Noordwijk
Encyclopedia
Noordwijk (ˈnoːrtʋɛi̯k) is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands
, in the province of South Holland
. The municipality covers an area of 51.53 km² (of which 16.12 km² water) and had a population of 24,707 in May 2006.
The municipality of Noordwijk consists of the communities Noordwijk aan Zee and Noordwijk-Binnen, separated by a narrow green belt
.
Besides its beaches, Noordwijk is also known for its bulb flower fields. It is located in an area called the "Dune and Bulb Region" (Duin- en Bollenstreek
).
Noordwijk is also the location of the headquarters for the European Space Research and Technology Centre
(ESTEC), part of the European Space Agency
(ESA). ESA's visitors' centre Space Expo is a permanent space exhibition.
Noordwijk aan Zee was founded around 1200 as a fishing village. Until the beginning of the 19th century, fishing remained its primary business, but then began to be replaced by the growing tourism industry. Nowadays because of its long sandy beaches, it is a popular resort town with 1,000,000 overnight stays per year.
Noordwijk aan Zee is rated as the 12th richest location in the Netherlands.
made Noordwijk-Binnen a pilgrimage
location in 1429. Both the Catholic and Protestant churches here are named after the priest.
The area around Noordwijk-Binnen has long been an important part of the regional bulb flower industry. The dunes were dug out and transformed into fields for the cultivation of bulb flowers.
Noordwijk-Binnen has retained its historic character and is therefore protected by the Dutch Monument Law.
Noordwijk-Binnen was especially characterized in former times by the work in the flower bulb cultivation. The territory of Noordwijk still exists for a large part from spirit grounds. Together with surrounding municipalities, the bulb region is formed.
Noordwijk aan Zee was founded around 1200 as a fishing village. Until the beginning of the 19th century, fishing remained its primary business, but then began to be replaced by the growing tourism industry. Nowadays because of its long sandy beaches, it is a popular resort in town with 1,000,000 overnight stays per year. Noordwijk aan Zee has a lighthouse and a KNRM rescue station. Furthermore, Noordwijk aan Zee has a reformed church (1647) with a pulpit from the 17th century.
Noordwijk aan Zee is rated as the 12th richest location in the Netherlands. Beer magnate Freddy Heineken
has built a villa with the characteristic green roof. A small part of the indigenous population of Noordwijk aan Zee speaks Noordwijks, a very original Dutch dialect.
• 13 km coast line
• 25 km from Amsterdam
• 25 km from Schiphol airport
• 20 km from The Hague
• 40 km from Rotterdam Airport
• 14 camp sites in the region
• ± 1 million overnight stays per year
• Number of hotels/B&B beds: ± 3,400
• No. 2 congress destination in The Netherlands
• ± 251 international congresses per year
• Home to the ESA/ESTEC (European Space Research and Technology Centre)
Noordwijk’s history dates back to 2000 BC. This is when the first traces of inhabitants were recorded, with the torture of Jeroen the priest in 857. Jeroen, a Scottish
Benedictine
monk who came to Noordwijk in 847 to carry out his mission work and build a chapel, could have been the first priest of Noordwijk. His life came to an abrupt end in 857 when he was beheaded by ransacking Normans
. His name lived on however, as more than a hundred years later in 980 a Roman chapel was built in his honour. This chapel became a popular destination for pilgrims. In 1303 a large stone church was built on the site of the chapel, known as the Middle Aged gothic Great Church, or Sint Jeroen’s. Sint Jeroen’s skull served as an important relic. Noordwijk soon became known as a place of pilgrimage, which was officially confirmed by the Bishop of Utrecht in 1429. Sint Jeroen’s church developed over time into a pilgrims’ church, which provided Noordwijk with a considerable income. However, the 80 years war put an end to this. Only by paying a substantial sum to William of Orange’s
army could the church be saved during the Iconoclastic Fury of 1566. To be on the safe side however, all Catholic objects were removed from the church; including the most important relic, Sint Jeroen’s skull. Tradition has it that his head lies buried somewhere in the church, but nobody knows exactly where. Towards the end of 1800 a new Roman Catholic church was erected in honour of Sint Jeroen. To this day the church’s altar houses the skeletal remains of Sint Jeroen.
Fishermen
The first inhabitants of Noordwijk were most likely fishermen. The first “vierboet” was built in 1444, on the site of the current Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin. A “vierboet” is a fire site on a hill for helping the fishermen find their way back to the beach at night. Back in 1474 Noordwijk had an extensive fleet of 38 large & small ships, which left from the beach as there was no harbour. They caught herring, cod, haddock, whiting and plaice.
Bulb exhibitions
Bulb cultivation emerged as the successor to herb cultivation. From 1880 the number of bulb growers and bulb fields grew to 250 and 252 hectares respectively, by the end of the 19th century. Tulips, daffodils and gladioli were grown, amongst other flowers. The majority of bulb fields lie behind the dunes as the sandy soil there is extremely suitable for cultivation. Noordwijk earned a national and international reputation for its impressive bulb exhibitions. In 1932 a Flora park was set up within the Offem country estate. Furthermore, Noordwijk entries could be admired at foreign bulb exhibitions and subsequently also in the flower exhibitions. Today the Noordwijk bulb area covers 311 hectares of land.
Floral seaside resort of Europe
Noordwijk didn’t become a seaside resort until 1866. This was the time when seaside trips were only for the rich elite, and beach outings were very much a chic affair. Sea water was believed to have a cleansing effect. Not long after this, work started on the Grand Hotel Huis ter
Duin. With the arrival of the steam tram, a visit to the seaside became a possibility for many holiday makers. The unique combination of the beach and the colourful fields of flowers ensured that Noordwijk blossomed into the ‘floral seaside resort of Europe’.
‘Zeeër’ or ‘Binder’
There have always been notable differences between coastal Noordwijk aan Zee and inland Noordwijk-Binnen. In days gone by this was due to religious and occupational differences, which were easily maintained due to the geographical differences. Noordwijk aan Zee inhabitants were by origin fishermen, with a Protestant background. The primary occupation within Noordwijk-Binnen was bulb cultivation, with Roman-Catholicism being the predominant faith. During the 80 years war (1568-1648) some of the ‘Geuzen
’ (Protestant rebels) were from Protestant Noordwijk aan Zee. This area suffered under the Spaniards, whilst Catholic Noordwijk-Binnen was spared. This discrimination continued, and not just in a religious sense. Whilst the coastal dwelling ‘Zeeër’ fished for a living, the inland ‘Binder’ cultivated herbs and later bulbs. Until the start of the 20th century Noordwijk had a small fleet of barges at its disposal, which departed from the beach as there was no harbour. In the 19th century Noordwijk developed into a seaside resort. To this day the notion of being either a Zeeër or Binder continues, especially amongst the older generation.
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 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 51.53 km² (of which 16.12 km² water) and had a population of 24,707 in May 2006.
The municipality of Noordwijk consists of the communities Noordwijk aan Zee and Noordwijk-Binnen, separated by a narrow green belt
Green belt
A green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
.
Besides its beaches, Noordwijk is also known for its bulb flower fields. It is located in an area called the "Dune and Bulb Region" (Duin- en Bollenstreek
Duin- en Bollenstreek
The Duin- en Bollenstreek is a region in South Holland, The Netherlands, that features coastal dunes and the cultivation of flower bulbs. Situated at the heart of historical Holland between Leiden and Haarlem, the combination of beaches, flower fields, lakes and history makes this area attractive...
).
Noordwijk is also the location of the headquarters for the European Space Research and Technology Centre
European Space Research and Technology Centre
The European Space Research and Technology Centre is the European Space Agency's main technology development and test centre for spacecraft and space technology. It is situated in Noordwijk, South Holland, in the western Netherlands....
(ESTEC), part of the European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
(ESA). ESA's visitors' centre Space Expo is a permanent space exhibition.
Noordwijk aan Zee
Noordwijk aan Zee is rated as the 12th richest location in the Netherlands.
Noordwijk-Binnen
Because of the martyrdom of Priest Jeroen in 857, the Archbishop of UtrechtRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Utrecht
The Archdiocese of Utrecht is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the Netherlands. The archdiocese is the metropolitan for 6 suffragans, the dioceses of Breda, Groningen-Leeuwarden, Haarlem-Amsterdam, Roermond, Rotterdam, and 's-Hertogenbosch....
made Noordwijk-Binnen a pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
location in 1429. Both the Catholic and Protestant churches here are named after the priest.
The area around Noordwijk-Binnen has long been an important part of the regional bulb flower industry. The dunes were dug out and transformed into fields for the cultivation of bulb flowers.
Noordwijk-Binnen has retained its historic character and is therefore protected by the Dutch Monument Law.
Noordwijk-Binnen was especially characterized in former times by the work in the flower bulb cultivation. The territory of Noordwijk still exists for a large part from spirit grounds. Together with surrounding municipalities, the bulb region is formed.
Noordwijk aan Zee was founded around 1200 as a fishing village. Until the beginning of the 19th century, fishing remained its primary business, but then began to be replaced by the growing tourism industry. Nowadays because of its long sandy beaches, it is a popular resort in town with 1,000,000 overnight stays per year. Noordwijk aan Zee has a lighthouse and a KNRM rescue station. Furthermore, Noordwijk aan Zee has a reformed church (1647) with a pulpit from the 17th century.
Noordwijk aan Zee is rated as the 12th richest location in the Netherlands. Beer magnate Freddy Heineken
Freddy Heineken
Alfred Henry Heineken was a Dutch major stock holder and president of Heineken International, the brewing company bought in 1864 by his grandfather Gerard Adriaan Heineken in Amsterdam....
has built a villa with the characteristic green roof. A small part of the indigenous population of Noordwijk aan Zee speaks Noordwijks, a very original Dutch dialect.
Noordwijk facts
• ± 25,000 inhabitants• 13 km coast line
• 25 km from Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam 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...
• 25 km from Schiphol airport
• 20 km from The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
• 40 km from Rotterdam Airport
Rotterdam Airport
Rotterdam The Hague Airport , located north northwest of Rotterdam, is the Netherlands' third largest airport, coming after Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Eindhoven Airport...
• 14 camp sites in the region
• ± 1 million overnight stays per year
• Number of hotels/B&B beds: ± 3,400
• No. 2 congress destination in The Netherlands
• ± 251 international congresses per year
• Home to the ESA/ESTEC (European Space Research and Technology Centre)
History
A place of pilgrimageNoordwijk’s history dates back to 2000 BC. This is when the first traces of inhabitants were recorded, with the torture of Jeroen the priest in 857. Jeroen, a Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monk who came to Noordwijk in 847 to carry out his mission work and build a chapel, could have been the first priest of Noordwijk. His life came to an abrupt end in 857 when he was beheaded by ransacking Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
. His name lived on however, as more than a hundred years later in 980 a Roman chapel was built in his honour. This chapel became a popular destination for pilgrims. In 1303 a large stone church was built on the site of the chapel, known as the Middle Aged gothic Great Church, or Sint Jeroen’s. Sint Jeroen’s skull served as an important relic. Noordwijk soon became known as a place of pilgrimage, which was officially confirmed by the Bishop of Utrecht in 1429. Sint Jeroen’s church developed over time into a pilgrims’ church, which provided Noordwijk with a considerable income. However, the 80 years war put an end to this. Only by paying a substantial sum to William of Orange’s
William 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...
army could the church be saved during the Iconoclastic Fury of 1566. To be on the safe side however, all Catholic objects were removed from the church; including the most important relic, Sint Jeroen’s skull. Tradition has it that his head lies buried somewhere in the church, but nobody knows exactly where. Towards the end of 1800 a new Roman Catholic church was erected in honour of Sint Jeroen. To this day the church’s altar houses the skeletal remains of Sint Jeroen.
Fishermen
The first inhabitants of Noordwijk were most likely fishermen. The first “vierboet” was built in 1444, on the site of the current Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin. A “vierboet” is a fire site on a hill for helping the fishermen find their way back to the beach at night. Back in 1474 Noordwijk had an extensive fleet of 38 large & small ships, which left from the beach as there was no harbour. They caught herring, cod, haddock, whiting and plaice.
Bulb exhibitions
Bulb cultivation emerged as the successor to herb cultivation. From 1880 the number of bulb growers and bulb fields grew to 250 and 252 hectares respectively, by the end of the 19th century. Tulips, daffodils and gladioli were grown, amongst other flowers. The majority of bulb fields lie behind the dunes as the sandy soil there is extremely suitable for cultivation. Noordwijk earned a national and international reputation for its impressive bulb exhibitions. In 1932 a Flora park was set up within the Offem country estate. Furthermore, Noordwijk entries could be admired at foreign bulb exhibitions and subsequently also in the flower exhibitions. Today the Noordwijk bulb area covers 311 hectares of land.
Floral seaside resort of Europe
Noordwijk didn’t become a seaside resort until 1866. This was the time when seaside trips were only for the rich elite, and beach outings were very much a chic affair. Sea water was believed to have a cleansing effect. Not long after this, work started on the Grand Hotel Huis ter
Duin. With the arrival of the steam tram, a visit to the seaside became a possibility for many holiday makers. The unique combination of the beach and the colourful fields of flowers ensured that Noordwijk blossomed into the ‘floral seaside resort of Europe’.
‘Zeeër’ or ‘Binder’
There have always been notable differences between coastal Noordwijk aan Zee and inland Noordwijk-Binnen. In days gone by this was due to religious and occupational differences, which were easily maintained due to the geographical differences. Noordwijk aan Zee inhabitants were by origin fishermen, with a Protestant background. The primary occupation within Noordwijk-Binnen was bulb cultivation, with Roman-Catholicism being the predominant faith. During the 80 years war (1568-1648) some of the ‘Geuzen
Geuzen
Geuzen was a name assumed by the confederacy of Calvinist Dutch nobles and other malcontents, who from 1566 opposed Spanish rule in the Netherlands. The most successful group of them operated at sea, and so were called Watergeuzen...
’ (Protestant rebels) were from Protestant Noordwijk aan Zee. This area suffered under the Spaniards, whilst Catholic Noordwijk-Binnen was spared. This discrimination continued, and not just in a religious sense. Whilst the coastal dwelling ‘Zeeër’ fished for a living, the inland ‘Binder’ cultivated herbs and later bulbs. Until the start of the 20th century Noordwijk had a small fleet of barges at its disposal, which departed from the beach as there was no harbour. In the 19th century Noordwijk developed into a seaside resort. To this day the notion of being either a Zeeër or Binder continues, especially amongst the older generation.