The walking tour takes about an hour and a half and starts at the Groest, where Hilversum was founded. Noor van Scherpenzeel, together with historian Pieter Hoogenraad, tells you the story of the founder of Hilversum and why things did not end well for this man.
Then you walk on to the Kerkbrink and immerse yourself in the story of the great village fire of 1766. Based on a reconstructed eyewitness account, you relive how more than 250 years of city history was completely destroyed.
Railway, monuments and the town hall
Other highlights on the route include the stories about the construction of the railway and the enormous growth of Hilversum, the cradle of Hilversum as a media city and of course you will hear all about the monumental town hall.
Listening at historical places
It is most fun to turn on the podcast at the historical places where you are staying. Listen to the stories and in the meantime look around you at what you can still see of the Hilversum of that time.
From point to point you can of course reminisce with your walking buddy about your Hilversum from the past or – if you are not from Hilversum – the place where you grew up. Do you walk alone? Be sure to look around you along the way. There is plenty to see in Hilversum.
View the route on the map and walk along. If you press the waypoints, you can listen to the podcast episodes.