Zaandijk

Zaandijk is a village in the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland. It is part of the municipality of Zaanstad and lies on the southern bank of the Zaan River, opposite the town of Zaandam. The area is closely associated with the Zaanse Schans, an open-air heritage site nearby that preserves windmills, wooden houses, and industrial-era buildings illustrating the region’s 17th- to 19th-century trade and manufacturing history.

Historically, Zaandijk developed as a rural community within the Zaan region and grew as water management and peat-cutting activities along the river expanded. The growth of nearby industrial towns and the development of transportation linked Zaandijk with the wider Zaanstreek and the Amsterdam metropolitan area.

In present times, Zaandijk is mainly residential, with a local village center that provides shops, services, and schools. It has public transport connections to Zaandam and Amsterdam, and serves as a starting point for visitors exploring Zaanse Schans and the surrounding Zaan region. The village maintains traditional Dutch architectural character and a community-focused way of life, while benefiting from proximity to larger urban facilities in the region.