Today Kinderdijk is a UNESCO Heritage site that has stood the test of time and remains a testament to how well the Dutch community manages its water issues. While many countries across the world battle with scarcity of water, Netherlands has a unique problem. It has too much water. Always had and potentially will. Kinderdijk (like so many parts of Netherlands) lies below sea level. But unlike other places that lie below sea level, you don’t require snorkelling or scuba gear. The Kinderdijk area has been kept dry and has been cultivated due to the ingenious use of canals, windmills and pumping stations. When you visit Kinderdijk you can’t help but think about the rising oceans and climate change. While the Dutch water systems are amazing and brilliant, you can’t help but wonder how long they will work if global warming is not reversed.

That being said, the story behind Kinderdijk goes back hundreds of years. While the mechanism of pumping out water from the ground has been refined and developed, the concept has been around for a long while.