Sexbierum
Encyclopedia
Sexbierum is a village in the municipality of Franekeradeel
, in the central north of the Netherlands
. The village is famous for its contraction of the words "Sex", "Bier" (the Dutch
word for beer) and "Rum". Because of this, the traffic sign
of the village is subject to street sign theft
.
Sexbierum is located in the province of Friesland
, at located about 7 kilometres north-east of Harlingen
, about 7 kilometres north-west of Franeker
. Distance to Amsterdam
is about 100 kilometres.
In the Frisian language the village is called Seisbierrum. The village consists of approximately 600 houses and 1799 inhabitants, including the twin-village of Pietersbierum
.
Sixtus II and the Old Frisian
word for house, bere.
Seventeenth century admiral Tjerk Hiddes de Vries
was born in the village.
There was a station on the North Friesland Railway which opened in 1903 and closed to passengers in May 1935. Final closure took place in December 1961.
In the late sixties of the 20th century, Sexbierum grew together Pietersbierum.
in Sexbierum switched to Dutch as the main teaching language, instead of Frisian. Before 1972 the only lessons taught in Dutch were the Dutch language lessons.
Sexbierum has three major religious groups: about 1/3 are non-religious, about 1/3 are Nederlands Hervormd
and about 1/3 are Gereformeerd
. Even though the latter two churches merged in 2004, this still plays some role in day-to-day society. Some of the clubs and foundations stipulate in their statutes that the representative-background must be according to this division (see also Pillarisation
).
Franekeradeel
Franekeradeel is a municipality in the northern Netherlands. It was created in 1984 by combining an earlier Franekeradeel municipality with the city of Franeker and parts of the former municipality of Barradeel...
, in the central north 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...
. The village is famous for its contraction of the words "Sex", "Bier" (the Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
word for beer) and "Rum". Because of this, the traffic sign
Traffic sign
Traffic signs or road signs are signs erected at the side of roads to provide information to road users. With traffic volumes increasing over the last eight decades, many countries have adopted pictorial signs or otherwise simplified and standardized their signs to facilitate international travel...
of the village is subject to street sign theft
Street sign theft
Street sign theft occurs when street signs are stolen, often to be used as decorations, but also sometimes to avoid obeying the law by claiming later the sign was not there. Although the theft often seems arbitrary, signs that are unusual or amusing tend to be stolen more frequently...
.
Sexbierum is located in the province of 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...
, at located about 7 kilometres north-east of Harlingen
Harlingen, Netherlands
Harlingen is a municipality and a city in the northern Netherlands, in the province of Friesland at the Wadden Sea. Harlingen is an old town with a long history of fishing and shipping....
, about 7 kilometres north-west of Franeker
Franeker
Franeker is one of the eleven historical cities of Friesland and capital of the municipality of Franekeradeel. It is located about 20 km west of Leeuwarden on the Van Harinxma Canal. As of 1 January 2006, it had 12,996 inhabitants. The city is famous for the Eisinga Planetarium from around...
. Distance to 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...
is about 100 kilometres.
In the Frisian language the village is called Seisbierrum. The village consists of approximately 600 houses and 1799 inhabitants, including the twin-village of Pietersbierum
Pietersbierum
Pietersbierum is a small village in Franekeradeel in the province Friesland of the Netherlands and has around the 120 citizens ....
.
History
In history the town is mentioned as Sixtebeeren (1322), or Sixtusbarra. The name Sixtebeeren is thought to derive from a combination of the name of the popePope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Sixtus II and the Old Frisian
Old Frisian
Old Frisian is a West Germanic language spoken between the 8th and 16th centuries in the area between the Rhine and Weser on the European North Sea coast. The Frisian settlers on the coast of South Jutland also spoke Old Frisian but no medieval texts of this area are known...
word for house, bere.
Seventeenth century admiral Tjerk Hiddes de Vries
Tjerk Hiddes de Vries
Tjerk Hiddes de Vries was a naval hero and Dutch admiral from the seventeenth century. The French, who could not pronounce his name, called him Kiërkides...
was born in the village.
There was a station on the North Friesland Railway which opened in 1903 and closed to passengers in May 1935. Final closure took place in December 1961.
In the late sixties of the 20th century, Sexbierum grew together Pietersbierum.
Culture
Frisian is the main language in Sexbierum, but the Dutch language has an increasing influence. Circa 1972 the primary schoolsPrimary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
in Sexbierum switched to Dutch as the main teaching language, instead of Frisian. Before 1972 the only lessons taught in Dutch were the Dutch language lessons.
Sexbierum has three major religious groups: about 1/3 are non-religious, about 1/3 are Nederlands Hervormd
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church was a Reformed Christian denomination in the Netherlands. It existed from the 1570s to 2004, the year it merged with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands to form the Protestant Church in the...
and about 1/3 are Gereformeerd
Reformed Churches in the Netherlands
The Reformed Churches in the Netherlands was the second largest Protestant church in the Netherlands until it merged into the Protestant Church in the Netherlands in 2004.-History:...
. Even though the latter two churches merged in 2004, this still plays some role in day-to-day society. Some of the clubs and foundations stipulate in their statutes that the representative-background must be according to this division (see also Pillarisation
Pillarisation
Pillarisation is a term used to describe the politico-denominational segregation of Dutch and Belgian society. These societies were "vertically" divided into several segments or "pillars" according to different religions or ideologies.These pillars all had their own social institutions: their own...
).