Want to leave the Netherlands but worry you won’t see the country’s stunning architecture? These locations, which can be found anywhere, are modeled after Dutch towns.
International praise and admiration are accorded to Dutch architecture. So much so that a few nations made the decision to build a little portion of the Netherlands for themselves.
These towns in the shape of the Netherlands have a variety of uses; some are entertainment parks, while others are solely residential.
In any case, some of these carbon duplicates may give you the impression that you overindulged on truffles before taking a stroll through a charming Dutch neighborhood.
1. Huis Ten Bosch: The Dutch Experience in Japan
Dutch theme parks are among the strangest of all imitation towns. Can you picture Paleis Huis Ten Bosch is located in Japan and being overrun with people and artwork?
Yoshikuni Kamichika, a Japanese visitor, was astounded by the Netherlands’ beauty in 1979. The gorgeous Dutch buildings and canals inspired him to come up with a novel tourism attraction for visitors to Nagasaki, Japan’s Omura Bay region.
Even Dutch bricks were brought to make sure the houses had the most authentic appearance.
2. Holland Village: A little bit of the Netherlands in China
Not only the Japanese established their own miniature Netherlands. Holland Village, a Dutch-themed amusement park, was once a favorite in China.
The village was intended to be a combination of a Dutch theme park and a neighborhood. In Shenyang, China, Holland Village was constructed in the year 2000.
It boasted canal cottages, windmills, and reproductions of well-known Dutch structures, including the Peace Palace and its own Amsterdam Centraal.
Yang Bin, a Chinese-Dutch businessman, was the project’s driving force. He was, nevertheless, detained in 2002 for tax fraud. After being declared bankrupt, all of his endeavors were destroyed, including Holland Village in 2009.
3. A Dutch satellite town in China is Holland Village, located in Shanghai
This Holland Village, also known as Holland V, was constructed in Shanghai and is entirely residential, not to be mistaken with Bin’s Holland Village in Shenyang.
The purpose of Holland V was to serve as a Shanghai satellite town. The town was designed after Amsterdam (surprise, surprise), and it has its own De Bijenkorf as well as adjacent canal houses and canals.
The town was designed with the intention of luring wealthy Chinese residents of the Netherlands who desired a move back to China. In actuality, though, relatively few people were drawn to the village.
In spite of 20,000 residential buildings being constructed, Holland V is essentially a ghost town in 2023. It now serves as a setting for offbeat movie productions and wedding photographs.
4. Holland, Michigan: the epitome of Dutch Americanness
Some of these imitative settlements can be credited to the Dutch themselves rather than to foreign admirers. Holland, Michigan, is possibly a town that best represents this.
The buildings, windmills, and bridges in this town still provide tourists with a taste of traditional Dutch architecture, giving the impression that they are in a vibrantly colored rendition of the Netherlands. Even the town holds its well-known Tulip Time celebration every May.
Preparing to relocate to the States but not quite prepared to give up the peculiarities of Dutch living just yet? Holland, Michigan, could possibly aid in your transition.
5. Dutch Quarter, Potsdam, Germany: A Touch of the Netherlands
King Friedrich Wilhelm I was such a fan of Dutch design that he wanted to create a Dutch neighborhood in the German city of Potsdam. Wilhelm I sought to entice Dutch craftsmen with buildings that were modeled after areas of Amsterdam.
The German Democratic Republic era, when the Dutch neighborhood fell into disrepair, almost cost it its existence. Nonetheless, with assistance from the Dutch royal family, the neighborhood was progressively rehabilitated and restored after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
6. Oranjestad, Aruba: A colorful interpretation of Dutch Design
It is commonly known that the Dutch had a long-standing colonial sway over Aruba. Inevitably, Dutch architecture began to appear all across the tropical island.
The Arubans added their own unique touch to this colonial legacy, which is what makes it intriguing.
Its Dutch-inspired edifice has been decorated in lovely pastel colors to better complement its tropical environment and culture rather than the more typical brick-colored buildings.
7. Perhaps the most colorful “Dutch” town thus far is Willemstad.
The stunning structures in Willemstad, Curacao, are even more radiant. From the river, the city resembles a Dutch Lego land because of these vibrantly colored homes.
The city, like Oranjestad, did not paint this architecture according to the Dutch style manual, and we for one are grateful for it – look at how lovely it is! Such hues will undoubtedly cause serotonin to release.
