Around the Hanseatic Cities (part 3)

Camps, Hasselt, Zwolle
The famous Kampen cogs could quickly reach Germany thanks to the IJssel, while on the other side the Zuiderzee beckoned. This brought Kampen much prosperity. The rich facades of the city and the Koornmarktspoort still point to this. Hasselt also received markets and toll rights, which allowed it to join the Hanseatic League in 1367. Zwolle became an important trading partner for the Hanseatic cities thanks to the Vecht. The city itself only joined the alliance in 1407. Traces from that period include the Sassenpoort, the Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren, affectionately called the Peperbus, and of course the star-shaped fortress that was built during the Hanseatic period. This can be seen in the painting 'View of Zwolle' by an anonymous artist in the Stedelijk Museum. The Hopmanshuis or 'the house with the 99 windows' on the Rodetorenplein also dates from that period. The Hanseatic League was dissolved in 1669 when only three German cities were members of the once so large Hanseatic League with more than 200 members. Nevertheless, Hanseatic cities are often proud of their past. That is why a Hanseatic League was started again in Zwolle in 1980, where Deventer, Zwolle, Kampen, Groningen, Oldenzaal, Harderwijk and Zutphen committed themselves to work together in the field of tourism and culture.