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Kampen (Overijssel)
Encyclopedia
Kampen is a municipalityMunicipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
, a city and an old Hanseatic city
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
at the lower reaches of the river IJssel
IJssel
River IJssel , sometimes called Gelderse IJssel to avoid confusion with its Hollandse IJssel namesake in the west of the Netherlands, is a branch of the Rhine in the Dutch provinces of Gelderland and Overijssel...
in the Dutch province of Overijssel
Overijssel
Overijssel is a province of the Netherlands in the central eastern part of the country. The region has a NUTS classification of NL21. The province's name means "Lands across river IJssel". The capital city of Overijssel is Zwolle and the largest city is Enschede...
.
The municipality of Kampen counts 50,073 inhabitants (January 1, 2010) in an area of approximately 162 km² (only a small part of this area consists of water). Kampen is located in the North West of Overijssel
Overijssel
Overijssel is a province of the Netherlands in the central eastern part of the country. The region has a NUTS classification of NL21. The province's name means "Lands across river IJssel". The capital city of Overijssel is Zwolle and the largest city is Enschede...
and is the largest city in this region. The city of Kampen itself counts 34,063 inhabitants.
Kampen has one of the best preserved old town centres of 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...
, including remains of the ancient city wall (whose gate
City gate
A city gate is a gate which is, or was, set within a city wall. Other terms include port.-Uses:City gates were traditionally built to provide a point of controlled access to and departure from a walled city for people, vehicles, goods and animals...
s are still standing) and numerous churches. Also notable are the two bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
s over the IJssel which connect Kampen with IJsselmuiden
IJsselmuiden
IJsselmuiden is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Kampen, northeast of that city across the river IJssel....
, and a windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
(d' Olde Zwarver).
People in Kampen speak a variation of the Sallands
Sallands
Sallaans is a collective term for the Dutch Low Saxon dialects of the region Salland, in the west of the province of Overijssel, which is in the eastern Netherlands. A common term used by native speakers for their dialect, which is also used by Low Saxon speakers from other regions for their...
dialect, known as Kampers.
Middle Ages
By 1150, there were already wooden buildings on the site where Kampen is currently located. The name Kampen, however, is not mentioned until 1277. The city has had city rights since 1236. As a result of its convenient location on the busy trade route between the Zuiderzee and the Rhine, Kampen quickly developed from simple settlements into a prosperous trading town, to become one of the most powerful and leading cities of northwestern Europe. In the 14th century, Kampen exchanged with the bishop of Utrecht, Jan van Arkel, the MastenbroekMastenbroek
Mastenbroek is a polder in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It lies north of the city of Zwolle. "Mastenbroek" is also the name of a small village, built around a church in the middle of the poder....
polder against the right to increase the IJsseldelta.
The bogging down of the IJssel
IJssel
River IJssel , sometimes called Gelderse IJssel to avoid confusion with its Hollandse IJssel namesake in the west of the Netherlands, is a branch of the Rhine in the Dutch provinces of Gelderland and Overijssel...
brought a gradual end to the prosperity of Kampen from 1430 on. For a long time Kampen did not want to sign a union and make economic and political concessions to other cities, as was usual in the Hanseatic League
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
. When the County of Holland
County of Holland
The County of Holland was a county in the Holy Roman Empire and from 1482 part of the Habsburg Netherlands in what is now the Netherlands. It covered an area roughly corresponding to the current Dutch provinces of North-Holland and South-Holland, as well as the islands of Terschelling, Vlieland,...
went to war with the Hanseatic League this situation came to an end: the city was forced to choose a side in the war. Kampen was originally more oriented toward the Baltic trade and commerce with the hinterland of the Rhine, and therefore in 1441 formally joined the Hanseatic League. The city had much influence in the League; despite loud protests from the other towns in lower reaches of the IJssel and from other Hanseatic cities, the League agreed in 1448 to build a bridge over the river. This project was accomplished in just five months. With this bridge Kampen hoped to be able to develop closer relationships with the hinterland.
Post-Medieval
On 11 August 1572 Kampen was conquered from the Spaniards by Willem van den Bergh, a brother of William of OrangeWilliam the Silent
William I, Prince of Orange , also widely known as William the Silent , or simply William of Orange , was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years' War and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648. He was born in the House of...
. After the massacre of Zutphen on 15 November, the city voluntarily surrendered to the Spanish. In 1578, the city changed ownership again after the Siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
of Kampen, led by George van Lalaing. Due to its right to increase the IJsseldelta, Kampen was owner of the growing Kampereiland. From 1500 the islands were leased. The rents were so large that the city did not need to raise taxes.
The Franco-Dutch War
Franco-Dutch War
The Franco-Dutch War, often called simply the Dutch War was a war fought by France, Sweden, the Bishopric of Münster, the Archbishopric of Cologne and England against the United Netherlands, which were later joined by the Austrian Habsburg lands, Brandenburg and Spain to form a quadruple alliance...
, fought by the Republic of the United Netherlands
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
against the Kingdom of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Sweden
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
, the Bishopric of Münster
Bishopric of Münster
The Bishopric of Münster was an ecclesiastical principality in the Holy Roman Empire, located in the northern part of today's North Rhine-Westphalia and western Lower Saxony...
, the Archbishopric of Cologne
Archbishopric of Cologne
The Electorate of Cologne was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire and existed from the 10th to the early 19th century. It consisted of the temporal possessions of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cologne . It was ruled by the Archbishop in his function as prince-elector of...
and the Kingdom of England
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
, marked a definitive end to the enormous power of the city.
Kampen only became well known again in the 19th century. The city was difficult to reach from the sea, because the surrounding wetlands were bogged down and shallow. During the preceding centuries, the watercourse of the river IJssel was dredged several times, but the costs were relatively high and within a few years, the river bogged down again. As the IJssel had several delta-like mouths here, the main route of the river shifted several times. In the 19th century, a new strategy was put in place to counter this problem: some watercourses were dammed to allow for more water at a higher speed through one or two main routes. This had the advantage that less sand and silt were deposited and resulted in a river course that "swept itself clean". A key figure in this story is city architect Nicolaas Plomp, who, besides his work for the current IJsselmeer front of the city of Kampen, was also involved in hydraulic engineering. Due to the emerging industry in the 19th century and the importance of roads and railways for the economy, highways and paved roads were constructed to replace transportation over sand and mud roads.
Historical buildings and other landmarks
Kampen has a large number of old to very old buildings, including remains of the ancient city wall (whose city gates are still standing) and the Church of St Nicholas (Bovenkerk). The structure of the walled fortress city is still visible in the streets.Significant structures include:
- The Koornmarktpoort: a city gate located near the river IJssel which probably dates from the 14th century. In the 15th century two squat towers were added at the outer corners.
- The Broederpoort: a rectangular city gate with four slender towers, originally from 1465, rebuilt in Renaissance style in 1615
- The Cellebroederspoort: a rectangular city gate, flanked by two heavy round towers, originally from 1465, rebuilt in 1617 in Renaissance style
- The Stedelijk Museum KampenStedelijk Museum KampenThe Stedelijk Museum Kampen is a museum situated in the Old Town Hall of Kampen. The collection has four main topics: water, religion, justice and the House of Orange-Nassau. There are also five to six temporary exhibitions on contemporary art a year.-Exterior:The original Old Town Hall dates from...
: located in the former city hall of Kampen, which dates from the late 14th century - The Gotisch huis: built around 1500. This was the location of the Stedelijk Museum Kampen before it moved to its current location in the old City Hall.
- The Nieuwe toren: a tower with a carillon designed by Philips Vingboons and dating from 1648-1664
- The Church of St. Nicholas (Bovenkerk): a great Gothic basilica dating from the 14th and 15th centuries. The interior of the church houses an early-Renaissance choir screen (1552), a stone pulpit (circa 1500) and a monumental organ from 1670-1676.
- The Broederkerk: a 14th century church which originally belonged to a Franciscan monastery
- The Buitenkerk: a 14th century church
- The Burgwalkerk: a neoclassical 19th century church
- A windmill called d'Olde Zwarver, built in 1842
- A monastery gate dating from 1165 called Linnenweverspoortje
- The city auditorium (Stadsgehoorzaal), dating from 1891
- An old tobacco factory, De Olifant, where cigars are still made with 19th century equipment. De Olifant cigars are sold in the shop and guided tours are available.
Throughout the town of Kampen, there are colorful murals which are in fact old commercials for now-defunct business in Kampen. These murals, which include Art Nouveau influences, were made by local artists and are now referred to as "frescoes of the middle class". As a result of current municipal policy, wherever these murals are discovered under old plaster, they are restored to their former glory.
Festivals and events
An annual festival during the summer months is the Kamper ui(t) day. The name is derived from a series of folk tales in which the inhabitants of Kampen were portrayed as stupid. Another summer event is the Full Color Festival, which is organized annually. Every third Saturday of August, a comics event, called the Kamper Stripspektakel, is organized with over 100 booths.Once every three years Sail Kampen takes place, a sailing spectacle with (old) sailing ships.
A weekend before Christmas Christmas in Oud Kampen is organized. There is street theater, where pieces of famous musicals are played, and mid-nineteenth century characters are walking around the city.
Twin towns — sister cities
Kampen is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Soest
Soest, Germany
Soest is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Soest district. After Lippstadt, a neighbouring town, Soest is the second biggest town in its district.-Geography:...
Meinerzhagen
Meinerzhagen
Meinerzhagen is a town in the Märkischer Kreis, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Meinerzhagen is located in the hills of the Sauerland. The highest elevation is the Nordhelle with 663 m above sea level, the lowest elevation at the Lister dam with 319m...
Pápa
Pápa
Pápa is a historical city in Veszprém county, Hungary, located close to the northern edge of the Bakony Hills, and noted for its baroque architecture. With its 33,000 inhabitants, it is the cultural, economic and tourism centre of the region....
Eilat
Sports
Kampen is the home of football team DOS KampenDOS Kampen
DOS Kampen is a Dutch football club based in the city of Kampen, currently competing in the Eerste Klasse.-External links:...
and its rivals Go - Ahead Kampen, KHC Kampen, VV Kampen and IJVV.
Geography
Overijssel
Overijssel is a province of the Netherlands in the central eastern part of the country. The region has a NUTS classification of NL21. The province's name means "Lands across river IJssel". The capital city of Overijssel is Zwolle and the largest city is Enschede...
, a province in the mid-east of 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...
, next to the provinces of Gelderland
Gelderland
Gelderland is the largest province of the Netherlands, located in the central eastern part of the country. The capital city is Arnhem. The two other major cities, Nijmegen and Apeldoorn have more inhabitants. Other major regional centers in Gelderland are Ede, Doetinchem, Zutphen, Tiel, Wijchen,...
, Flevoland
Flevoland
Flevoland is a province of the Netherlands. Located in the centre of the country, at the location of the former Zuiderzee, the province was established on January 1, 1986; the twelfth province of the country, with Lelystad as its capital...
, Drenthe
Drenthe
Drenthe is a province of the Netherlands, located in the north-east of the country. The capital city is Assen. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and Germany to the east.-History:Drenthe, unlike many other parts of the Netherlands, has been a...
and Friesland
Friesland
Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...
.
The city of Kampen is situated along the river IJssel
IJssel
River IJssel , sometimes called Gelderse IJssel to avoid confusion with its Hollandse IJssel namesake in the west of the Netherlands, is a branch of the Rhine in the Dutch provinces of Gelderland and Overijssel...
close to the point where it flows into the IJsselmeer
IJsselmeer
IJsselmeer is a shallow artificial lake of 1100 km² in the central Netherlands bordering the provinces of Flevoland, North Holland and Friesland, with an average depth of 5 to 6 m. The IJsselmeer is the largest lake in Western Europe....
(formerly known as the "Zuiderzee"). Opposite of Kampen, along the IJssel, lies IJsselmuiden
IJsselmuiden
IJsselmuiden is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Kampen, northeast of that city across the river IJssel....
, which is the second largest town of the municipality Kampen.
The municipality of Kampen has five population centers: Grafhorst
Grafhorst
Grafhorst is a small town about 3 km north of Kampen, in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It received city rights in 1333....
, 's-Heerenbroek
's-Heerenbroek
's-Heerenbroek is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Kampen, about 5 km west of Zwolle. It has a school, the Prinses Julianaschool, which was founded in 1909. furthermore, there is a formerly milk factory which is known commonly in the...
, IJsselmuiden
IJsselmuiden
IJsselmuiden is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Kampen, northeast of that city across the river IJssel....
, Kampen, Kamperveen
Kamperveen
Kamperveen is a small village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Kampen, about 5 km south of the city.Kamperveen was a separate municipality until 1937, when it became a part of IJsselmuiden....
, Wilsum
Wilsum
Wilsum is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Kampen, about 4 km southeast of that city....
and Zalk
Zalk
Zalk is a village on the South bank of the river IJssel in the municipality of Kampen in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is situated just behind the winter Dike of the IJssel at Wilsum....
.
Education
Kampen has two theological universities: the Theological University of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands (PThU)Kampen Theological University
Protestant Theological University is one of two theological universities in the Dutch city of Kampen.-History:The university was founded in 1854 as the Theological School by the Christian Reformed Church in the Netherlands, a church resulting from a schism in 1834, to provide for theological...
and the theological college of the Reformed Church of the Netherlands (TUK).
Transportation
The current railway station KampenKampen railway station
Kampen is a terminus railway station located in Kampen, the Netherlands. The station was opened on 10 May 1865 and is located on the Kamperlijntje, which is the Zwolle - Kampen section of the Utrecht–Kampen railway. The train service is operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen...
links Kampen with Zwolle
Zwolle
Zwolle is a municipality and the capital city of the province of Overijssel, Netherlands, 120 kilometers northeast of Amsterdam. Zwolle has about 120,000 citizens.-History:...
. In 2012, the Hanzelijn
Hanzelijn
The Lelystad–Zwolle railway, also known as the Hanzelijn , is a new Dutch railway line presently under construction. When completed, it will connect Lelystad, capital of the province of Flevoland, with Zwolle, capital of the neighbouring province of Overijssel...
is set to open linking Lelystad
Lelystad
Lelystad is a municipality and a city in the centre of the Netherlands, and it is the capital of the province of Flevoland. The city, built on reclaimed land, was founded in 1967 and was named after Cornelis Lely, who engineered the Afsluitdijk, making the reclamation possible...
and Zwolle
Zwolle
Zwolle is a municipality and the capital city of the province of Overijssel, Netherlands, 120 kilometers northeast of Amsterdam. Zwolle has about 120,000 citizens.-History:...
. A new station will be opened a few kilometers south of Kampen, near the junction of the national roads N50 and N764. See Station Kampen Zuid.
Famous people from Kampen
- Hendrick AvercampHendrick AvercampHendrick Avercamp was a Dutch painter.Avercamp was born in Amsterdam, where he studied with the Danish-born portrait painter Pieter Isaacks , and perhaps also with David Vinckboons. In 1608 he moved from Amsterdam to Kampen in the province of Overijssel...
(AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, 1585-Kampen, 1634), nicknamed "de Stomme van Kampen" (The Mute of Kampen), is a painter best known for his small winter landscapes. Thea BeckmanThea BeckmanThea Beckman was a Dutch author of children's books.-Biography:At young age , Beckman knew she wanted to be a writer...
featured him as a character in various books. In Kampen, a street (Avercampstraat), an elementary school (Avercampschool), and a grand café are named after him. - Dr. Willem Johan KolffWillem Johan KolffWillem Johan "Pim" Kolff was a pioneer of hemodialysis as well as in the field of artificial organs. Willem is a member of the Kolff family, an old Dutch patrician family. He made his major discoveries in the field of dialysis for kidney failure during the Second World War...
, (14 February 1911, Leiden) inventor of the artificial kidneyKidneyThe kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
. A street in Kampen is named after him (Dr. Kolfflaan). - Jaap StamJaap StamJakob "Jaap" Stam is a retired Dutch football player who was twice voted best defender in the 1998–99 and 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League. He played for several European clubs like PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United, S.S. Lazio, A.C. Milan and AFC Ajax before retiring in October 2007...
(1972, Kampen), football player for Ajax AmsterdamAjax AmsterdamAmsterdamsche Football Club Ajax , also referred to as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam or simply Ajax , is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands...
. Also played for FC ZwolleFC ZwolleFC Zwolle is a Dutch football club based in Zwolle, currently playing in the Eerste Divisie, the country's second level of professional club football. The club was founded in 1990 after the bankruptcy of PEC. They have played in the Eredivisie, the highest tier of Dutch football, for a total of...
, Cambuur LeeuwardenCambuur LeeuwardenSC Cambuur , formed on June 19, 1964, is a Dutch football club from Leeuwarden, currently playing in the Eerste Divisie. The club's home ground is the 10,250 seater Cambuur Stadion and they play in yellow shirts and blue shorts. The club's emblem originates from the coat of arms of the House of...
, Willem IIWillem II TilburgWillem II , also known as Willem II Tilburg, is a football club based in Tilburg, North Brabant, Netherlands. The team was founded on 12 August 1896 as Tilburgia...
, PSV Eindhoven, Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, S.S. LazioS.S. LazioSocietà Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
, AC Milan and the Netherlands national football teamNetherlands national football teamThe Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
. He started playing football as a child for the local football club D.O.S. Kampen. - Henk van UlsenHenk van UlsenHenk van Ulsen was a Dutch actor. He won the Louis d'Or for best male stage actor in 1970.-External links:...
(born: 1927, Kampen), actor. Played in many teleplays and television series like "Dagboek van een Herdershond", "Briefgeheim", "Pension Hommeles", "Willem van Oranje" and many others. - Petra van StaverenPetra van StaverenPetronella Grietje van Staveren is a former swimmer from The Netherlands, who won the gold medal in the 100 meter breaststroke at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.-References:*...
(1966, Kampen), swimmer who won the golden medal in the 100 metres breaststroke at the 1984 Summer Olympics1984 Summer OlympicsThe 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
in Los AngelesLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. - Robert De WildeRobert de WildeRobert de Wilde is a Dutch professional "Mid/Current School" Bicycle Motocross racer whose prime competitive years were from 1990–2003. His nicknames are "The Flying Dutchman" in reference to his speed and his nationality and "Afro-Bob" because of his long wild, uncombed hair...
(1977, Kampen), BMX World Champion who appeared in the 2008 Summer Olympics2008 Summer OlympicsThe 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
.
External links
- Official website (Dutch)
- IJsseldelta Tourist Office (Dutch)
- Historical monuments of Kampen (Dutch)
- Fotopedia entry
- 7 Medieval Cities Website (Dutch)
- A windmill of Kampen (Dutch)
- Kampen pictures (Dutch)
- Kampen Old sights/postcards anno 2009 (Dutch)
- Old postcards from Kampen (Dutch)
- Website Grandcafé De Stomme van Campen (Dutch)