20 Rare and Amazing Photos of the Alkmaar Cheese Market in the Late 19th Century

The Alkmaar Cheese Market is one of the oldest and most iconic traditional markets in the Netherlands. Cheese trading in Alkmaar dates back to at least 1365, and the Cheese Carriers’ Guild was formally established in 1593.

These rare and amazing photos capture the Alkmaar Cheese Market during the late 19th century, when it was still a vital center of the Dutch cheese trade. The images show the bustling Waagplein filled with large wheels of cheese, traditional carriers in their distinctive uniforms, and the busy activity of weighing, inspecting, and transporting goods.

Taken at a time when the market was a major commercial event rather than a tourist attraction, these historic photos preserve the authentic atmosphere, clothing, and working traditions of one of the Netherlands’ most enduring cultural institutions.

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40 Fascinating 19th Century Street Scenes of Alkmaar, Netherlands

These rare photos offer a rare and captivating glimpse into daily life in Alkmaar during the 19th century. Located in the northern Netherlands, this historic Dutch town comes alive through images of its charming canals, bustling market streets, traditional gabled houses, and local residents going about their everyday routines.

Captured during the early days of photography, these scenes beautifully preserve the atmosphere of the late 1800s: from horse-drawn carriages and merchants in period attire to the serene beauty of one of the Netherlands’ most picturesque towns. A true visual journey into Dutch history and heritage.

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Floris Arntzenius: The Master of the Misty Streetscape

Floris Arntzenius (1864–1925) was a prominent Dutch painter and a master of the The Hague School’s second generation, best known for his atmospheric depictions of urban life. His work is celebrated for capturing the essence of the streets of The Hague, particularly under the soft, grey light of misty or rainy days.

Arntzenius possessed a remarkable ability to render the reflections of horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians on wet cobblestones, blending the somber tones of his predecessors with the spontaneous brushwork of Amsterdam Impressionism.

Beyond his cityscapes, Arntzenius was a gifted watercolorist and portrait painter, but it is his “Spuistraat” scenes, filled with a sense of movement and poetic melancholy, that remain his most enduring contribution to Dutch art history.

A Busy Street Scene in The Hague

A View of De Waag, Haarlem

A View of the Spuistraat, The Hague

A View of the Spuistraat, The Hague

A Winter Day at the Buitenhof, The Hague

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John Lennon and Yoko Ono Waiting for Maid to Make Bed During “Bed-In for Peace” in 1969

In March 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono captured global attention with their famous “Bed-In for Peace” in Amsterdam, a week-long protest against war and violence. The couple, newly married, took residence in a flower-scented Presidential Suite at the Hilton Hotel, planning to remain in bed as a statement of peaceful resistance. Their aim was to use this unusual form of protest to draw attention to the world’s conflicts and advocate for love and nonviolence.

This specific photograph, taken by Charles Ley and published in the Daily Mirror on March 26, 1969, perfectly captures the contrast between their symbolic activism and everyday life. The couple had to momentarily get out of bed so that the hotel maid, Maria de Soledade Alves, could change the sheets. This humorous interruption highlighted the reality of their high-profile protest while staying in a luxury hotel.

The article with the headline “Beatle John and Yoko are forced out of their £20-a-day bed by Maria, the hotel maid.” It reads:

BEDMATES John Lennon and Yoko Ono, like many a visionary and revolutionary before them, discovered yesterday that being out of this world can have its little difficulties.

Suddenly, in their flower-scented £20-a-day Presidential Suite above Amsterdam, they found that high-thinkers occasionally have to compromise with more down-to-earth mortals ... such as hotel maids.

Suddenly, the serenity of Day Two of the Great Lennon Lie-in was interrupted by a rival “happening”: The Changing of The Bed Linen. And Beatle John and his Japanese bride had to get out of bed.

John and Yoko, who married last Thursday, took to their bed “as a protest against war violence in the world.” They planned to stay tucked up for seven days.

But that was before Maria de Soledade Alves, a Portuguese maid at Amsterdam's Hilton Hotel, came on the scene with a pile of new linen. Yoko, in a high-necked, old- fashioned white nightie, fled to a chair.

When Maria moved on to another room, the 28-year-old Beatle and his 34-year-old wife hopped happily back into bed.

To turn their backs on the world and peacefully contemplate the skyline of Amsterdam.

Pictures by CHARLES LEY

Willem Steelink Jr.: Painter of the Dutch Rural Life

Willem Steelink Jr. (1856–1928) was a Dutch painter and graphic artist, widely recognized for his evocative landscapes that often featured shepherds and flocks of sheep.

Born into an artistic family, he trained with his father before studying at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Amsterdam and Antwerp. Initially focusing on historical and genre scenes, Steelink Jr. later shifted his artistic focus after discovering the natural beauty of the Gooi region’s heathlands. His mature style was heavily influenced by both the Hague School, known for its soft, silvery tones, and the Laren School, which captured rural life with atmospheric light.

In addition to his popular paintings, he was an accomplished engraver and lithographer, illustrating books and creating etchings of works by contemporary Dutch masters. His art was popular with international collectors and can be found in several museums today, including the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague.

A Shepherdess With Her Flock

A Shepherd and Flock on a Shady Track

A Shepherd and His Flock by a Fen

A Shepherd With His Flock of Sheep on His Way Home

A Cheerful Welcome

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Punkers at 1981 Parkpop Festival in Zuiderpark in The Hague, Netherlands

On July 5, 1981, the first edition of Parkpop took place in Zuiderpark, The Hague, marking the beginning of what would become one of the Netherlands’ most enduring free music festivals. This early festival captured the vibrant energy of youth subcultures of the time, with punk rockers prominently represented alongside other emerging acts. Bands like The Beat, known for their ska-influenced punk, and the post-punk innovators Killing Joke, performed to an audience eager for new sounds and a sense of rebellion.

The festival was attended by 35,000 visitors. The photographs show young Dutch punks in leather jackets and bold hairstyles, reflecting the DIY aesthetic and anti-establishment ethos that defined punk culture across Europe in the early 1980s. This moment represents the intersection of live music, youth identity, and social expression in a rapidly changing cultural landscape.

Parkpop in 1981 was more than just a concert; it was a microcosm of the larger European punk and alternative scene. Free festivals like this provided a space for subcultures to gather, exchange ideas, and showcase musical experimentation outside mainstream commercial venues. The Dutch punk scene had been growing since the late 1970s, influenced by British acts like The Clash, Sex Pistols, and Sham 69, and events like Parkpop helped solidify the community by giving local youth a visible platform. The leather-clad teenagers captured in the photographs embody the spirit of autonomy, creativity, and resistance that defined punk culture, leaving a lasting legacy in both Dutch music history and the broader European alternative movement.

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Portraits of Hannie Schaft, Who Became the Nazi’s Most Wanted Woman in the Netherlands During World War II

Hannie Schaft (full name: Jannetje Johanna Schaft, September 16, 1920 – April 17, 1945) was a Dutch resistance fighter during World War II whose bravery made her one of the most famous symbols of anti-Nazi resistance in the Netherlands. Known as “the Girl with the Red Hair” (Het meisje met het rode haar), she became a national heroine after the war and remains a powerful figure of courage, sacrifice, and defiance.

Hannie was born in Haarlem, the Netherlands, to a socially conscious, left-leaning family. Her father, Pieter Schaft, was a schoolteacher, and her mother, Aafje, encouraged strong moral values.

In 1938 she began studying law at the University of Amsterdam, intending to become a lawyer or diplomat. There she befriended Jewish students and became increasingly aware of the rising threat of Nazism.

After Germany occupied the Netherlands in May 1940, anti-Jewish measures intensified. When her Jewish friends were forced to register, Hannie refused to sign a declaration of loyalty to the Nazis, which cost her the right to continue her studies.

Around 1943 Hannie became active with the communist-led Raad van Verzet (Council of Resistance), one of the most daring underground groups. She carried out sabotage missions, transported weapons, distributed illegal newspapers, and provided safe houses for Jews and other fugitives.

Hannie also participated in armed actions, including assassinations of German officers and Dutch collaborators. To avoid recognition, she often dyed her distinctive red hair black. Despite precautions, her striking appearance earned her the nickname “the Girl with the Red Hair.”

In March 1945, only weeks before the war’s end, Hannie was caught at a German checkpoint near Haarlem while carrying illegal documents and a pistol. After harsh interrogations and torture, she refused to give names of fellow resistance members, famously declaring: “I shoot better than I talk.”

On April 17, 1945, just three weeks before the Netherlands was liberated, she was executed by firing squad in the dunes of Bloemendaal. Witnesses later recounted that the first bullets only wounded her, and she defiantly told the soldiers, “I shoot better,” before being killed by a final shot.

Hannie Schaft was celebrated as a national heroine. In 1945 she received a state funeral attended by members of the Dutch royal family and the provisional government. Streets, schools, and monuments across the Netherlands bear her name. A yearly commemoration is held at the Erebegraafplaats Bloemendaal (Honorary Cemetery of Bloemendaal), where she is buried.

Her life inspired books, films, and plays, including Het meisje met het rode haar (The Girl with the Red Hair), which cemented her legend in Dutch history.

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American Soldiers Taking Dutch Children for Their Morning Walk in the Grounds of Hoensbroek Castle, September 1944

Around the start of World War II, an orphanage from the Dutch coast was moved to Hoensbroek Castle because its original location was needed for the German “Atlantic Wall.” On September 17, 1944, the castle and its orphan residents were liberated by the U.S. 30th Infantry and 2nd Armored Division.

American soldiers quickly overturned a British officer’s attempt to use the castle for military headquarters, which helped form a lasting bond between the children and their liberators, leading to iconic images of the soldiers accompanying the children on walks through the castle grounds.

The children, numbering around 120, were originally from a boarding school in Velsen, a town in North Holland. In 1942, the German occupiers ordered their school to be demolished to make way for the “Atlantikwall” (Atlantic Wall), a system of coastal fortifications. The Carmelite Sisters who ran the school were forced to find new accommodation, and by late 1942, they moved the children to Hoensbroek Castle, in the southeastern province of Limburg.

The children, many of whom were orphans or under government guardianship, lived a relatively undisturbed life at the castle. Although the castle itself was declared unsuitable for use by the German army, there were a few close calls with SS officers in the days leading up to liberation. The children remained at the castle, cared for by the sisters, until their liberation.

The town of Hoensbroek and its castle were liberated by American troops, specifically the U.S. 30th Infantry and 2nd Armored Divisions, on September 17-18, 1944. Following the liberation, a British officer initially ordered the castle to be used for troops, which would have forced the children to leave. However, this order was quickly overturned by an American Civil Affairs officer, ensuring the children could stay.

A remarkable bond formed between the American soldiers and the Dutch children. The GIs, many of whom had been fighting for months, found a rare moment of joy and peace with the young residents. They would frequently visit the castle, not just to admire the historic building, but to play with the children.

The relationship was a source of mutual comfort. The children, dressed in traditional Dutch clothing, would perform dances and sing songs, including English songs they were taught by the sisters, for their liberators. American soldiers were particularly moved by the children singing “Silent Night” in English during Christmas. In return, the sisters knitted items and painted clogs for the soldiers as gifts.

The heartwarming images of American soldiers and Dutch children at Hoensbroek Castle were published in newspapers, bringing the story to a wider audience. This unique chapter in the castle’s history continued for some time after the liberation. The children and sisters eventually left the castle in June 1946 when maintaining the home became too expensive, but the friendship forged in 1944 remained a powerful and uplifting symbol of the human connection that could transcend the horrors of war.

Beautiful 19th-Century Dutch Cityscapes by Johannes Franciscus Spohler

Johannes Franciscus Spohler (1853–1894) was a Dutch painter of the Romantic school, specializing in detailed cityscapes and landscapes. He came from a family of artists; his father, Jan Jacob Spohler, and his brother, Jan Jacob Coenraad Spohler, were also painters, though they focused more on winter and summer landscapes. Johannes, however, found his niche in depicting urban scenes.

Spohler’s works are known for their topographical accuracy and a delicate palette, with a particular emphasis on capturing the effects of light. He was heavily influenced by the work of Cornelis Springer, a renowned cityscape painter. His paintings often feature bustling Dutch streets, canals, and historical buildings, sometimes on a small scale, painted on wood panels. His work provides a valuable glimpse into 19th-century life in cities like Amsterdam.

Here is a collection of beautiful paintings by Johannes Franciscus Spohler, showcasing street scenes in the Netherlands from the 19th century.

Amsterdam Herengracht

A Church Square in Winter Snow

A Continental Town in Winter

A Crowded Street in a Jewish Quarter

A Drawbridge in a Sunny Dutch Town

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Lovely Studio Portraits Photos of Dutch Children in the Late 1960s and Early ’70s

Children’s fashion in the 1960s was dynamic and playful, mirroring the broader cultural changes of the decade. Bright colors and bold patterns with psychedelic prints, stripes, checks, and florals were prominent, adding a lively and fun element to clothing.

Girls often wore mini dresses and skirts, reflecting adult fashion trends. These were frequently paired with colorful tights. Both boys and girls wore similar casual styles, such as T-shirts, jeans, and overalls. Bell-bottom pants became popular towards the end of the decade.

The overall style was relaxed and expressive, emphasizing individuality and comfort. These lovely photos from Jan Paul Arends were taken by photographer Van Mechelen that show portraits of Dutch children in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

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In 1969, a Teenage Photographer Used a Fake Press Pass to Shoot John and Yoko’s “Bed-In”

Knowing their March 20, 1969, marriage would be a huge press event, John Lennon and Yoko Ono decided to use the publicity to promote world peace. They spent their honeymoon in the presidential suite (Room 702) at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel for a week between March 25 and 31, inviting the world’s press into their hotel room every day between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Govert De Roos was only 15 at the time, but managed to make it inside the room despite his age.

Govert De Roos and the photographer holding up one of the famous photos he shot in the location he shot it from.

“In those days I just had one goal in life, I wanted to be a photographer,” De Roos recalled. “I read in the paper that they were giving a press conference, so I thought, ‘I have to get into that room.’”

De Roos managed to sneak in by making his own fake press pass. The teen brought a phony press card he made to the hotel and stood in line to get into the room as a photojournalist. Luckily for De Roos, his fake pass worked and he managed to shoot a series of career-defining photos of the bed-in.

“I think the security guys thought, ‘okay let him go,’” he said.

The fake press card Govert De Roos brought to the hotel.

Due to the couple’s very public image, the Amsterdam bed-in was greeted by fans, and received a great deal of press coverage. Following the event, when asked if he thought the bed-in had been successful, Lennon became rather frustrated. He insisted that the failure of the press to take the couple seriously was part of what he and Ono wanted: “It’s part of our policy not to be taken seriously. Our opposition, whoever they may be, in all manifest forms, don’t know how to handle humor. And we are humorous.”

After their nonconformist artistic expressions such as the nude cover of the Two Virgins album, the press were expecting them to be having sex, but instead the couple were just sitting in bed, wearing pyjamas—in Lennon’s words “like angels”—talking about peace with signs over their bed reading “Hair Peace” and “Bed Peace.”

After seven days, they flew to Vienna, Austria, where they held a bagism press conference.