Heritage in Emmen: 10 Places with a Story

Emmen’s heritage isn’t limited to large, well-known monuments; it’s also found in the landscape, the stories, and the traces left behind by generations.

Emmen is more than just open spaces and greenery.
It is a place where thousands of years of history come together—both visible and hidden.

Sometimes grand and impressive. Sometimes small and almost unnoticeable, but always meaningful.

Together, these monuments make up Emmen’s heritage: a living story of how people lived, worked, and shaped the landscape here.

Discover 10 landmarks that tell the story of Emmen.

1. Nieuw-Amsterdam Tram Bridge

Side Branch, Nieuw-Amsterdam

The tram bridge, built in 1920, tells the story of the peat colonies. Trams once traveled through the landscape here, loaded with peat litter—faster and more efficiently than by ship. It was the driving force behind economic growth in the region.

Today, you can cycle peacefully across it, but beneath you still lies the history of hard work and smart infrastructure.

Did you know…
that the current bridge isn’t the original one? It was severely damaged during World War II and was later replaced by a bridge brought in from elsewhere.

2. Grote Kerk Emmen

Marktplein, Emmen

The Grote Kerk is a recognizable landmark in Emmen. The current building dates from 1857, but its history goes back much further.

The tower contains granite stones that may have come from dolmens. Burials took place around the church until 1827. You can still see subtle references to this past in the surrounding pavement.

Did you know that…
there is a centuries-old baptismal font in the church that was used as a planter for many years before it was returned in 1988?

3. Erica Peat Bedding Factory

Dommerskanaal, near Erica

Along the Dommerskanaal stands an industrial relic from the peat-mining era: the peat bedding factory. Here, peat was processed into bedding and garden soil, an important product for the region.

Peat was brought in via a narrow-gauge railway and then transported further by ship, train, or truck.

The original machines are still on display at the Industrial Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum.

Tip: Cycle along the Dommers Canal and discover villas, factories, and workers’ homes from the peat-mining era.

4. Boetseweg 22

Roswinkel

Roswinkel is home to Emmen’s oldest municipal monument: a farmhouse dating from around 1642.

It was once a “schultehuis,” where justice was administered and taxes were collected. As such, it served not only as a residence but also as a center of administration and decision-making.

5. Long Barrow D43

Schimmeres, Emmen

Hunebed D43 is unique in the Netherlands: it is the only long barrow. It was built around 3000 B.C. by the Funnel Beaker Culture.

A distinctive feature is the small stop stones between the large supporting stones—a rare detail that many other hunebeds no longer have.

Did you know that…
there are a total of three hunebeds in the Schimmeres?

6. Emmerschans

Rondweg / Schansstraat, Emmen

The Emmerschans is an earthen defensive structure dating from around 1800, built during the French Period. With only one entrance, it was once a strategic location in the landscape.

Today, it is a peaceful, green spot where you can still experience the traces of the past.

Did you know that…
next to the Emmerschans lies the Emmen Wall, offering a view of the peatland landscape?

7. Emmerdennen & Valtherbos Burial Mounds

Emmerdennen and Valtherbos

There are dozens of burial mounds, also known as tumuli, in the forests. They date from after 2750 B.C., from the period following the hunebeds.

Multiple people were often buried in a single burial mound. The landscape here literally bears layers of history.

Tip: There are no signs—it pays to look closely. Sometimes you can spot them from the trail.

8. Barger-Compascuum Raised Bog Cemetery

Next to De Stikker Cemetery

This is the only raised bog cemetery still in existence in the Netherlands. The deceased were buried here in the peat without it first being excavated.

Because gravestones were too heavy, wooden and cast-iron grave markers can be found here. A unique and fragile piece of heritage that was partially preserved following protests in 1923.

Did you know that…
there’s a small, free museum barn to visit next to the cemetery?

9. Schoonebeek Air Watch Tower

Portlandweg 1, Schoonebeek

This concrete tower, built in 1954, was part of the Cold War. From here, observers monitored the skies day and night with binoculars.

It stands as a quiet reminder of a time when vigilance was paramount.

Did you know that…
there are still three bunkers from the same period in the municipality?

10. Bargerveen boundary markers

Bargerveen

Since 1901, these boundary markers have marked the border with Germany. They consist of wooden posts with masonry stones and are deeply anchored in the peatland landscape.

Small objects, but with a big story about borders, countries, and cooperation.

Discover Emmen, monument by monument

These ten sites showcase just how rich and diverse Emmen is.

They invite you to set out on a journey, to look more closely, and to read the landscape as a story.

From prehistoric burial mounds to industrial heritage and quiet landscape boundaries: everywhere you look, you can see how the past and present blend together.

Ontdek Emmen. Space, tranquility, and energy: through the ages.