Belvedere and World Heritage List areas
Seventy "Belvedere" areas have been designated as having special cultural/historical significance.
Current situation
A number of areas of exceptional cultural/historical significance have been designated as "Belvedere" areas. Some of these (or parts of them) that are of major international importance are also included in UNESCO's World Heritage List: the defence line around Amsterdam (Stelling van Amsterdam), Schokland, the Beemster Polder and the network of windmills at Kinderdijk. The intention is to propose a number of other Belvedere areas for inclusion in the World Heritage List, for example the fortifications making up the "New Dutch Inundation Line" (Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie) and the Northeast Polder (Noord-Oostpolder). These are included in the provisional list.
Policy objectives
Policy focuses on preserving the cultural/historical identity of the Belvedere areas when development takes place within them. The areas have been selected on account of their great cultural/historical significance, in particular with respect to archaeology, historical geography and architecture.
Technical note
The map shows the 70 Belvedere areas listed in the Belvedere memorandum. It also indicates the areas (or parts of those areas) which are included in UNESCO's World Heritage List or the provisional list (as in October 2002). A number of towns are also covered by the Belvedere memorandum but these are not shown on the map.
References
- Reference OC&W (1999). Belvedere. Beleidsnota over de relatie cultuurhistorie en ruimtelijke inrichting. Ministerie voor Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap. Den Haag.
