Crowds gather as IJsselstein lights up the largest Christmas tree in the Netherlands
IJsselstein lit the largest Christmas tree in the Netherlands on Saturday evening, drawing large crowds for the 27th annual lighting of the Gerbrandytoren, RTV Utrecht reports. Ton Westland of IJsselstein conceived the idea in the early 1990s to turn the broadcasting tower into a massive illuminated tree.
The lights on the more than 360-meter-tall broadcasting tower were switched on at 7:15 p.m. during a public countdown led by IJsselstein Mayor Ester Weststeijn and singer Billy Dans.
The tower, also known as the Lopik transmission mast, is transformed into a Christmas tree each year using 120 lights hung from the supporting cables. The structure reaches a height of nearly 366.8 meters.
When it was first illuminated in 1992, it earned recognition in 1998 from the Guinness Book of Records as the tallest Christmas tree in the world. In recent years, a mountainside installation in Italy—roughly 750 meters tall—has surpassed it, but the Gerbrandytoren remains the country’s largest.
The lighting program in IJsselstein lasted three hours and took place on the Podiumterrein. Visitors gathered for food and drinks and watched performances that included singer-songwriter Billy Dans, a dance group, and a DJ.
“The lighting of the largest Christmas tree is a magical moment every year,” said Ghita van der Kraan, chair of Stichting De Grootste Kerstboom. “It brings people together and creates a warm start to the holiday season.”
