Ommelebommelesteen, Glacial stone in Urk, Netherlands
The Ommelebommelesteen is a glacial stone lying roughly 30 meters from the Urk shoreline in the IJsselmeer, with part of it submerged in water. Its surface is regularly covered with seaweed and remains visible from the coast.
The stone became a problem in the 1930s when builders tried to move it during the construction of Westermeerdijk, as it blocked a navigation channel. Workers managed only a slight shift, leaving it in its original position.
The stone holds a place in local stories where fathers and midwives would come to purchase babies for different prices depending on the child's gender. This folklore remains part of how people in Urk understand and speak about this location today.
The stone is best viewed at low tide when more of its surface is exposed above water, and it can be seen clearly from the shoreline. Local walking tours are a good way to learn more about this location and its surroundings.
Standing nearby is a bronze statue called De Vroemoêr, showing a father searching the stone while a midwife waits in a boat holding a basket of babies. This sculpture brings the old folk tales to life with a touch of humor.
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