Setting

The Beemster polder is situated in the province of Noord-Holland, roughly between the cities of Alkmaar, Edam and Hoorn. The Beemster is an independent municipality. Both the Beemster World Heritage site and the municipality itself are entirely enclosed and bounded by the Beemsterringvaart, a ring canal. The surface area of the Beemster polder covers 7,185 hectares.