The 600-year-old IJsselkogge, one of the most important ship finds in the Netherlands, was transported by pontoon over water to Zwartsluis on January 20. The ship was moved out of the conservation station at Museum Batavialand and loaded onto a pontoon; a logistical and technical precision operation that took place under great attention from press and public. Departure from Lelystad went smoothly. Further restoration awaits in Zwartsluis. Ultimately, the 15th-century trading ship will have a museum destination in Kampen about 200 meters from its original find spot in the IJssel River.
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Special logistical operation
The transport marks the end of a years-long conservation period. Since the spectacular salvage in 2016, the IJsselkogge has been conserved in Lelystad by Museum Batavialand. For the removal, the side wall of that conservation station was removed today. Then the ship, wrapped in protective foil, was driven via a temporary route to the quay at Oostvaardersdijk. There, the kogge, right next to the reconstruction of the VOC ship De Batavia moored there, was placed on a pontoon and transported over water to Zwartsluis. Restoration will take place there in the coming years. Ultimately, the ship will have a museum destination at a new exhibition location in Kampen.
Unique heritage
The IJsselkogge was discovered in 2011 in the IJssel during underwater excavations as part of the Ruimte voor de Rivier project. The ship was still largely intact; an exceptional find shedding light on our maritime history, especially that of the Hanseatic period. In 2016, the kogge was fully salvaged. It is now part of the Maritime Archaeological National Collection, managed by the Cultural Heritage Agency (RCE).
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Future in Kampen
After restoration, the ship will be displayed in Kampen. The municipality is working on a plan for a permanent presentation, focusing on the story of the Hanseatic League and the medieval trading history of the region. The arrival of the IJsselkogge forms a crucial link in the development of this future museum, expected to open in 2027.
Objects on display at Museum Batavialand
At Museum Batavialand several objects excavated with the kogge from the IJssel near Kampen can still be viewed, including a fine hurdy-gurdy, earthenware jugs, a pewter pendant, and pilgrim badges.