Naarden

This article is about the town. For the chemical company once based in and named for this town, see Quest International.
Naarden
City

Aerial photo of the historic city of Naarden
Highlighted position of Naarden in a municipal map of North Holland
Location in North Holland
Coordinates: 52°18′N 5°10′E / 52.300°N 5.167°E / 52.300; 5.167Coordinates: 52°18′N 5°10′E / 52.300°N 5.167°E / 52.300; 5.167
Country Netherlands
Province North Holland
Municipality Gooise Meren
Area[1]
 • Total 32.90 km2 (12.70 sq mi)
 • Land 21.40 km2 (8.26 sq mi)
 • Water 11.50 km2 (4.44 sq mi)
Elevation[2] 3 m (10 ft)
Population (May 2014)[3]
 • Total 17,204
 • Density 804/km2 (2,080/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Naardenees, Naardenaar
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postcode 1410–1414
Area code 035
Website www.naarden.nl

Naarden (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈnaːrdə(n)]) is a city and former municipality in the Gooi region in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands. It has been part of the new municipality of Gooise Meren since 2016.

History

Naarden was granted its city rights in 1300 (the only town in Het Gooi with these rights) and later developed into a fortified garrison town with a textile industry.

Naarden is an example of a star fort, complete with fortified walls and a moat. The moat and walls have been restored.

Jan Amos Komensky (Comenius) was buried in the city, his mausoleum can be visited.

Despite its earlier importance, Naarden's population was surpassed by Hilversum in the 18th century and today it is smaller than its neighbour Bussum.

The city's distinctive shape made it a rallying point for Allied bombers returning to England after raids on Germany.

Naarden was a separate municipality until 2015. On 1 January 2016, the municipality of Naarden merged with Muiden and Bussum to form the new municipality of Gooise Meren.

Geography

Map of the former municipality of Naarden, June 2015

The city of Naarden is located in the municipality of Gooise Meren in the west of the Netherlands. It is situated in the Gooi region in the southeast of the province of North Holland.

Economy

The company Stork B.V. has its head office in Naarden.[4]

Attractions

Naarden is the home of the Netherlands Fortress Museum (Nederlands Vestingmuseum). Naarden hosts the bi-annual Naarden Photo Festival and, on Good Friday, a performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion in the local church, which is called the Great Church or St. Vitus Church.

The Great Church

The Great Church (Grote Kerk) is situated on the Markstraat and dates from the 15th century. Prior to the Protestant Reformation it was named for St Vitus. It is one of the oldest surviving churches in The Netherlands, having had the good fortune to survive the Spanish invasion of 1572 and the subsequent burning of the town. The church has numerous wooden vaults that are painted with scenes from the Old and New Testaments. These were hidden for many years and were only rediscovered in a recent restoration. The church is the venue for a number of cultural activities such as organ music nights and the bi-annual Naarden Photo festival.

The Spanish House, with design commemorating the massacre of 1572

The Spanish House (Spaanse Huis), situated at Turfpoortstraat 27, was originally a church building converted to house migrants. In 1572 Spanish troops conducted a massacre of some 700 inhabitants who had gathered to hear a peace proposal. The Spanish then fired on the assembled citizens, and went on to set fire to the town. A plaque above the lintel of the door and below the eaves commemorates the massacre. In 1615, after the population had reestablished itself, they built the city hall on the site. Part of the building was given over to De Waag (The Scales House), the municipal office entrusted with the verification of weights and measures. The building later served a French garrison as a bakery, turning out over 1000 loaves per day. From 1967 until 1992 it served as the Comenius museum.Today, the historic building serves as the Weegschaal Museum.

Transport

The nearest station is Naarden-Bussum railway station, which has services to Almere, Amersfoort, Amsterdam and Utrecht.

Notable residents

Images

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten" [Key figures for neighbourhoods]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  2. ↑ "Postcodetool for 1411EC". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  3. ↑ "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  4. ↑ "Contact information." Stork B.V. Retrieved on 10 January 2012. "Stork Head office Stork B.V. Amersfoortsestraatweg 7 1412 KA NAARDEN"
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