Rent a Home in Assendorp, Zwolle
The neighborhood that began as a railway district in 1860 and grew into one of the city's most beloved pre-war areas.
Assendorp is located directly southeast of Zwolle's city center, within walking distance of the station. The neighborhood has 13,050 residents (2025) and has remarkably well-preserved its pre-war character. The workers' houses from the period 1878 to 1930 are largely still standing. The streets are narrow and irregular, and the street pattern is erratic in a way that planned post-war neighborhoods are not. Those who rent a home in Assendorp live in a neighborhood that has grown, not been designed.
From Railway District to Popular Residential Area
The neighborhood owes its existence to the railway. In 1860, the railway company built the first twenty rental homes for its staff. Rank was visible in the bricks: larger homes for higher-ranking personnel, more modest houses for lower ranks. Bartjenstraat, where twenty-five homes were built simultaneously in 1878, is one of the earliest streets in the neighborhood.
In the decades that followed, Assendorp grew into a full-fledged working-class district. Churches, a monastery, a vocational school: the infrastructure of a self-sufficient community. The Dominican Monastery, the Sint-Jozefkerk, and the Old Vocational School still stand and are anchors of the historic streetscape.
€980 / month
€1,520 / month
€1,095 / month
€1,195 / month
€1,695 / month
€857 / month
Eigenhaardstraat and the Streets in Between
Eigenhaardstraat is the best-preserved part of Old Assendorp. The original homes from the late nineteenth century are virtually unchanged: narrow facades, small front gardens, varied roof heights. It's the kind of street that makes you cycle slower.
The street pattern of Assendorp is irregular. Streets do not run parallel but follow the logic of a neighborhood built piece by piece. This gives it a peculiar and recognizable character. No straight vistas, no endless identical rows. Every street has its own corner.
The location between Assendorperdijk and Deventerstraatweg gives the neighborhood two clear boundaries. Deventerstraatweg is the busy traffic artery. Assendorperdijk is the quieter side, with views of the greenery on the outskirts of the neighborhood.
What You'll Rent
The housing supply in Assendorp predominantly consists of workers' homes and small townhouses from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Those looking for an apartment usually find them as converted upper floors in pre-war buildings. Ground-floor homes are abundant but are more often for sale than rent. Studios and smaller apartments are aimed at students and starters who want the atmosphere of the neighborhood without paying city center prices.
The neighborhood attracts a varied population: students from Windesheim and Hogeschool Viaa, artists, young professionals, and long-term residents who have never left. This mix gives Assendorp a vibrancy that is more resident-driven than that of the city center.
Apartments Price Breakdown in Zwolle
| Size | Average | Median | Price Range | Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
€1,769 | €1,723 | €1,300 - €2,800 | 2 | |
€1,174 | €1,107 | €837 - €1,950 | 11 | |
€1,384 | €1,378 | €923 - €2,375 | 5 | |
€908 | €893 | €344 - €1,750 | 28 |
Daily Life and Accessibility
Zwolle Station is a ten-minute walk away. This makes Assendorp attractive for daily train commuters. The city center is a five-minute bike ride. Daily amenities are spread throughout the neighborhood: small supermarkets, bakeries, a market. No shopping center, but also no shortages.
Deventerstraatweg is the main route for cars. In the residential streets, it is quiet. Parking is easier than in the city center, but here too, the bicycle is the most common mode of transport. The neighborhood is compact enough to handle everything on foot.
Built for Railway Personnel
The first homes in Assendorp were built in 1860 by the railway company for its employees. The rank of the personnel was visible in the homes: larger houses for higher positions, smaller ones for lower. This stratification is still recognizable in some streets.
Irregular Street Pattern
Assendorp was not designed but grew organically. The erratic street pattern is the result of decades of small expansions. Streets don't run parallel, corners are unexpected, vistas surprise. It's the hallmark of a neighborhood with history.
Within Walking Distance of the Station
Zwolle Station, one of the largest hubs outside the Randstad, is a ten-minute walk from Assendorp. Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Groningen are directly accessible. For commuters who want to live outside the Randstad, this is one of the neighborhood's strongest assets.
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