The Green Cathedral, Marinus Boezem 1987

Tucked away in the Flevopolder landscape just outside Almere, the Green Cathedral is one of those quietly extraordinary places that rewards the curious traveller willing to venture off the obvious tourist path. Created by Dutch artist Marinus Boezem in 1987, the work consists of 178 Lombardy poplars planted in the precise floor plan of Notre-Dame de Reims — a full-scale living cathedral outlined not in stone but in living trees.

Walking into it for the first time, the effect is genuinely striking. The tall, columnar poplars mimic the verticality of Gothic pillars, and on a still day the sense of enclosure and quiet is almost devotional.

The site sits within the Oostvaardersplassen area, and getting there requires a little effort. From Almere Centrum station you can cycle roughly eight kilometres through flat polder farmland — very doable on a rental bike — or drive and park near the Buitenring. There are no facilities on site, no café, no ticket booth, nothing. That simplicity is part of the appeal, but bring water and something to eat.

Seasonality matters enormously here. Spring brings fresh green foliage and the poplars at their most vibrant, while autumn turns them a warm gold before the leaves drop entirely. In winter the bare trunks are still impressive but the cathedral effect is more skeletal than lush. Summer weekends can draw crowds of cyclists and families from Almere, so a weekday morning visit gives you the space and silence the work deserves.

Wear comfortable shoes suitable for soft, sometimes muddy ground, and if you're cycling, check the weather — polder crosswinds can be relentless.