A photograhic journey of Haarlem and its history.The first official mention of Haarlem was in the 10th-century. The name comes from`Haarlo-heim or`Haarulahem' which means: place, on sand and covered with trees, higher than others.It is also the capital city of the province ofNorth Holland. Haarlem is located 20 kilometres west of Amsterdam; on the banks of the River Spaarne. But, unlike the Netherlands capital city, Haarlem, with a population of 150,000 is on a much smaller scale. With a pedestrian only city centre, the visitor is led along herringbone paved brick streets and into tranquil hofjes (almshouses). For such asmall city, Haarlem is steeped in history, and what remains is a testament to its past. It is rich in architecture, museumsand churches, of which the most notably is Saint Bavo Sint Bavo or the Great Church on the Grote Markt.