Waag and market square
The Waaggebouw anchors the Waagplein, where the city’s long cheese-trading tradition is most visible. The medieval Grote Kerk, dedicated to St Lawrence, combines a landmark exterior with a historic interior. Follow the canals through the old centre to see gabled merchant houses and small bridges.
Trade and local history
The Dutch Cheese Museum, inside the former weighing house, explains the craft and commerce behind the market ritual. Beyond the centre, the Molen van Piet stands above the city’s green edge; its windmill silhouette links Alkmaar’s urban streets with the surrounding polder landscape.