The history of the Alkmaar Chees Market
Almost 700 years ago, Alkmaar was already a city of cheese. Historical records show that Alkmaar had a cheese scale as early as the year 1365. Now that’s what we call tradition!
The Cheese Market in 1365
Almost 700 years ago, Alkmaar was already a cheese town. Based on historical records it appears that Alkmaar had a cheese scale in the year 1365. Talking about tradition!
1593 - Cheese Carriers' Guild established
On 17 June 1593, the Alkmaar Cheese Carriers' Guild was established. For more than 400 years, the cheese carriers from the four different 'vemen' (groups) have been carrying out their work in its traditional form.
18th and 19th century – the Waagplein too small
Alkmaar's status as the cheese capital has become increasingly famous over the years and the cheese market became more popular. There were no less than four cheese markets a week, which lasted until one o'clock at night The Waagplein was gradually becoming too small for all the cheese. Markets were the economic engine in those days, so houses were sometimes demolished to increase market space.
The Second World War
During WWII, the cheese market was temporarily put on hold.
Cheese was still scarce, so mouths would water at the sight of so much cheese.
Positions within the Cheese Carriers' Guild
There are also a number of functions within the guild, for example the setters, innocenters, emergency aid, ‘vastman’, tasman, foreman, cheese father, servant, bottelier and provost.
- The setters place the cheeses on the market from the truck in the morning and load the berries.
- When the cheeses have been weighed, the innocenters load the cheeses into wooden handcarts and bring them back to the truck.
- The tasman is at the scale and is the longest in service.
- The foreman is at the head of the veem and is the oldest man of his veem.
- The cheese father is at the head of all four vemen.
- The servant is the assistant of the cheese father and must keep the toilets and the pavement in front of the weigh house clean. In addition, he is responsible for hanging the bell.
- The provost is responsible for collecting the fines.
- Before you become a cheese carrier, you first receive emergency aid for two years. Then he may join in the guild and he gets his nickname.
- The vastman is an experienced cheese carrier who works in one of the vemen.
- The bottelier is responsible for the drinks.
