4,320 days after being stolen in a break-in, five 17th century masterpieces are back in Hoorn. In January 2005 24 paintings and 70 items of silverware were stolen from
The Lead Up
The lead up The 16th century was a time of upheaval in the Netherlands. The population detached themselves from the church and the king and they were now on the
Reports and the Twisted Truth
When the VOC sailors came home, people were very attentive. Nowadays, everybody has an idea about what the world is like due to the television, Internet and images in books
The Wild Course
The Dutch East India Company didn’t only earn in terms of what they brought home, but also with the trade with Asian cities. Throughout Asia the Dutch acted as freighters
In Scents and Colours
After the first VOC ships came back with their freight, inhabitants living close to the warehouses could smell the unknown exotic fragrances. People passing by thought they had landed in
Navigating at Sea
The people in the Middle Ages imagined the earth as flat as a pancake and surrounded by water. Above were the heavens and below water was hell. This is the
The first Multinational
When the route to the Indies was established companies began to crop up quickly. Many entrepreneurs favoured the idea of investing in the trade with Asia to make it rich.
Huge Profits
During the set-up of the Dutch East India Company it looked like it was ahead of its time with shares being bought by all the social classes. Patrons, teachers, servants,