Purmerend
Purmerend is a city and municipality in the west of the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.
The city is surrounded by polders, such as the Purmer, Beemster and the Wormer. Purmerend's population grew relatively slowly until the 1960s, when it increased from around 10,000 to over 80,000 by 2020. This expansion has turned Purmerend into a commuter town; many inhabitants work, go to school or spend leisure time in Amsterdam. Purmerend is part of the Randstad, one of the largest conurbations in Europe.
Getting to Purmerend
Many thousands of commuters daily take the A7 to get to their jobs in Amsterdam (~30 min). It's the only main road in, and while road improvements and extra lanes have lessened the daily traffic jams, this is still a very busy piece of highway during rush hour. The N235 is the alternative, and is the shortest route if you're headed for North-Amsterdam.
Worth seeing
Purmerend's town centre doesn't compare to the historic wealth of neighbouring Amsterdam, but this once flourishing market town does have a number of monuments, mostly houses from the 19th century, but some older ones too. Lutherse Kerk, Hoogstraat. Originating in 1880, this church is no longer the stage for regular services but is still used for special celebrations and exhibitions. Purmerends Museum, Kaasmarkt.
Getting around Purmerend the local way
- Get inIn summer, a ferry connection between Volendam and the peninsula of Marken every 30 to 45 minutes.
- Go nextThe ferry leaves every 30 to 45 minutes from the harbour.
From Wikivoyage: Volendam, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-06.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.