Schoonhoven, Stolwijk, Ammerstol

Here you will cycle through the area of the Oude Hollandse Waterlinie (Old Dutch Waterline), the first defence line in the Netherlands from the 17th century. In case of enemy attacks, the land could be flooded to stop the enemy, but the French nevertheless entered our country. They have perfected the Old Dutch Waterline for us. Schoonhoven is better known as the Silver Town, because silversmiths already lived and worked here in the 17th century. Silversmiths continue to learn their trade here at the International Zilverschool. If you are here, enjoy the town hall with a carillon of 50 bells; the Bartholomew church that has bells cast from a melted down cannon; not to mention the many buildings from the 17th and 18th century. Stolwijk is famous for its leaning tower. Admittedly, with 'only' 85 centimetres of lead, he doesn't make it to his famous colleague from Pisa, who is 4 metres out of lead, but still... Ammerstol could have been a city but found the city rights too expensive. Therefore it is still a village and Schoonhoven could grow into a city.