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Green Houses Stacked Like Lego Blocks Transformed Zaandam into a Tourist Attraction Around Amsterdam, Delighting Visitors from Around the World
Located just a few minutes from Amsterdam, the city of Zaandam in the Netherlands has become a attraction among tourists for an unusual reason: its green and stacked houses resemble Lego blocks. In recent years, the colorful and unique appearance of the city has caught the attention of visitors from around the globe.
Green Houses and Toy Appearance
Zaandam is surrounded by the Zaan River and became known for its windmills and unusual architecture. The buildings, called Zaan houses, are made with wooden facades, white windows, and painted in four different shades of green.
They were designed to appear stacked, like toy pieces. This visual feature is what leads many to compare the city to Legoland.
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Lego Hotel and Colorful Shopping District
At the heart of the city is the famous Inntel Hotel, one of the most photographed buildings in Zaandam. The building simulates a stack of nearly 70 Zaan houses in different shades of green.
Blogger My Next Pin wrote: “Its architectural design is impressive and looks like a building made of Lego pieces.” The hotel has over 2,200 online reviews, with a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. One visitor commented: “It looks stunning from the outside and the staff was fantastic.”
Another highlight of the city is the Stadshart Zaandam district, where various shops are concentrated in wooden buildings styled like the Zaan houses. The aesthetic is maintained throughout the central area, giving a cohesive look to the city.
Toy City: Industrial History and Tourist Attractions
Zaandam was founded in 1811 and stood out in the past for its milling centers. The city’s windmills powered saws to produce wood and paper.
Today, some of these mills are preserved in the Zaanse Schans area, a neighborhood where visitors can explore museums, shops, restaurants, and bars.
Other tourist attractions include the Catharina Hoeve Cheese Farm and the Zaans Museum. Although Zaandam no longer houses the first McDonald’s in Europe, as it once did, it continues to offer various attractions.
The city is just six minutes by train from Amsterdam. There are also direct flights from various cities, including London, Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh, and Birmingham.
With information from The Sun.
