The 56.6-metre wooden ship Batavia has arrived at Damen Shiprepair in Amsterdam after being towed from Lelystad across the Markermeer and IJ, marking the final stage of the 17th-century ship's reconstruction.
The vessel, complete with its masts, passed the centre of Amsterdam during the six-hour tow before reaching the shipyard's dry dock on Sunday afternoon.
The move marks the first stage of what Museum Batavialand describes as the Batavia's final journey by water. The ship is due to return to Lelystad on a pontoon before being moved ashore on October 2.
Batavia Leaves Home Of 31 Years
The Batavia left its familiar berth on the Oostvaardersdijk at Museum Batavialand early on Sunday morning, watched by members of the public and media. Also present was Willem Vos, the shipbuilder who led the Batavia's construction between 1985 and 1995.
The tow to Amsterdam was undertaken by Koninklijke Van der Wees. Later in the day, the ship passed through the Oranjesluizen locks and entered the IJ before continuing along Amsterdam's quays.
Amsterdam Arrival: The 56.6-metre Batavia is towed along the IJ in Amsterdam on the way to the dry dock at Damen Shiprepair, where it will be prepared for its return to Lelystad by pontoon
Museum Batavialand describes the Batavia as the world's largest reconstruction of a 17th-century ship.
Moving the large wooden vessel required more than a year of preparation. The Batavia stands 30.5 metres high and weighs approximately 646 tonnes without ballast.
Special Steel Support For Batavia
Over the coming days, the Batavia will be positioned in a specially designed steel support structure in the dry dock at Damen Shiprepair. Its return journey to Lelystad is scheduled to begin on October 1, when the ship will be transported aboard a pontoon rather than being towed in the water.
Leaving Lelystad: Crowds gather to watch as the Batavia leaves its home of 31 years at Museum Batavialand for the six-hour tow to Amsterdam
On October 2, the Batavia is due to be rolled off the pontoon and transported to its new position on land beside Museum Batavialand. The move ashore is intended to let the wooden vessel dry out and make it easier to protect and maintain.
Museum Batavialand Redevelopment
The relocation is the first visible stage of a major redevelopment of Museum Batavialand. Under the plans, the Batavia, the shipyard and the museum's exhibitions will be brought together at one location.
The museum expects visitors to regain access to the Batavia relatively soon after it is moved ashore, while the redeveloped Museum Batavialand is expected to open at the end of 2028.
