Wooden Shoes from Holland (?)
It is the top of the souvenirs that foreign tourists love to take home with them. In small size, full size or in soap form. The famous Dutch Clogs or Wooden Shoes!
Everyone therefore associates this footwear with the Netherlands. But are these actually originally from this country? Research shows that the Netherlands is by no means the only country that made use of wooden shoes as footwear. About the whole of Europe used them in the 16th century! From Scandinavia to the Mediterranean. Maybe the Wooden Shoe was invented by the Dutch then? Not true either. According to experts, Wooden Shoes originate in northern France.
The oldest Dutch Wooden Shoe was found in Amsterdam and dates back to 1230, so Dutch people have been walking on clogs for at least 800 years. Clogs were very popular footwear. Especially from the 16th century onwards. Then they were manufactured from a single piece of wood, which benefited the strength and durability. Being cheap, they were very popular among day labourers and farmers. Especially in the Netherlands the Wooden Shoe became a hit. Because they were made of wood, they offered effective moist protection in the swampy Dutch landscape.
