Edam is famous for its cheese by the same name. The city with its canals was granted a free market charter in 1520. The cheese weighing house was built in 1778 and cheese markets were held here until 1922. Now this cheese market (video) is re-enacted each summer. Farmers brought their cheese to market to boat and horse-drawn cart where the cheese was unloaded by special cheese carriers (video). Traders tested the cheese by boring into a sample cheese to determine the price of the cheese. The whole batch of cheese is then carried to the scales in the weighting house. The bargaining now begins by clapping hands together (video). Click a picture to see a larger view.