A New Bedford Whale for Weathervane Wednesday

 Today's featured weathervane was photographed in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

This two dimensional sperm whale weathervane is located on the cupola over the front door of the Fairfield Inn on the waterfront in New Bedford harbor.  It is a very appropriate weathervane for the location, since New Bedford is famous as a whaling seaport and home to Herman Melville, the author of the novel Moby Dick: or, The Whale, published in 1851.  The New Bedford Whaling Museum is situated a few blocks from the hotel. 

Although this weathervane is only two dimensional, I liked the details including the teeth inside the whales mouth, and the fins on the tail.  Below I have listed links to nine other whale weathervanes we have photographed, and most are sperm whales located near historic whaling ports or other locations related to the whaling industry. 

Once we checked into the hotel, we saw that our guestroom was right behind the weathervane!  This is the view of the whale weathervane through the hotel window. 

For the truly curious:

Click here for over 550 Weathervane Wednesday posts:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday  

More whale weathervanes:

2026 Peaks Island, Maine    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2026/01/a-whale-of-weathervane-for-weathervane.html  

2025 Krimpen aan de Lek, The Netherlands   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/06/krimpen-aan-de-lek-netherlands-for.html  

2023  Lunenburg, Massachusetts   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2023/08/a-whale-of-car-wash-for-weathervane.html  

2022 New Bedford Whaling Museum   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2022/04/new-bedford-whaling-museum-weathervane.html  

2018  Seabrook, New Hampshire   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/10/weathervane-wednesday-whale-of.html  

2017 Wells, Maine    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/01/weathervane-wednesday-three-from-one.html  

2014 Salem, New Hampshire   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2014/07/weathervane-wednesday-in-new-england.html  

2013 Cold Spring Harbor, New York   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/05/weathervane-wednesday-whale.html  

2013 Hampton Beach, New Hampshire   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/09/weathervane-wednesday-seen-by-beach.html  

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A New Bedford Whale for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted July 15, 2026, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2026/07/a-new-bedford-whale-for-weathervane.html: accessed [access date]). 

A Bi-Plane for Weathervane Wednesday

 Today's weathervane was photographed in Fall River, Massachusetts.

We spotted this little bi-plane over the cupola on the Bay Coast Bank in Fall River, Massachusetts, at 310 Airport Road.  There is no longer an airport in Fall River, since the municipal airport closed in 1996.  There was a very big landfill next to the airport, and the FAA closed the airport due to the large number of seagulls in the flight path!

This three dimensional bi-plane weathervane is very appropriate for the location.  It is a very intricate metal figure, with easy to read cardinal points. The plane features a propeller which turns in the wind, struts on the wings, and the tail has a rudder.  The bank and this weathervane are visible from nearby highways 79 and 24, and is located right on the corner near the exit ramp.  

For the truly curious:

Bay Coast Bank:    https://baycoast.bank/en/  

Click here to read over 550 Weathervane Wednesday posts:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday   

Several other aviation weathervanes I have posted:

2014  Bi-plane  https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2014/07/weathervane-wednesday-old-bi-plane.html   

2016  Piper Cub plane    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/11/weathervane-wednesday-piper-cub-plane.html 

2019  A Russian TU-95 Bear   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2019/05/weathervane-wednesday-russian-bomber.html  

2025  Goofy's Flight School    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/04/goofys-sky-school-ride-at-disneyland.html  

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A Bi-Plane for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted June 17, 2026, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2026/06/a-bi-plane-for-weathervane-wednesday.html: accessed [access date]). 

Madrid, Spain - Three Weathervanes over the Old City Hall for Weathervane Wednesday

 

Like many cities, Madrid, Spain has a city hall, and an old city hall known as "Casa de la Villa".  This building was planned by King Phillip IV in 1629, and building commenced in 1644 and was not complete until 1692. There are several square towers, and a clock tower with spires.  Above all this elegance are three weathervanes and many finials shaped like crosses. The buildings are in a medieval Spanish style called mudejar, which was inspired by the Muslims.  In 2007 the city moved its official offices to the Cibeles Palace.  

These weathervanes are simple banners, in a cutout style often seen in the old part of Madrid. It looks like filigree, and the finials are often similar with crosses. 

For the truly curious:

Wikipedia Casa de la Villa:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_de_la_Villa_(Madrid)  

From the Madrid tourism information website:   https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/casa-de-la-villa 

Click here to see over 550 weathervanes from all around the world: 

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday   

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Madrid, Spain - Three Weathervanes over the Old City Hall for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted April 1, 2026, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2026/04/madrid-spain-three-weathervanes-over.html: accessed [access date]).  

Two Roosters in the Netherlands for Weathervane Wednesday

 

There were two of these gilded roosters above a church on the main square in Zierikzee, The Netherlands.  We enjoyed walking around the town, and had a coffee in the square while admiring these two weathervanes.  They appear to be identical, and over a church.  One sits above a round cupola, and the other over a pointed octagonal tower.  

There is a long history of rooster weathervanes (also known as weathercocks) above Christian churches that goes back at least a thousand years.  Pope Gregory I declared that the rooster, the symbol for St. Peter, was the symbol for Christianity.  Thus, church towers began to appear with weathercocks.  The rooster comes from the story of St. Peter denying Jesus Christ three times "before the cock crowed" on the night of the Last Supper.  

I have photographed many weathercocks above churches.  Another popular symbol for weathervanes above churches is the fish, which is also an acronym for Jesus in ancient Greek -  Ichthys.  The Greek letters are Iota (Iesous) Jesus,  Chi (Christos) Christ, Theta (Theou) God, Upsilon (Uios) Son, Sigma (Soter) Savior.  The fish is also popular because the twelve apostles were called "fishers of men".  

For the truly curious:

The Wikipedia article for Zierikzee, The Netherlands:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zierikzee   

Last week I featured a Weathervane Wednesday post on another Zierikzee weathervane of Neptune:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2026/02/a-merman-for-weathervane-wednesday.html  

Click here to see more than 550 more Weathervane Wednesday posts from around the world:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday  

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Two Roosters in the Netherlands for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted March 4, 2026, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2026/03/two-roosters-in-netherlands-for.html: accessed [access date]). 

A Merman for Weathervane Wednesday

 

Today's weathervane was photographed in the small town of Zierikzee, in the municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland, Zeeland, The Netherlands.  This town received significant damage during the 1953 North Sea Flood.  There are many canals and ports in this area, which is very close to the Atlantic and North Sea.  This was a very interesting town to explore, with its medieval history and recent WWII and 20th century flood history.  

This two dimensional, gilded merman weathervane sits atop the cupola of the tower gate in Zuidhavenpoort.  This gate was built around 1450, and the dome tower was rebuilt in 1858.  This small town actually has three town gates over canals, part of the town's original fortifications.  The golden merman represents the Roman god Neptune, with a raised sword.   This weathervane probably dates from the 19th century renovations.  

This canal connects Zierikzee to Oosterschelde

 

For the truly curious:

Wikipedia article about Zierikzee:    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zierikzee  

Click here to read over 550 more Weathervane Wednesday posts:    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday  

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A Merman for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted February 18, 2026, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2026/02/a-merman-for-weathervane-wednesday.html: accessed [access date]). 

A Rooster at a Farm for Weathervane Wednesday

 Today's weathervane was photographed at the Beech Hill Farm in Hopkinton, New Hampshire. 

The Beech Hill Farm in Hopkinton, New Hampshire is one of our favorite destinations for ice cream. We love to drive the little red convertible on nice summer days, and end the adventure with home made ice cream. The Beech Hill Farm also sells beef and pork, and has a petting zoo for the kids.  In the fall there is a corn maze.  Best of all, this farm has been run by the same family for nine generations. 

Above the garden shed is this old rooster weathervane, which is the type of weathervane (along with a running horse) that is most common on farms in New England.  Inside the shed are antiques and crafts for sale. The weathervane is three dimensional, with interesting details on the rooster, like feathers and a very fancy tail.  The garden shed is low enough that you won't need a zoom lens or binoculars to view the rooster.  

Above the barn is another weathervane, but it was very damaged. 

For the truly curious:

Beech Hill Farm website:  https://www.beechhillfarm.com/

Click here to see over 550 Weathervane Wednesday blog posts:

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday   

To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A Rooster at a Farm for Weathervane Wednesday",  Nutfield Genealogy, posted January 28, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2026/01/a-rooster-at-farm-for-weathervane.html: accessed [access date]). 

A Sailboat on an Island for Weathervane Wednesday

 Today's weathervane was photographed on Peaks Island, Maine.

This sailboat weathervane was seen atop a private home on Peaks Island, Maine.  It is a two dimensional sailboat with one mast.  This little sailboat was within shouting distance of the island ferry to Portland, and you can see how close it is to the sea in the second photograph.  Rough Maine weather and the ocean climate have damaged the rigging on this weathervane, but it still looks great silhouetted against the blue sky.

Last week I featured a sperm whale weathervane for Weathervane Wednesday, and you can see that blog post at this link:  

In 2025 I also featured a blog post about our visit to Peaks Island at this link:  https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/11/peaks-island-and-umbrella-cover-museum.html   

Click here to see over 550 more Weathervane Wednesday posts: 

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday  

To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A Sailboat on an Island for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted January 14, 2025 ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2026/01/a-sailboat-on-island-for-weathervane.html: accessed [access date]). 

A Whale of a Weathervane for Weathervane Wednesday

 Today's weathervane was photographed at Peaks Island, Maine.

When we visited Peaks Island, Maine last summer we rented a golf cart to toodle around town.  A golf cart is perfect for slowly looking at the sights and spotting weathervanes.  This sperm whale was seen above a residence a block from the beach, which is very appropriate for a whale weathervane.

This two dimensional whale weathervane has lots of details.  The tail is lively, there are two little fins, and you can even see the whale's eye in profile.  It has a very nice weathered patina from being exposed to all the elements near the sea.  The most famous sperm whale is the fictional Moby Dick in the novel by Herman Melville.   

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For the truly curious:

A 2025 blog post about my visit to Peaks Island   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/11/peaks-island-and-umbrella-cover-museum.html  

Click here to see over 550 more Weathervane Wednesday posts:

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday   

To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A Whale of a Weathervane for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted January 7, 2027, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2026/01/a-whale-of-weathervane-for-weathervane.html: accessed [access date]). 

The Man in the Moon for Weathervane Wednesday

 Today's weathervane was spotted in Boothbay, Maine at the Maine Botanical Garden.

This little moon weathervane was seen over a cupola over a garden shed at the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden.  It is a cute little "Man in the Moon" found in the children's garden section of this venue.  I loved the cat picket fence around the shed.  

The moon weathervane and a Wilbur the pig (from the book Charlotte's Web) can be found in the children's garden.  You have to really search for them, since the area is wooded and the weathervanes are hard to see.  There is also a maze and a statue of the baby bear from the children's book Blueberries for Sal.  

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For the truly curious:

Coastal Maine Botanical Garden website:   https://www.mainegardens.org/   

Click here to see over 550 more Weathervane Wednesday posts:

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday  

To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "The Man in the Moon for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 10, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-man-in-moon-for-weathervane.html: accessed [access date]). 

A Sailing Ship in Maine for Weathervane Wednesday

 Today's weathervane was spotted in Boothbay Harbor, Maine

This intricate weathervane is above a cupola over the town offices at 7 Corey Lane in Boothbay, Maine.  We photographed it on our way to the Maine Botanical Gardens last summer.  This is a three dimensional weathervane of a three masted ship, with rigging. There are lots of little details, like the waves on the ocean and the folded sails on the jibboom. It was easy to spot this little weathervane as we passed by, and easy to pull into the parking lot to take a closer look.

Boothbay, Maine was a busy port for shipbuilding and fishing in its early history, and it later developed into a resort area for tourists.  It is a popular spot for yachts and sailboats, and fishermen still hunt for lobsters from it's harbor.  This ship weathervane is a very appropriate choice for the town hall.  

Click here to see over 550 more Weathervane Wednesday posts:

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday  

To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A Sailing Ship in Maine for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted December 3, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/12/a-sailing-ship-in-maine-for-weathervane.html: accessed [access date]). 

A Gilded Sailing Ship, Veere, The Netherlands, for Weathervane Wednesday

 This ship weathervane was photographed in Veere, The Netherlands. 

This past spring we enjoyed a river cruise to see the tulips and windmills in my ancestral country of The Netherlands.  One day our river boat moored at the small village (population 1,500) of Veere, which means "ferry" in Dutch.  It is located in the province of Zeeland, on the body of water known as the Veerse Meer. We could see this building with a spire from a long distance, but the beautiful weathervane was indistiguishable until we were very close. 

This weathervane is on the bell tower above the town hall, built between 1474 and 1517.  The golden weathervane has a ship with five flags and a banner, and it dates from 1598, but was restored in 1933.  This is a terrific weathervane with lots of details to admire. 

For the truly curious:

The Veere website:    https://www.zeeland.com/en/visit/islands/walcheren/towns-and-villages/veere 

Click here to see over 550 more Weathervane Wednesday blog posts: 

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday    

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A Gilded Sailing Ship, Veere, The Netherlands, for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted September 10, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/09/a-gilded-sailing-ship-veere-netherlands.html: accessed [access date]). 

B for Bruges, Belgium for Weathervane Wednesday

 This weathervane was photographed during a canal boat ride in Bruges, Belgium.

The weathevane can barely be seen above this

very, very tall steeple! 

This gilded banner has a letter B cut out in the center.  It was installed very high above a building in Bruges, barely visible from street level.  Thank goodness for zoom lenses on cameras!  If you look very carefully on the photo you can see two other gilded banners and two golden crowns on the other turrets of this building. 

For the truly curious:

Click here to see over 550 other Weathervane Wednesday posts from this blog:

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday   

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To cite/link to this blog post: Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "B for Bruges, Belgium for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted September 3, 2025, (  https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/09/b-for-bruges-belgium-for-weathervane.html: accessed [access date]). 

A Lion Banner in Bruges, Belgium for Weathervane Wednesday

 Today's weathervane was photographed in Bruges, Belgium.

If you look close you can see the lion banner above the church steeple.

Thank goodness for zoom lenses on cameras! 

This lion banner weathervane was spotted above a very tall steeple on a very narrow street in Bruges, Belgium.  There are traces of gilding on the banner.  The lion is a symbol of strength, valor, and nobility when used in heraldry, and in Christian symbolism the Lion of Judah is on the coat of arms for Jerusalem.  The Leo Belgicus ("Belgian Lion" in latin) is on the Belgian national coat of arms and is the national animal for Belgium.  

For the truly curious:

Click on this link to see over 550 other weathervane posts: 

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday   

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A Lion Banner in Bruges, Belgium for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted August 27, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/08/a-lion-banner-in-bruges-belgium-for.html: accessed [access date]). 

A Mystery Weathervane in Antwerp for Weathervane Wednesday

 This weathervane was photographed in Antwerp, Belgium.  Does it look familiar to anyone?

My husband took a walking tour of Antwerp and photographed this weathervane near the Plantin Moretus Museum.  We don't know the building or the history of this weathervane.  It's a complete mystery. 

This hand is very mysterious. 

This shape looked like a possible boat or ship.  It was also very mysterious. 

Online I saw a reference to a V-1 Flying Bomb weathervane in Antwerp, installed above a private house.  When I Googled the V-1 flying bomb I saw this photo below.  It was a match. 

The V-1 Flying Bomb was the famous "buzz bomb" or "doodlebug" during the Blitz in England during World War II.  It was an unmanned German missile.  It also terrorized civilians in Antwerp.  This was the precursor to today's cruise missile.  Antwerp, Belgium was hit by 2,448 V-1s from October 1944 to March 1945. It remains a mystery as to why this destructive missile was commemorated by a weathervane.  Perhaps it is symbolic of the resilience of the Antwerp citizens during World War II.  

The hand silhouette  on the finial above the vane remains a mystery!  If you know any details on this weathervane in Antwerp, please leave a comment below or email me at vrojomit@gmail.com  

For the truly curious:

V-1 Flying Bomb at Wikipedia:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-1_flying_bomb

Click here to see over 550 other weathervanes worldwide:

https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday    

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To cite/link to this blog post: Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "A Mystery Weathervane in Antwerp for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy,  posted August 20, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/08/a-mystery-weathervane-in-antwerp-for.html: accessed [access date]). 

Krimpen aan de Lek, The Netherlands for Weathervane Wednesday

 This is the second time I have featured this weathervane here on Weathervane Wednesday!  

My 6th great grandfather, Michiel Ockers Hogerzeijl, was born in Krimpen aan de Lek on 18 July 1696, and was buried at this church after his death in 25 May 1779.  This 1425 church was demolished in 1939 and rebuilt, and his tombstone was moved to the chapel in the village cemetery.  However, the church retains a bit of my ancestor's history, since he was the commander of whaling ships, and the weathervane features a gilded whale! 

I first visited this village in 2017 with my distant cousin, Hans Hogerzeil.  You can read all about that trip HERE.  I featured the weathervane and the tombstone (see the links below).  This time, in April 2025 we were taking a river cruise around The Netherlands and Belgium and we sailed right by Krimpen aan de Lek and stopped nearby at Kinderdijk.  I was thrilled to see this village, and also the city of Dordrecht nearby, where Michiel Ockers Hogerzeijl's son, Simon Machielszoon Hoogerzeijl was buried, and where several other generations of my family lived until my 3rd great grandfather, Peter Hoogerzeil (1803 - 1889), immigrated to Beverly, Massachusetts in the 1820s.  

I loved my visit to Dordrecht and Krimpen aan de Lek in 2017.  I remember sitting in a restaurant with Hans and watching the river outside the window.  I kept seeing the river cruises go by, and I made a wish that maybe someday I would return and take one of those cruise tours of The Netherlands.  When we finally were able to make that wish come true, we did it during the tulip season, which was even extra fun!  

According to Wikipedia, the first mention of the name of this town in 1396.  The town is located nearby rotterdam, and in the 1700s the Van Holst whaling business was established here. Many Krimpen residents worked on board the ships, including my ancestor as a commander. He was a respected member of the community, and his impressive gravestone certainly verifies this!  

For the truly curious:

My previous blog post about Krimpen aan de Lek:     https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2018/02/in-footsteps-of-ancestors-touring.html   

Tombstone Tuesday featuring Michiel Ockers Hogerzeijl's gravestone in Krimpen aan de Lek:    https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/11/tombstone-tuesday-michiel-ockers.html  

Kerk aan de Lek website in English:  https://www.kerkaandelek.nl/locaties/   

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Krimpen aan de Lek, The Netherlands for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted June 25, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/06/krimpen-aan-de-lek-netherlands-for.html: accessed [access date]). 

Zuiderkerk, Enkhuizen, The Netherlands for Weathervane Wednesday

 

The Zuiderkerk (Southern Church) is a protestant church in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.  The church was originally Sint Pancraskerk (St. Pancratius) built in 1458.  The tower with the weathercock is owned by the town, and was restored in 1992. The first musical clock in this tower was installed in 1524. There are two bells in the tower which were installed in 1653. There is also a carillon of 52 bells connected to the keyboard of the organ inside the church.   The interior was rennovated in 2013 and 2014. 

We could see the weathercock on the church tower from the main square of Enkhuizen while we were touring the town a few months ago.  We even heard the church bells while we were having a tea break in a local cafe.  This old weathercock is a very old Christian symbol, dating back to Pope Gregory I (between 590 and 604 AD) who declared that every church should install the rooster as a symbol of Christianity.  Pope Nicolas made the decree official in the 9th century.  Many early churches took advantage of this decree to install weathercocks.  The rooster stayed as a popular weathervane over the centuries, still seen on churches and farms in Europe and in America. The oldest weathervane known to exist is the Gallo di Ramperto, in the Museo di Santa Guilia in Brescia, Italy (thought to date between 820 and 830 AD).  

For the truly curious:

Zuiderkerk website (in Dutch):   https://www.pgenkhuizen.nl/ons-gebouw/  

Southern Church, Enkhuizen at Wikipedia (in English):    https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zuiderkerk_(Enkhuizen)   

Another weathervane seen in Enkhuizen:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/05/enkhuizen-gatehouse-netherlands-for.html  

Click here to see over 550 more Weathervane Wednesday posts:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday    

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Zuiderkerk, Enkhuizen, The Netherlands for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted June 18, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/06/zuiderkerk-enkhuisen-netherlands-for.html:  accessed [access date]). 

The Schreierstoren, Amsterdam, The Netherlands for Weathervane Wednesday

The 15th century Schreierstoren is a tower that was originally part of the city wall of Amsterdam.  I twas built in 1487. The ship on the weathervane is very appropriate because in 1595 Cornelis Houtman left here for the East Indies in 1595.  And this is where Henry Hudson set sail for North America in 1609 on his third voyage and founded New Amsterdam (Manhattan).  

The name Schreierstoren has many stories.  One is that women would go there to cry over lost husbands, those who were gone to sea for war, fishing, or exploration like Henry Hudson. The English translation is incorrectly told to be "Weeper's Tower" or "Tower of Tears".  However the name in Old Dutch translates to "Sharp Angle Tower" because the now extinct wall once made a sharp turn at this tower.  

The weathervane is a two dimensional gilded ship.  It cannot represent Henry Hudson's ship De Halve Maen  (The Half Moon) because he left Amsterdam in 1609, and this tower was built in 1487. 

This tower is now a cafe and bookshop, located at Prins Hendrikkade 94. 

For the truly curious:

Schreierstoren at Wikipedia:    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schreierstoren  

"The true story behind Amsterdam's Schreierstoren": 

   https://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/279-schreierstoren-amsterdam   

Click here to see over 550 other Weathervane Wednesday posts:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Weathervane%20Wednesday 

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "The Schreierstoren, Amsterdam, The Netherlands for Weathervane Wednesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted May 28, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-schreierstoren-amsterdam.html: accessed [access date]).