Stavoren

Prosperity and misery for the city Stavoren

Stavoren is one of the oldest Frisian cities. A nice and attractive watersport city nowadays. In earlier days it was a busy and active trading town. Trade was done via the Baltic Sea and the Rhine. Around the year 1385 Stavoren was a Hanseatic City. Only the rich Zuider Zee city also had lots of misery; disappearances of the herring harvest, conquest by the “Vetkopers” (a group related to beef cattle breeders) and large fires.

The Little Lady of Stavoren

The largest misery is said by means of the legend “The Little Lady of Stavoren”. According to the legend a rich wife of a ship owner gave her captain the order to set sail and bring the most valuable back home. The captain came back and took a hold full with grain with him. In her anger, the rich wife demanded to throw the load of grain overboard into the harbour. As punishment for her cockiness the harbour of Stavoren silted. Nowadays the trading ships have moved over for the pleasure cruising. In the season lots of ships pass the locks to sail from the Frisian Lakes towards the IJsselmeer or the other way around.