Clomping about in Amsterdam
Whatever you may think of them, traditional Dutch wooden shoes or clogs (klompen), are a practical part of Dutch heritage and are even still worn in rural parts of the country today. From traditional Dutch shoes to a high-fashion statement, read on to find out more about clogs in Amsterdam!
You won’t see many people wearing clogs in the city of Amsterdam but they are a significant part of Dutch national dress and heritage – and are still regularly worn in rural areas. The Dutch language also has many idiomatic expressions associated with wooden shoes. Clogs are popular among people working in agriculture as they’re very handy on muddy ground and can easily be put on and taken off. Dutch clogs are made from different types of wood – poplar and willow being favourites – and are often painted.
Traditional hand-crafted wooden shoes
Clogs have long been worn by workers as protective clothing. In fact, clogs have even been certified by the European Union as safety shoes as they can withstand sharp and heavy objects and concentrated acids. Traditionally, skilled artisans made them by hand. As you can imagine, it’s quite a job to hand-carve an identical pair of wooden shoes, but professionals could produce up to seven pairs a day! These days clogs are machine-made but tours still depart from Amsterdam to see wooden shoes being crafted by hand.
History of clogs
As wooden shoes were used to fuel the fireplace once they were worn-out, it proved difficult fot historians to precisely date the origins of clogs. Nevertheless, they estimate that the first clogs arrived on the shoe scene at least 850 years ago and the oldest wooden shoe was found in the Nieuwendijk in Amsterdam. This clog dates from around the year 1230 and is made of alder wood. The shoes came in various shapes and sizes – some had rounded edges and some pointed toes to help fishermen pull their nets in!
Contemporary Dutch Clog
Well-known Dutch shoe designer, Hester Vlaming took the humble Dutch clog and transformed it into a fashion must-have. The result is the Dutch Pump or ‘Hollandschen Clump’, a hybrid high-heeled clog pump – the perfect Dutch souvenir for the fashion-conscious! It took Hester three years to find a manufacturer that could produce the shoe the way she envisaged it and there were many prototypes along the way. But like all good things, it was worth the wait as the result is nothing short of spectacular! The platform in the shoe means the heel doesn’t feel very high either.
About six million souvenir clogs are produced in the Netherlands annually, so get your clogs on and come and klomp about in Amsterdam!
- Tell a friend