Lelystad

History

Lelystad is built on the seabottom of the former Zuiderzee. About 6500 years ago this wetland was inhabited by people who lived on sandbanks. Nearby Lelystad (Swifterbant) the eldest human skeletons in Western Europe were discovered. Due to rising waterlevels and storms the peatlands were washed away, and the Lacus Flevo (Roman times) grew to be the Almare (middle ages) and became the Zuiderzee. This South Sea was the main transport-route from Amsterdam to the North Sea and the Hanze-cities. Thanks to the many shipwrecks in Flevoland, Lelystad now houses the National Centre for Maritime History, with a museum and the shipyard that has built the Batavia.

Related Topics:
Zuiderzee - Human skeleton - Amsterdam - North Sea - Hanze-cities - Shipwreck - History - Museum - Shipyard - Batavia

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After World War II the Zuiderzee Works continued by making the polder of Eastern Flevoland. In 1950 work commenced on several construction-islands in the middle of the IJsselmeer. Lelystad-Haven was the largest island, and its wooden barracks housed a community of dike-builders. In 1955 they reached the mainland, which made it possible to drive to Lelystad by car. One of the three pumping stations which drained the polder in June 1957 was the diesel powered Wortman in Lelystad-Haven. Until 1967 the only inhabitants of Lelystad were technical engineers and workmen and superintendents, living on the former construction-island.

Related Topics:
Zuiderzee Works - Polder - IJsselmeer - 1955 - 1967

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For more information on Lelystad's history, you can visit the Nieuw Land Heritage Centre.

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