Muiden
Encyclopedia
Muiden is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands
, in the province of North Holland
. It lies at the mouth of the Vecht
and is in an area called the Vechtstreek
.
, granted the settlement and its toll rights to Cathedral of Saint Martin, Utrecht
. It was called Amuda, meaning "mouth of the (river) A". "A" was the old name for the Vecht
river.
In 1122 Muiden was, together with Utrecht
, granted some city rights by Emperor Henry V
. After the lands around Muiden were given to Count Floris V
, he began building Muider Castle
at the mouth of the Vecht river. Muiden once again received city rights
in 1296.
In 1673 the sea lock in the Vecht river was relocated from Fort Hinderdam to Muiden and in 1676 it was expanded with a sea wall along the Vecht mouth to prevent flooding.
s after a design by Adriaen Anthonisz. Muiden was the northern end of the Dutch Water Line
.
Developments in warfare during the Franco-Prussian War
of 1870 prompted another round of upgrades and the construction of forts part of the Stelling van Amsterdam
, which includes the Muizenfort, the barracks on the Vestingplein, and the casemate
s in the ravelin
s. The layout of the fortification wall was revised.
Fort Pampus Island, part of municipality Muiden, was built from 1887 to 1897. Together with the lighthouse island near Durgerdam
and the artillery battery
at the Diemer seawall, it was meant to protect the entrance of the IJ Bay
and the harbour of Amsterdam.
More historical, recreational and tourist information on Muiden travel guide on Wikitravel.com.
Various regional walking and cycling routes pass Muiden. More recreational and tourist information on }
was removed from the city of Amsterdam. The vroedschap
of Muiden granted a permit to Reinier van Cuyk of Amsterdam to built a gunpowder mill just west of Muiden that same year.
The factory flourished during the First World War, was liquidated
in 1919, and was restarted in 1922. During the 20th century its production steadily increased and the town grew towards the factory. In 1972 it was renamed "Muiden Chemie". In the 1980s, it was accused of illegal shipments to Iran. In 1990 Muiden Chemie went bankrupt and was taken over by Britse Royal Ordnance, part of British Aerospace
. After a fire in 2001 and ongoing concerns over safety, it was decided to close the factory permanently.
Explosions since 1883 :
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...
, in the province of North Holland
North Holland
North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...
. It lies at the mouth of the Vecht
Vecht
Vecht may refer to:* Vecht , a Rhine branch in the Netherlands from Utrecht to the Eemmeer near Muiden, sometimes called Utrechtse Vecht** Vechtstreek is the region along the above river Vecht...
and is in an area called the Vechtstreek
Vechtstreek
The Vechtstreek is a region in the Dutch provinces of Utrecht and North Holland along the Vecht River between the towns of Utrecht and Amsterdam...
.
Population centres
The municipality of Muiden consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: Muiden, Muiderberg.History
The first known reference to Muiden is from 953 when Otto I, Holy Roman EmperorOtto I, Holy Roman Emperor
Otto I the Great , son of Henry I the Fowler and Matilda of Ringelheim, was Duke of Saxony, King of Germany, King of Italy, and "the first of the Germans to be called the emperor of Italy" according to Arnulf of Milan...
, granted the settlement and its toll rights to Cathedral of Saint Martin, Utrecht
Cathedral of Saint Martin, Utrecht
St. Martin's Cathedral, Utrecht, or Dom Church was the cathedral of the diocese of Utrecht during the Middle Ages. Once the Netherland's largest church, dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, it is one of the country's two pre-Reformation cathedrals, along with the cathedral in Middleburg, Province...
. It was called Amuda, meaning "mouth of the (river) A". "A" was the old name for the Vecht
Vecht (Utrecht)
thumb|right|[[Satellite]] [[image]] of the surroundings of [[Utrecht |Utrecht]] showing river Vecht and the [[Amsterdam-Rhine Canal]] .220px|thumb|right|Location of river Vecht ....
river.
In 1122 Muiden was, together with Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, granted some city rights by Emperor Henry V
Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry V was King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor , the fourth and last ruler of the Salian dynasty. Henry's reign coincided with the final phase of the great Investiture Controversy, which had pitted pope against emperor...
. After the lands around Muiden were given to Count Floris V
Floris V, Count of Holland
Count Floris V of Holland and Zeeland , "der Keerlen God" , is one of the most important figures of the first, native dynasty of Holland . His life was documented in detail in the Rijmkroniek by Melis Stoke, his chronicler...
, he began building Muider Castle
Muiderslot
The Muiderslot is a castle in the Netherlands, located at the mouth of the river Vecht, some 15 kilometers southeast of Amsterdam, in Muiden, where it flows into what used to be the Zuiderzee...
at the mouth of the Vecht river. Muiden once again received city rights
City rights in the Netherlands
City rights are a medieval phenomenon in the history of the Low Countries. A liegelord, usually a count, duke or similar member of high nobility, granted a settlement he owned certain town privileges that settlements without city rights did not have....
in 1296.
In 1673 the sea lock in the Vecht river was relocated from Fort Hinderdam to Muiden and in 1676 it was expanded with a sea wall along the Vecht mouth to prevent flooding.
Fortifications
The first defensive works date from the first half of the 15th century. In 1590 the walls are replaced with earthen mounds with bastionBastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
s after a design by Adriaen Anthonisz. Muiden was the northern end of the Dutch Water Line
Dutch Water Line
The Dutch Water Line was a series of water based defences conceived by Maurice of Nassau in the early 17th century, and realised by his half brother Frederick Henry...
.
Developments in warfare during the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
of 1870 prompted another round of upgrades and the construction of forts part of the Stelling van Amsterdam
Stelling van Amsterdam
The UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Defence Line of Amsterdam is a 135 km long ring of fortifications around Amsterdam, consisting of 42 forts located between 10 to 15 kilometers the centre, and lowlands that can easily be flooded in time of war...
, which includes the Muizenfort, the barracks on the Vestingplein, and the casemate
Casemate
A casemate, sometimes rendered casement, is a fortified gun emplacement or armored structure from which guns are fired. originally a vaulted chamber in a fortress.-Origin of the term:...
s in the ravelin
Ravelin
A ravelin is a triangular fortification or detached outwork, located in front of the innerworks of a fortress...
s. The layout of the fortification wall was revised.
Fort Pampus Island, part of municipality Muiden, was built from 1887 to 1897. Together with the lighthouse island near Durgerdam
Durgerdam
Durgerdam is a village in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Amsterdam, and lies about 7 km east of the city centre, along the dyke of the IJsselmeer....
and the artillery battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
at the Diemer seawall, it was meant to protect the entrance of the IJ Bay
IJ (bay)
The IJ is a river, formerly a bay, in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is known for being Amsterdam's waterfront. The name derives from the generic Germanic term for "water" and is similar to other Aa/Ee names for bodies of water. In Dutch, the name consists of the digraph ij, which is...
and the harbour of Amsterdam.
More historical, recreational and tourist information on Muiden travel guide on Wikitravel.com.
Attractions
- MuiderslotMuiderslotThe Muiderslot is a castle in the Netherlands, located at the mouth of the river Vecht, some 15 kilometers southeast of Amsterdam, in Muiden, where it flows into what used to be the Zuiderzee...
(Muider Castle), a well preserved castle from the Middle Ages - Muizenfort, (Mice Fort) a 19th century fortification part of the Stelling van AmsterdamStelling van AmsterdamThe UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Defence Line of Amsterdam is a 135 km long ring of fortifications around Amsterdam, consisting of 42 forts located between 10 to 15 kilometers the centre, and lowlands that can easily be flooded in time of war...
- Pampus Island, an artificial island also part of the Stelling van Amsterdam
Various regional walking and cycling routes pass Muiden. More recreational and tourist information on }
Gunpowder factory
In 1702 the hazardous production of gunpowderGunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
was removed from the city of Amsterdam. The vroedschap
Vroedschap
The vroedschap was the name for the city council in the early modern Netherlands; the member of such a council was called a vroedman, literally a "wise man"...
of Muiden granted a permit to Reinier van Cuyk of Amsterdam to built a gunpowder mill just west of Muiden that same year.
The factory flourished during the First World War, was liquidated
Liquidation
In law, liquidation is the process by which a company is brought to an end, and the assets and property of the company redistributed. Liquidation is also sometimes referred to as winding-up or dissolution, although dissolution technically refers to the last stage of liquidation...
in 1919, and was restarted in 1922. During the 20th century its production steadily increased and the town grew towards the factory. In 1972 it was renamed "Muiden Chemie". In the 1980s, it was accused of illegal shipments to Iran. In 1990 Muiden Chemie went bankrupt and was taken over by Britse Royal Ordnance, part of British Aerospace
British Aerospace
British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...
. After a fire in 2001 and ongoing concerns over safety, it was decided to close the factory permanently.
Explosions since 1883 :
- January 9, 1883: explosion on the factory premises, resulting in 13 deaths and much damage to the factory and Muiden.
- 1886: explosion, 2 deaths. Destroyed a part of the factory.
- 1924/1925: several explosions, 1 death.
- January 17, 1947: explosion of collected grenades on the factory premises, 17 deaths and much damage in Muiden.
- 1948: a grenade exploded, 1 death.
- 1949: explosion in a powder mill, 1 death.
- June 13, 1963: explosion in the storage depot, no casualties.
- June 2, 1966: explosion in the TNT factory, many injuries and much damage in Muiden.
- December 8, 1972: explosion in drying chamber, 2 deaths, much damage in Muiden.
- May 30, 1983: explosion, 3 deaths.
- September 9, 1983: explosion, 1 death.
- August 20, 2001: fire in packing materials storage, no explosions, no casualties.
Local government
The municipal council of Muiden consists of 13 seats, which are divided as follows:- CDAChristian Democratic AppealThe Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
- 2 seats - D66Democrats 66Democrats 66 is a progressive and social-liberal political party in the Netherlands. D66 was formed in 1966 by a group of politically unaligned, young intellectuals, led by journalist Hans van Mierlo. The party's main objective was to democratise the political system; it proposed to create an...
- 1 seat - PvdALabour Party (Netherlands)The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...
- 4 seats - VIB- 3 seats
- VVDPeople's Party for Freedom and DemocracyThe People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
- 3 seats