Monuments are opened in large numbers this weekend during the Open Monuments Day. This is also the case in the municipality of Aa and Hunze, where two special cycling routes have been created that lead past fourteen monuments.
The inventor of these routes is resident Jan Willem Braams. He is a fanatic cyclist and was asked by the municipality because of his knowledge of the area. Cyclists can go in two directions during their trip.
“Both routes start at the white church in Gasselte. Then they split up. If you go west, you will pass Grolloo and Rolde, that route is 49 kilometers. You can also take the eastern route, then you will pass through Gasselternijveen and Gieterveen. That route is 42 kilometers,” said Braams.
He hopes that the bicycle routes will lead to more interest in monuments in our province. According to Braams, we sometimes pay too little attention to these pieces of Drenthe history. With such a tour, more attention can be paid to it. “I think it is very important. We must not forget why the monuments are there. For example because of things that happened during the war. It is important that people know that and can experience this.”
He himself also encountered some monuments. One of them, he says, stands out. “The Magnuskerk in Anloo. There is a special atmosphere around that church. That really appeals to me,” says Braams. “I think it’s a must.” He hopes that many people will use his routes. “If four hundred people come, that’s already a lot, I think. What else comes is a nice bonus, of course.”
View the report about the Open Monument Day in Aan en Hunze here: