Tiel is one of the oldest trading cities in the Netherlands. Long before the Hanseatic League existed, the city on the Waal was already a place where money was made, ships moored and merchants did business. Around the year 1000, Tiel had grown into a city where trade flourished, with toll rights and its own currency. Those coins travelled far. They are found as far away as Scandinavia and even Russia.
Around 1400, the Hanseatic League also turned its attention to the Dutch region. In 1402, Nijmegen became a member, and shortly thereafter Tiel as well. The city's location on the Waal made it easily accessible for the Hanseatic cogs that sailed along the rivers of Northern Europe. In the years 1451, 1557 and 1559, Tiel at least participated in the Hanseatic assemblies.
Nevertheless, Tiel was too small to have a full vote for long. From 1430 onwards, Tiel was no longer allowed to speak for itself at the Hanseatic diets, but had to be represented by Nijmegen. That did not alter the fact that membership had practical benefits. It was attractive for many skippers to sail under the flag of Tiel, as they enjoyed the ancient freedoms that Hanseatic members granted one another. Tiel's membership of the Hanseatic League lasted well into the seventeenth century.
The Hanseatic era has left traces that you cannot see but can unearth. At virtually all excavations in Tiel, finds have been made that point to a rich trading past: coins, scales, ship fragments and much more. A remarkable find is a coin weight from the Hanseatic period, discovered at the Voorstad. It was used to determine the weight of a noble, a gold coin. Small objects, big story.
Tiel and Zaltbommel shared the same river, the same trading network and the same position within the Nijmegen quarter of the Hanseatic League. Two cities on the Waal, each with their own role in the greater whole. Where Zaltbommel grew through its strategic position and strong aldermanic governance, Tiel was there earlier: older, once great, and earlier also receding into the background. Together they paint a picture of what the Hanseatic League meant in the Gelderland river region. Not only for merchants and skippers, but for everyone who lived, worked and made their lives in those cities.
Tiel is more than its history. The city centre is car-free, easy to navigate and atmospheric, with cosy hospitality squares and markets. The Hanseatic Route takes you on a walking tour past special buildings and places that recall the time when Tiel was one of the most important trading cities in the Netherlands. The Flipje en Streekmuseum tells the story of the city in all its layers, from Hanseatic merchant to little fruit character. Looking for a great terrace? Moeke Tiel on the Waalkade is among the top 10 most enjoyable waterside terraces, located in the beautiful listed monument Villa Bellevue. Those who want to shop will find well-known names in the Waterstraat and the Voorstraat, and unique boutiques in the narrow alley De Weerstraat. And every year Tiel draws large crowds with events such as the free pop festival Appelpop and the colourful Fruitcorso. A city worth coming back to.
