Cycle 32 km past industrial heritage: Westergasfabriek, NDSM Shipyard, Hembrug site, and the North Sea Canal — depart directly from Amsterdam Central or Zaandam.
Factory smell and duct fumes
The HollandRoute cycle route HRF28 — "Industrial Red" — is an unexpectedly rich journey of discovery through the industrial heart of the Amsterdam-Zaanstreek metropolitan region. In approximately 32 kilometers, you cycle past factory monuments, forgotten shipyards, and rising creative hotspots. The route connects Amsterdam Central with Zaandam along the North Sea Canal and the old sea dikes, and fits into the larger context of the HollandRoute: a cultural-historical cycling loop through North Holland that puts industrial heritage in the spotlight. If desired, combine HRF28 with neighboring route HRF27 for a complete picture of both the "industrial red" and the "Zaan green".
Past silos, chimneys, and a forgotten arms factory
You start at Amsterdam Central Station or Amsterdam Sloterdijk Station — hop on and ride, without a car. Soon you are cycling past the striking Amsterdam architecture of the Westerpark, where the impressive Westergasfabriek stands. The brick factory buildings from the 1880s — with their alternation of red and yellow brick, arched friezes, and pilasters — are now a national monument. Today, the complex buzzes with creative companies and events.
You drive on towards the western port area, where gigantic grain silos and industrial quays dominate the view. It smells of diesel oil and water. You pass De Bretten, a green-industrial transitional area that separates the city from the canal zone. Then the route crosses the North Sea Canal. Here you hear ship horns in the distance and see large ships slowly sailing past.
Across the water awaits the NDSM Wharf: a former shipyard that has transformed into a creative hub full of studios, hospitality venues, and street art. An unexpected place, full of character. Next, you cycle along the old sea dikes to the Hembrug site in Zaandam — perhaps the hidden highlight of this route. This former arms factory site, once heavily guarded and closed to the public, is undergoing full redevelopment. Monumental buildings from various construction periods tell the story of more than a century of ammunition production. You finish in Zaandam, within walking distance of Zaandam station — or you can continue back to Amsterdam via the new fast cycle connection.
Highlights along the way
- Westergasfabriek (Amsterdam) — National monument gasworks complex from 1885, designed by architect Isaac Gosschalk. Today a vibrant cultural events park with terraces and creative businesses.
- Western Port Area (Amsterdam) — Imposing industrial landscape with silos, quays, and container terminals. A place where Amsterdam displays its raw, port-state character.
- NDSM Wharf (Amsterdam North) — Former shipyard, now a creative hub with street art, studios, hospitality, and views over the IJ. One of the most authentic places in Amsterdam.
- North Sea Canal — The artery canal of the Port of Amsterdam. The route follows the canal embankment, with views of sailing ships and the wide canal horizon.
- Hembrugterrein (Zaandam) — The hidden industrial heritage jewel of North Holland: a former arms factory site from 1895 with dozens of monumental buildings being redeveloped into a creative-innovative hub.
From weapons factory to creative hotspot
The Hembrug site lay closed behind barbed wire for years. In 1895, the Ministry of Defence established the Artillery Establishments here, strategically situated between the North Sea Canal and the Zaan, in the heart of the Defence Line of Amsterdam (UNESCO World Heritage Site). Ammunition was produced there for over a century. In 2003, the doors closed for good. Since then, the monumental buildings — each with its own number and history — have been revived as home bases for innovative companies.
