of Edam-Volendam, but Edam has a very different pace from the neighbouring village.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
2 to 3 hours; a whole morning on the day of the cheese market.
Best time
On Wednesday mornings in July and August, for the cheese market; arrive before it starts to get a spot near the square. Outside summer, the town is quiet all day.
How to get there
From Volendam, a few minutes by bus or about 15 minutes by bike along the cycle path. Buses that leave from the terminal behind Amsterdam Centraal also stop in Edam.
Tip
Rent a bicycle in Volendam and cycle to Edam along the cycle path beside the dyke. If you go in summer, combine the visit with the Wednesday morning market.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Edam
When does the Edam cheese market take place?
On Wednesday mornings in July and August. Check the dates for the year before you go.
Is the cheese market real?
It is a reenactment of the old trade, performed by volunteers since 1989. Actual trading at the fair ended in 1922.
How do you get from Volendam to Edam?
By bus in a few minutes, or by bike along the cycle path in about 15 minutes.