How can you find a true Dutch Rijksmonument on Nationale Monumenten Dag?
in Dutch events on 13 September, 2024The story behind the white-and-orange shield
If you’ve ever strolled through the historic centres of cities like Delft or Gouda, you might have noticed a small white-and-orange shield mounted on the wall of an old building. But what does it actually mean?
The answer is simple and quite special:
That little shield marks a “Rijksmonument”, a national heritage site.
A Rijksmonument is a building or object that holds national cultural and historical value. It could be anything from a centuries-old canal house, a windmill or a church, to a bridge or even a water tower. These are pieces of heritage that are important to all of the Netherlands and as such, they’re protected by the Dutch national government.
And that white-and-orange shield? It’s the sign that says: “This place is officially recognised and protected as part of our national heritage.”
You’ll usually find the shield near the entrance of a monument. It’s a small sign, but it carries a big message:
This place matters.
Interestingly, the ANWB (the Royal Dutch Touring Club) is responsible for producing and distributing these shields, helping to make heritage visible across the country.
Want to check if a building is a Rijksmonument?
You can look it up in the official Rijksmonumenten Register on the website of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE)
Discover the story behind the Dutch monument shield
If you’ve ever wandered through a Dutch town or city and spotted a small metal sign on the wall of an old building, you might’ve walked right past it without thinking twice. But that little sign, known as the monumentenbordje, or monument shield has a story to tell.
It’s not just decoration. That shield is a quiet way of saying: “This place matters.”
The most common version is the Rijksmonument shield, which marks a building as a national monument. You’ll usually see it near the entrance, a small metal plaque. It’s simple, but it carries weight.
What it really means is that the building is officially protected because of its historical, cultural, or architectural value. Maybe it’s an old farmhouse from the 1600s, a canal house in Amsterdam, or a former factory that helped shape the local economy. Whatever the story, the Dutch government has recognized it as part of the country’s heritage, something worth preserving for future generations.
And when a building gets that shield, it also gets a kind of legal “bubble” around it. Owners can’t just knock it down or make big changes without special permission. But on the flip side, they might get help, like subsidies or tax benefits, to keep it in good shape.
There are other types of monument shields, too. Some are from the municipality or province, each with their own look and criteria. But they all mean the same thing at heart:
This building is a piece of the puzzle that makes up Dutch history.
So next time you see one of those little blue-and-white of whit-orange signs, pause for a moment. You’re not just looking at bricks and mortar, you’re looking at a chapter in the story of the Netherlands.
How many monuments are there in the Netherlands?
The Netherlands has almost 62,000 national monuments, 56,000 municipal monuments and 830 provincial monuments. In addition, there are more than 400 areas with a special cultural-historical character that are characterized as ‘protected town or village views’.
Dutch monuments can be recognized at a glance with the enamel monument shield. ANWB is responsible for the production, distribution and sale of these official monument shields on behalf of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands.
The VriendenLoterij Open Monumenten Dag
Every year during the second weekend of September, thousands of beautiful monuments throughout the Netherlands are open to the public free of charge. From chirch, city hall through old mills. Go with your family and let your children learn about the heritage of Dutch architecture and history.
Do you want to know which monuments will be open during Open Monumenten Dag?
Go to these websites:
Latest Products
