Alblasserdam
Encyclopedia
Alblasserdam
is a town in the western Netherlands
, in the province of South Holland
. The municipality covers an area of 9.96 square kilometres (3.8 sq mi), of which 1.18 square kilometre (0.455600547139191 sq mi) is water. Alblasserdam is officially a part of the Drechtsteden
. A portion of the small village of Kinderdijk
, which boasts the largest and most famous concentration of windmills in the Netherlands
, is part of Alblasserdam.
.
Because of its location on the Noord River, one of the busiest waterways in Western Europe, water has played a major role in Alblasserdam's history. The river was important for its development and makes it an advantageous location for industry. Alblasserdam's strategic location also brought it negative consequences: between 1350 and 1821, the Alblasserwaard
polder
has been flooded 32 times. It also suffered during the German raid on Rotterdam
on May 11, 1940, when its town center was seriously hit. However, the historic Kerkstraat (Church Street) and the characteristic dike construction along the river were spared. The North Sea flood of 1953
also affected a portion of Alblasserdam.
Today, because of reinforcements to the dikes and improvement of the locks, water does not pose a direct danger to Alblasserdam any more.
is a town in the western NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, in the province of South Holland
South Holland
South Holland is a province situated on the North Sea in the western part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is The Hague and its largest city is Rotterdam.South Holland is one of the most densely populated and industrialised areas in the world...
. The municipality covers an area of 9.96 square kilometres (3.8 sq mi), of which 1.18 square kilometre (0.455600547139191 sq mi) is water. Alblasserdam is officially a part of the Drechtsteden
Drechtsteden
The Drechtsteden are a number of towns and cities bordering each other in the delta area of the rivers Oude Maas, Noord, and Beneden-Merwede in the province of South Holland, the Netherlands...
. A portion of the small village of Kinderdijk
Kinderdijk
Kinderdijk is a village in the Netherlands, belonging to the municipality of Nieuw-Lekkerland, in the province South Holland, about 15 km east of Rotterdam. Kinderdijk is situated in a polder at the confluence of the Lek and Noord rivers. To drain the polder, a system of 19 windmills was built...
, which boasts the largest and most famous concentration of windmills in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, is part of Alblasserdam.
Etymology
The name Alblasserdam is derived from its location near the creek Alblas where a dam was built. Inhabitants of Alblasserdam are called Alblasserdammers (singular: Alblasserdammer).History
The history of Alblasserdam goes back some 700 years. The name is first mentioned in the chronicles of Melis Stoke in 1299, but the municipality wasn't formed until 1447. Before that, it was part of Oud-AlblasOud-Alblas
thumb|left|upright=1.5|The river [[Alblas]] in oud-AlblasOud-Alblas is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Graafstroom, and lies about 6 km north of Dordrecht....
.
Because of its location on the Noord River, one of the busiest waterways in Western Europe, water has played a major role in Alblasserdam's history. The river was important for its development and makes it an advantageous location for industry. Alblasserdam's strategic location also brought it negative consequences: between 1350 and 1821, the Alblasserwaard
Alblasserwaard
The Alblasserwaard is a polder in the province South Holland in the Netherlands. It is mainly known for the windmills of Kinderdijk, a village in the northwest of the Alblasserwaard.-History:...
polder
Polder
A polder is a low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments known as dikes, that forms an artificial hydrological entity, meaning it has no connection with outside water other than through manually-operated devices...
has been flooded 32 times. It also suffered during the German raid on Rotterdam
Rotterdam Blitz
The Rotterdam Blitz refers to the aerial bombardment of Rotterdam by the German Air Force on 14 May 1940, during the German invasion of the Netherlands in World War II. The objective was to support the German troops fighting in the city, break Dutch resistance and force the Dutch to surrender...
on May 11, 1940, when its town center was seriously hit. However, the historic Kerkstraat (Church Street) and the characteristic dike construction along the river were spared. The North Sea flood of 1953
North Sea flood of 1953
The 1953 North Sea flood was a major flood caused by a heavy storm, that occurred on the night of Saturday 31 January 1953 and morning of 1 February 1953. The floods struck the Netherlands, Belgium, England and Scotland.A combination of a high spring tide and a severe European windstorm caused a...
also affected a portion of Alblasserdam.
Today, because of reinforcements to the dikes and improvement of the locks, water does not pose a direct danger to Alblasserdam any more.
Public transportation
- Waterbus route 1:
- RotterdamRotterdamRotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
Willemskade - Krimpen aan den IJsselKrimpen aan den IJsselKrimpen aan den IJssel is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 28800 in 2006, and covers an area of 8.93 km² of which 1.10 km² is water....
Stormpolder - RidderkerkRidderkerkRidderkerk is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 44,886 in 2010, and covers an area of 25.10 km² ....
De Schans - Alblasserdam Kade - DordrechtDordrechtDordrecht , colloquially Dordt, historically in English named Dort, is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, located in the province of South Holland. It is the fourth largest city of the province, having a population of 118,601 in 2009...
Merwekade.
- Rotterdam
External links
- Official website
- Alblasserdam News in Dutch
- http://www.plattegronden.nl/alblasserdam