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History Giethoorn

The history of Giethoorn goes back to the time of the peat makers who dredged the peat to make peat around 1600. Canals and canals were dug to transport the peat. The first inhabitants, the Flagellants, settled in the settlement around 1230. The discovery of the remains of goat horns resulted in the name Geythenhorn, which was later corrupted into Geythorn and eventually changed to Giethoorn.

In the early 1900s, the peat slowly ran out and the peat cutters had to exchange their work for agriculture. Cows, hay and reeds were transported by water with the characteristic ‘punters’. High bridges were built to transport those high loads. The bridges, many waters and punts that were built at that time are still characteristic of the picturesque village as we know it today.