Eleven Cities Monument: Tile Bridge - Gytsjerk

The last bridge that skaters pass under during the Eleven Cities Tour has been transformed into an impressive arch of honor. To commemorate the centennial of the Eleven Cities Tour (since 1909), this unique monument was created in 2009 by artists Maree Blok and Bas Lugthart. The bridge is entirely covered with thousands of handmade tiles, each featuring a portrait of skaters who have ever completed the tour, rendered in blue glaze. That’s more than 7,000 skaters!

The portraits include skaters from the very first edition in 1909, the infamous tour of 1963, and, of course, the most recent edition in 1997. From the platform beneath the bridge, you can admire these portraits up close. Viewed from a distance, the tiles form a characteristic image of the Eleven Cities Tour: a line of skaters gliding one after the other.

Equally iconic are the phrases spoken by the chairperson of the Friesche Elf Steden association to announce the start of the Eleven Cities Tour. Phrases like "It giet oan" ("It’s on"), "It giet troch" ("It’s happening"), and "It sil heve" ("It will happen"). This monument is named after the latter phrase.

The southern side of the monument has been intentionally left blank, leaving space for the photos of future Eleven Cities Tour skaters. This is a place where the past, present, and future of this legendary race come together.