Marken’s Timeless Charm: 1920s Zuiderzee Village in Color!

This breathtaking colorized footage transports you to the picturesque fishing village of Marken, Netherlands, in the 1920s—nearly a century ago—perched on a peninsula bordering the former Zuiderzee, near Volendam. Before the 32km Afsluitdijk closed the Zuiderzee in 1932, turning it into the IJsselmeer and shifting Marken’s fishing from sea to freshwater (eels and others), this film captures the village’s vibrant life: wooden houses, a bustling harbor, and residents in iconic traditional costumes—red, white, and blue striped blouses for women, blue-capped overalls for men, and wooden clogs ("klompen") for all. Connected to the mainland by a narrow dyke with one road, Marken’s charm shines in vivid hues, offering a dazzling window for history buffs, maritime enthusiasts, and Dutch culture lovers into a pre-industrial Zuiderzee gem frozen in time.