When you think of a day trip to a historic Dutch city, well-known destinations like Utrecht, Haarlem, or Delft quickly come to mind. However, anyone traveling to the province of Gelderland will discover one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in our country.
With a history dating back more than 1,700 years, the Hanseatic city of Zutphen is home to a unique cultural treasure. Hidden within the medieval St. Walburga Church is De Librije. It is a historic reading room dating from 1561 where precious centuries-old books are still secured to wooden reading boards with heavy steel chains.
One of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, rich in medieval history
Zutphen was founded as early as Roman times and has been continuously inhabited for more than 1,700 years . In the Middle Ages, the town on the IJssel River grew into a powerful Hanseatic city, earning it its distinctive skyline full of historic spires and the nickname “Tower City.”
With nearly 400 national monuments, the historic city center boasts one of the highest densities of monuments in Gelderland. Within the old city walls, you can stroll past late-medieval merchant houses, hidden courtyards, and iconic defensive structures such as the Drogenap Tower from 1444.
De Librije: Books Secured by Steel Chains Since 1561
Between 1561 and 1564, De Librije was built as an extension of St. Walburga’s Church. Church warden Conrad Slindewater designed the space as a public reading room to give citizens access to important legal, medical, and religious knowledge.
Because books were prohibitively expensive in the 16th century and were strictly forbidden from being taken home, all the folios were secured to wooden reading boards with steel chains. This security system has remained intact for centuries. As a result, De Librije is one of only three surviving original chain libraries in Europe.
The historic collection includes hundreds of rare works from the 15th to the 17th centuries, including 84 incunabula and a rare first edition of Copernicus’s astronomical work *De revolutionibus orbium coelestium*. To preserve the books’ original condition and maintain the climate-controlled environment, De Librije is accessible only during guided tours.
How to travel from Amsterdam to Zutphen
From Amsterdam Central Station, take the direct Intercity train toward Deventer or Arnhem. The train ride takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes. From Zutphen Station, it’s a straight 5-minute walk to the historic city center.
Are you traveling by car? From the Randstad, it takes about 1.5 hours to drive to the Hanseatic city of Zutphen.
