Bluefingers - 5 tips


Zwolle, partly made possible by…. the Bluefingers
The people of Zwolle are nicknamed Bluefingers. During the Middle Ages the cities of Zwolle and nearby Kampen made life as difficult as possible for each other. The inhabitants of the latter city were named Kampen Sturgeons. The nickname Bluefinger was given to the Zwolle people because they supposedly committed perjury against the Duke of Gelre.
Some time later, another explanation was given. When Zwolle offered its glockenspiel from the Grote Kerk (St Michael’s Church) for sale, Kampen agreed to buy it and arrived with a wagon full of pennies. The citizens of Zwolle had to count a huge amount of copper coins and so earned their blue fingers. In 2007 the name Bluefinger surfaced across the Atlantic, as the title of a CD by Black Francis, a former member of the American band The Pixies. The source of inspiration for this CD is the late well-known musician and painter Herman Brood, who was born and lived in Zwolle.

Bluefinger Days
Nowadays the people of Zwolle consider their nickname an honorary title. Yearly the so-called Bluefinger Days are organised –a large open-air market, a flea market and a score of special events in the heart of the city.

Zwolle, City of…
Zwolle is the only place in the Netherlands and Flanders that can call itself the city of the Bluefingers. This “trademark” is used in various media to point out the qualities Zwolle has to offer visitors, citizens, companies and organisations. Qualities that have been made possible by…. the Bluefingers.


What to do in Zwolle – five tips

1. Zwolle’s Modern Rickshaw
See Zwolle from a bicycle cab. You will be wheeled at leisure past the city’s most beautiful spots.

 

 

 

 

2. Full Speed Ahead!
Get on board for a culinary tour through the canals of Zwolle.

 

 

 

3. Arts and Culture
Zwolle boasts a diversity of museums ranging from culture and history to fine arts.

 

 

 

 

4. Church and City Views
Pay a visit to the Grote Kerk (Great Church/St Michael’s Church) or the Basilica of Onze Lieve Vrouw (Our Blessed Lady), in which case you can also climb its tower the Peperbus (Peppermill), the landmark of the city of Zwolle with its breathtaking views.

 

 

 

 

 


5. Have a Taste of Zwolle
Zwolle’s city bakery makes artisanal bread in the form of Zwolle’s canals. You won’t leave a crumb behind!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tips