Gemaal Vissering, Pumping station in Urk, Netherlands
Gemaal Vissering is a pumping station in Urk that manages water levels in the surrounding polder areas. The functionalist building features a rectangular machinery hall with yellow brick walls and steel-framed windows.
Construction of this facility took place between 1938 and 1942 as part of the Zuiderzee reclamation project led by architect Dirk Roosenburg. Steam engines initially powered the pumps until diesel motors replaced them after World War II.
The station bears the name of Gerard Vissering, who served as chairman of the Zuiderzee Association and president of the Dutch Bank from 1919 to 1937.
The pumping station is a protected monument and is not typically open for regular visits, but can be viewed from the outside. The best vantage point is along Domineesweg, where the building faces the water.
Recent upgrades added wind-powered electric motors and a fish passage system that allows aquatic life to move between the IJsselmeer and polder waters. This blend of historical infrastructure with modern environmental solutions makes the site an example of how essential utilities adapt to conservation needs.
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