Frequently asked questions about Schiedam

This page gives short answers to questions visitors ask about Schiedam, each with a source. Where another page of Schiedam.com gives the full explanation, the link is included. That way you find the answer quickly, and read on where the subject calls for more.

Tall brick windmill with a wide stage and turning sails beside a canal in Schiedam, with a second windmill among the trees on the right.
Photo: Johan Bakker, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

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About the town

Where is Schiedam?

Schiedam is in the province of South Holland, right next to Rotterdam, originally on the Schie and later also on the Nieuwe Maas1. On 1 January 2026 the municipality had 81,931 residents on 19.86 square kilometres, according to CBS16. By train you are in Rotterdam Centraal in four minutes, according to S'DAM11. More key figures are on the homepage.

Is Schiedam.com the official site of the town?

No. Schiedam.com is an independent guide, published by Voûte Digital Advertising B.V. on the Lange Nieuwstraat in Schiedam. The town's official tourist information comes from S'DAM, the city brand of Stichting Schiedam Partners, and from the I-Punt in the Waag28. Partners of this site always appear under a separate, recognisable heading.

What does S'DAM mean?

S'DAM is the city brand of Schiedam. Stichting Schiedam Partners uses it to market the town, in cooperation with the municipality of Schiedam2. The events listing, the site sdam.nl and the I-Punt in the Waag all appear under that name. The foundation itself presents Schiedam as the Dutch Distillers District23.

Why is Schiedam called Black Nazareth?

Schiedam got the nickname Black Nazareth (Zwart Nazareth) from the jenever industry13. According to S'DAM, the smoke from the chimneys of the many distilleries earned the town that name. At its peak S'DAM counted 392 malt wine distilleries, distilleries and windmills3. The whole story is under jenever and distilleries.

Who is the patron saint of Schiedam?

The patron saint of Schiedam is Liduina, also called Lidwina, who lived from 1380 to 143345. She is also the patron saint of the sick and of skaters. Her grave was found in the Grote of Sint-Janskerk, and her relics lie in the Liduinabasiliek45. More about her on the page about the historic city centre.

Two windmills with black bodies under a grey sky, with the wooden tips of sails in the foreground and the roofs of Schiedam behind.
Photo: bertknot from scarborough, australia, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Windmills and jenever

How many windmills does Schiedam have?

Seven tall windmills stand around the city centre, according to Stichting De Schiedamse Molens6. Five date from the heyday of jenever, De Kameel has been rebuilt and De Nolet is a wind turbine in windmill form67. Outside the centre there is also the polder mill, the Babbersmolen. Which ones you can visit is covered under the windmills of Schiedam.

When is the next National Mill Day in Schiedam?

The next National Mill Day in Schiedam is on Saturday 8 May 2027, S'DAM announces14. Mill Day always falls on the second Saturday of May; many windmills can then be climbed for free7. Some windmills are open to adults only because of steep stairs. All dates are in the events listing.

Is the Jenever Museum open on Mondays?

No. The Nationaal Jenevermuseum at Lange Haven 74 is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 11.00 to 17.00, and closed on Mondays9. Museummolen De Walvisch keeps the same hours. With a Museumkaart or Rotterdampas entry is free9. Tasting and distilling are covered under jenever and distilleries.

Practical

Where can you get tourist information in Schiedam?

You get tourist information at the I-Punt S'DAM in the Waag, at Lange Kerkstraat 39 next to the Grote Kerk8. There you buy tickets for the whisper boat and tours and pick up a map. From 26 October 2026 to 1 April 2027 the I-Punt is closed on Mondays8.

When is Sunday shopping in Schiedam?

In the centre of Schiedam there is Sunday shopping on the first Sunday of the month, from 12.00 to 17.00, S'DAM reports10. Every Thursday there is late-night shopping until 21.00. Not every shop keeps exactly the same hours. More about shops and parking under shopping in Schiedam.

How do you get to Schiedam by public transport?

By public transport you travel to Schiedam Centrum station, where trains, metro lines A, B and C and trams 1 and 11 stop11. From The Hague Hollands Spoor the train journey takes twenty minutes, according to S'DAM11. Parking, cycling and roadworks are covered on the page getting there.

Can you take a boat trip through Schiedam?

Yes, on the whisper boat. In 2027 it sails from 10 April to 31 October from Museummolen De Walvisch, Tuesday to Sunday15. The long 11.30 trip passes six of the seven windmills, the shorter trips pass three15. You buy tickets at the museum windmill or the I-Punt.

Is Schiedam fun with children?

Yes, especially around the windmills. At the Babbersmolen children flood a mini polder themselves and pump it dry again, on Saturdays from April to November12. Museummolen De Walvisch has an activity booklet featuring Wally the windmill cat, and children grind grain there themselves13. For children's activities, also check the events listing.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, Schiedam (secondary), accessed 12-11-2026: nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schiedam
  2. S'DAM, Home, accessed 12-11-2026: www.sdam.nl
  3. S'DAM, Jenever in Schiedam, Dutch Distillers District, accessed 12-11-2026: www.sdam.nl/jenever-schiedam-dutch-distillers-district
  4. S'DAM, Lidwina, accessed 12-11-2026: www.sdam.nl/uk/see-and-do/information/lidwina
  5. Stichting Grote- of Sint Janskerk Schiedam, accessed 12-11-2026: groteofsintjanskerkschiedam.nl
  6. Stichting De Schiedamse Molens, De molens, accessed 12-11-2026: www.deschiedamsemolens.nl/de-molens
  7. Stichting De Schiedamse Molens, F.A.Q., accessed 12-11-2026: www.deschiedamsemolens.nl/f-a-q
  8. S'DAM, I-Punt S'DAM, accessed 12-11-2026: www.sdam.nl/zien-doen/c/i-punt-sdam
  9. Nationaal Jenevermuseum Schiedam, Contact en openingstijden, accessed 12-11-2026: jenevermuseum.nl/contact-en-openingstijden
  10. S'DAM, Koopzondag en koopavond, accessed 12-11-2026: www.sdam.nl/zien-doen/ct/winkelen/info/koopzondag-en-koopavond
  11. S'DAM, Route, accessed 12-11-2026: www.sdam.nl/praktisch/c/route
  12. Stichting De Schiedamse Molens, De Babbersmolen, accessed 12-11-2026: www.deschiedamsemolens.nl/de-babbersmolen
  13. Nationaal Jenevermuseum Schiedam, Museummolen De Walvisch, accessed 12-11-2026: jenevermuseum.nl/museummolen
  14. S'DAM Uitagenda, Nationale Molendag Schiedam 2027, accessed 12-11-2026: www.sdam.nl/uitagenda/event/nationale-molendag-schiedam-2027
  15. S'DAM Uitagenda, Rondvaarten fluisterboot 2027, accessed 12-11-2026: www.sdam.nl/uitagenda/event/rondvaarten-fluisterboot-door-historisch-schiedam-2027
  16. CBS, Regionale kerncijfers Nederland (70072ned), accessed 12-11-2026: www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/cijfers/detail/70072ned

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