Walking route
This walk takes you through the old part of Urk, characterised by historic harbours and ‘helliges’ (shipyards), the many ‘ginkies’ (alleys), the typical Urk building style and monuments. This walk will take you back in time and introduce you to the authenticity of the former island.
The Urk Miracle
With the passing of the Zuiderzee Act in 1918 - which closed off the Zuiderzee from the North Sea by means of the Afsluitdijk (1932) - it was thought that the end was in sight for Urk's fishing industry. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Being inventive, the people of Urk took to the sea: fishermen took their ships to the North Sea. The catching of haddock, plaice and sole marked the beginning of a boom period for the industry, also known as the ‘Miracle of Urk’. Today, Urk even has the largest fishing fleet and fish-processing industry in the Netherlands.
