Harderwijk, Nijkerk

Along this route you cycle between two places that both have a special connection with Saint Catharina of Alexandria. Catharina, one of the most revered saints of the Middle Ages, was known for her wisdom, courage and unwavering faith. According to tradition she defied Emperor Maxentius, defeated philosophers in debate, broke the wheel on which she was to be tortured, and was eventually beheaded. It is no wonder that she was honoured for centuries as a symbol of steadfastness, with churches, chapels and monasteries bearing her name across Europe.

Although Catharina’s life story ended brutally, this cycling route certainly does not. On the contrary: the journey between Harderwijk and Nijkerk, two places each with their own Catharinakerk or chapel, is a route full of variety, surprising sights and relaxed kilometres.

In Harderwijk the medieval Catharinakapel recalls the former monastery that once formed part of the religious life of the city. In the time of the Hanseatic League, when Harderwijk was an important trading city with a lively harbour, the monastery played a central role. Its location on the Zuiderzee made Harderwijk a thriving centre of fishing and trade for centuries. With the reclamation of the Zuiderzee the city lost its direct access to the sea and therefore its harbour function. Nevertheless Harderwijk continued to develop. Today it is not only a busy city, but also a popular destination for tourists, with its historic centre, lively terraces and the proximity of water and forest.

Nijkerk owes its name to the ‘Nije Kerk’ (New Church), built in the same year the town received its city rights. That church, dedicated to Saint Catharina, grew into the heart of Nijkerk. The present Sint Catharinakerk still stands in the centre, with its white tower as a beacon above the city skyline. With the construction of the Amersfoort–Zwolle railway line in 1863 Nijkerk became attractive for entrepreneurs and developed into a town with business activity and industry. At the same time the surrounding countryside remained remarkably small scale and agricultural. Because land consolidation never took place, you can still see a classic coulisse landscape around Nijkerk, with hedgerows, higher sandy fields, farms on higher ground and meadows in the wetter areas.

Image: Saint Catharina of Alexandria by Caravaggio 1598 Public Domain.