Lijnden: discover steam pumping station Gemaal de Lynden

Right next to Amsterdam-West you will find Lijnden, a small village in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer. The village was named after steam pumping station Gemaal De Lynden, one of three steam pumping stations used to drain the Haarlemmermeer. The village has about 865 inhabitants (2021). Due to its proximity to Schiphol and Amsterdam, Lijnden is a popular location for companies. There are also beautiful houses surrounding the pumping station and along the rivers Ringvaart and Hoofdvaart.

Gemaal de Lijnden aan het einde van de Hoofdvaart.

Water-rich history

In Haarlemmermeer, each town is characterized by an iconic building. You can recognize Lijnden by the steam pumping station. Gemaal de Lynden is the name of two steam pumping stations in Haarlemmermeer. The first pumping station, together with the De Cruquius and De Leeghwater pumping stations, drained the Haarlemmermeer in the period between 1849 and 1852. This makes the steam pumping station an iconic monument of Lijnden that tells the history of the water-rich past of the municipality of Haarlemmermeer.

Steam pumping station of Lijnden

Steam pumping station Gemaal de Lynden is a historic steam pumping station that has not been in use since 2005 and was later replaced by a new pumping station. There is a new pumping station next to the old Gemaal de Lynden building. This new pumping station has three pumps and a capacity of 1275 m3 per minute. That is more than half the size of the old pumping station.

As a result of preservation efforts, the old neo-Gothic steam pumping station is now a national monument. Since 2005 restaurant Bij Qunis is located in the old pumping station that serves authentic dishes and is a perfect place for a delicious dinner.

Things to do in Lijnden

There are also other interesting places and fine restaurants in the area beside the pumping station. For example, you can go to The Stoof Show on the Raasdorperweg for a delicious stew. And at the farm shop Gijzenberg you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables all year round. The kids will love harvesting their own sweet corn!

If you want to stay longer to explore the area, you can stay overnight at one of the hotels in Lijnden. For example, the boutique B&B Villa Vinhotel, a country house where you can relax in comfortable luxurious rooms. From here you can easily explore the Haarlemmermeer area.

Having trouble finding Lijnden? It’s situated above Schiphol, right next to Badhoevedorp and Amsterdam-West. From Lijnden you can also be in bustling Amsterdam in no time. Perfect for a fun day out or a mini-vacation!