MUZ-Park - Den Oever

Traces of the Zuiderzee Works can be found everywhere on Wieringen. The MUZ-Park in Oosterland is also a tangible remnant of the time when dyke workers from all over the country came here to find work.

The abbreviation MUZ stands for Maatschappij tot Uitvoering Zuiderzeewerken (Society for the Implementation of the Zuiderzee Works). The society sought housing for its employees and commissioned the construction of the houses. The neighbourhood was built between 1925 and 1928 and represented a significant expansion for the tiny village of Oosterland.

Villa Nieuwland, the showpiece of the neighbourhood, was originally built for directors Bos and Van Hattum and their families. The other houses are more modest in design. They were intended for the project supervisors. The workers themselves were mostly housed in wooden huts close to the work site.

After the directors had completed their work and left Wieringen, Villa Nieuwland was used as a youth hostel for many years. Today, the building, which is still partly in its original state, is used as a bed and breakfast.

Villa Nieuwland and the adjacent house, which originally served as a drawing room, are the only two listed buildings in the park. There are calls within the municipality to designate the entire residential area as a listed site. This monument status would emphasise the importance of the MUZ-Park in the history of the Zuiderzee Works.

The houses are privately owned, so please keep your distance to respect the privacy of the residents.

Photo: ©Kenneth Stamp, Municipality of Hollands Kroon