Named after the dam in the river Spaarne and dating from 1285 is Spaarnedam Haarlem.
The village lived from fishing and there is even an eel smokehouse still active.
A toll was raised and the village was strategically important for Amsterdam. Therefore two fortresses were built as part of the Defence Line of Amsterdam.
A touristic highlight is the statue of Hans Brinker, who protected the land from a flood with just one finger in the dike. The story is of American origin, the Dutch doubt whether it is true.