Alkmaar, Historic market town in North Holland, Netherlands.
Alkmaar is a municipality in North Holland whose territory covers roughly 117 square kilometers (45 square miles) and includes parts of the North Holland Canal network. The town sits north of Amsterdam in a region marked by many waterways and flat terrain.
The siege by Spanish forces in 1573 ended with a victory by the citizens, who flooded the surrounding land to push back the enemy. This event became a symbol of Dutch resistance during the Eighty Years' War.
Waagplein square becomes the stage for a cheese market every Friday from April to September, where vendors display their wheels and weigh them following old methods. The carriers wearing traditional outfits bring the cheese to the weighing house, maintaining a tradition that visitors can witness firsthand today.
The central train station offers regular train connections to Amsterdam, with journeys taking around 40 minutes. Local buses link different parts of the town to each other and also run to neighboring places.
The Grote Sint-Laurenskerk has a tower that stands roughly 98 meters (320 feet) tall, making it the tallest medieval church tower in North Holland. From the top, a wide view opens over the flat countryside and surrounding canals.
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