A large boulder in Amersfoort famously known as the Amersfoortse Kei.
According to the local folktale …
This block of granite was swept down from Scandinavia by a glacier.
In 1661, Lord Everard Meyster made a bet with his friends that he could convince the locals to drag this giant boulder from Waelberch (near Soesterberg) into the city.
On 7 June 1661, 400 residents of Amersfoort pulled the boulder on a sled to the Varkensmarkt (translation: Pigs Market), after Meyster served them with lots of beer and fresh biscuits.
These ‘boulder haulers’ were later ridiculed and laughed at for years. So in 1672, they buried the boulder right there on Varkensmarkt. It remained buried till 1903 when the boulder was dug up and exhibited as a symbol of pride. Amersfoortse Kei received a new pedestal in 1954 and has been standing tall at the corner of Stadsring and Arnhemsestraat ever since.
The Amersfoortse Kei weighs 7157 kg, has a height of 2 meters and a circumference of 5.25 meters.
Because of this boulder, Amersfoort city is nicknamed the ‘Keistad’ (translation: Boulder City) and its inhabitants are nicknamed the Keientrekkers (translation: Boulder Draggers).
