Sneek
Encyclopedia
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...
(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...
). As for 2011 it is part of the municipality Súdwest Fryslân
Súdwest Fryslân
Súdwest-Fryslân is a municipality in the northern Netherlands, in the province of Friesland. Sneek is the capital city of the municipality.It was formed in 2011 from the old municipalities of Bolsward, Nijefurd, Sneek, Wûnseradiel and Wymbritseradiel....
. The city has approximately 33.000 inhabitants.
Sneek is situated in Southwest-Friesland, close to the Sneekermeer and is well known for its canals, the Waterpoort (Watergate, the symbol of the city), and watersport (Sneekweek). Sneek is one of the Friese elf steden (Eleven cities). The city is very important for the southwest area of Friesland (the "Zuidwesthoek").
History
Sneek is built around a waterway (in old documents called the Magna Fossa) The waterway to the north (Geeuw, Sneeker Oudvaart) was needed because the MiddelzeeMiddelzee
The Middelzee , also called Bordine, was the estuary mouth of the River Boorn now in the Dutch province of Friesland. It ran from as far south as Sneek northward to the Wadden Sea and marked the border between main Frisian regions of Westergoa and Eastergoa...
was silted. The old hemdijk comes in as the "Hemdijk", turns into the "Oude Dijk" and becomes the "Wijde en Nauwe Noorderhornes" before it goes on as the "Peperstraat" and the "Wijde en Nauwe Burgstraten", it is eventually the base of the busy shoppingstreet the "Oosterdijk",
and leaves the city as the "Griene Dyk".
Sneek received several city rights in the 13th century, which became official in 1456. Sneek was now one of the eleven Frisian cities. This was also the beginning of a blooming trading city that would last until the year 1550. In 1492 they began building a ditch and wall around the city. In those days Sneek was the only city in Friesland that had a wall. Only the waterpoort
Waterpoort
The Waterpoort or Hoogendster Pijp is a water gate, a gate in a defensive wall that connects a city to a waterway. It is situated in Sneek, the Netherlands.In the 15th and 16th century, a defensive wall had been built around Sneek...
and the bolwerk
Bolwerk
Bolwerk is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Stężyca, within Kartuzy County, Pomeranian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. It lies approximately north of Stężyca, west of Kartuzy, and west of the regional capital Gdańsk....
are remaining today.
Sister city Kurobe
Since September 10, 1970, Sneek and the JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese city Kurobe
Kurobe, Toyama
is a city located in Toyama, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 42,612 and the density of 99.9 persons per km². The total area is 426.34 km². The city was founded on April 1, 1954...
have been sister cities. in 1970 Mayor L. Rasterhoff of Sneek visited the city of Kurobe and was named a Honorary citizen. Mayor H. Terade of Kurobe made a visit to Sneek in 1972. In 2000 delegations of both cities visited each other again. The Japanese showed the citizens of Sneek a "Sneekplein" which was built in Kurobe.
Language
Sneek has its own dialectDialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
that dates back to the Dutch language
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...
in 1600. Snekers is part of the city Frisian dialects.
Trade and Industry
The famous clothingstore C&AC&A
C&A is an international chain of fashion retail clothing stores, with its European head offices in Vilvoorde , Belgium and Düsseldorf, Germany...
started in 1841 with a store in Sneek. The Candyfactory Tonnema produces Peppermint under the name KING. This name has nothing to do with the English word KING, it stands for "Quality equaled in nothing". Also Sneek has a Steel, Machinery and a Rope factory. Since 1964 a factory of Yoshida YKK from Kurobe. besides that, the Supermarket branch Poiesz, Clothing brand Gaastra and the old Frisian gin called beerenburg
Beerenburg
Beerenburg is a Dutch drink, made by adding herbs to jenever, with about 30% alcohol.The original Beerenburg was made in the mid-19th century with a secret mixture of spices of the Amsterdam spice merchant Hendrik Beerenburg, to whom it owes its name. Soon local Beerenburg varieties emerged, each...
from Weduwe Joustra are products that have their roots in Sneek.
Places of interest
Sneek is well known as the center of watersports with over 130 Watersport-company's and 13 MarinaMarina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
s. Also it has a monumental inner-city with the old and famous gentlemen's houses.
- Watergate (1613)
- Town hall (1550)
- Martinichurch (1498), with a carillon of 50 bells
- Sint-Martinuschurch (1872)
- Tonnema Candy Factory (1955)
- the Wooden bridges across the Rijksweg 7.
Roads
The following roads connect Sneek with other cities:- A7A7 motorway (Netherlands)The A7 motorway is a motorway in the Netherlands connecting Zaandam, via the Afsluitdijk, Sneek and Groningen to the German border near Bad Nieuweschans. The entire road is part of the European route E22, with exception of the first kilometre, between the terminus in Zaandam and the interchange...
- N354
- Ring Sneek: the city's "ring road"
Public transport
Sneek is accessible by public transport; buses in the region are operated by ConnexxionConnexxion
Connexxion is the largest public transport bus company in the Netherlands, operating in the west, middle, east and far northern part of the country. It was formed in 1999 as result of a fusion between the public transport companies NZH, ZWN, Midnet and Oostnet. Its name is a mutation of the French...
and trains are operated by Arriva.
Waterways
The following waterways connect Sneek with other cities.- Houkesloot Between Sneek and the Prinses Margrietkanaal.
- de Geeuw Between Sneek and IJlst.
- de Zwette Between Sneek and Leeuwarden.
- Franekervaart Between Sneek and Franeker.
Parking
On the following parking places you can park your car:- Binnenstad Pay
- Martiniplein pay
- NS-terrein Free
- St. Antoniusplein Pay
- Bolswarderweg Free
- Normandiaplein Pay
- Oppenhuizerweg Pay
- Oppenhuizerweg (temporary) Free
- Veemarktplein Pay
- Boschplein (under construction) Pay
Museums
- Fries Scheepvaart Museum Frisian Maritime Museum
- Nationaal Modelspoor Museum National Model Train Museum
Podia
- Het Bolwerk, very first poppodium of Friesland, since 1975. Member of the Fries Popnet.
Cultural Quarter
In 2010 there will be a Cultural Quarter, The municipal has made plans to connect various Cultural areas into one big Cultural Quarter. the total costs of the plans are about 35,000,000 and includes- The Noorderchurch will house a theater and the Center of the Arts (CvdK)
- The Bolwerk will house another part of the CvdK
- A new Theatre (Capacity of 600 people) at the location of the current TPG building
- The connection between the Theatre and the Bolwerk with a walking bridge and a floating podium in the city canal.
the Public library and the Martinichurch will be connected to the Cultural Quarter
Silver Ball
The Culture Award of Sneek is called The Silver Ball and has been awarded 11 times. The award is given annually to a person that has done an improvement/good job on the areas of Music and Culture for Sneek and the area around it. the winners of the previous awards are:- Henk van der Veer, writer
- 2005: Maaike Schuurmans, musical player
- 2006: Yede van Dijk, acting
- 2007: Bennie Hoogstra, 25 year Fanfare player
Events
- Sneekweek, Sailevent on the Sneekermeer
- Swinging Sneek, live-music in cafés and on street
Sportcomplexes
- Sportcentrum Schuttersveld
- Sportpark Noorderhoek
- Sportpark VV Sneek
- Sportpark Leeuwarderweg
- Zuidersportpark
Sportclubs
- Sneek Wit Zwart(SWZ), Soccerclub
- LSC 1890, One of the Oldest soccerclubs in the Netherlands
- ONS Sneek, Soccerclub
- Black BoysBlack BoysThe Black Boys, also known as the Brave Fellows and the Loyal Volunteers, were members of a white settler movement in the Conococheague Valley of colonial Pennsylvania sometimes known as the Black Boys Rebellion...
, Soccerclub - Waterpoort boys, Soccerclub
- Sneeker MHC, hockeyclub
- VC Sneek, volleyballclub
- Neptunia'24, waterpoloclub
- L.T.C. NOMI, tennisclub
Famous Snekers
- Rienck Bockema (ca. 1350-1436)
- Pier Gerlofs DoniaPier Gerlofs DoniaPier Gerlofs Donia was a Frisian warrior, pirate, and rebel. He is best known by his West Frisian nickname "Grutte Pier" , or by the Dutch translations "Grote Pier" and "Lange Pier", or, in Latin, "Pierius Magnus", which referred to his legendary size and strength. His life is mostly shrouded in...
, (ca. 1480 - 1529), Frisian freedom fighter, rebel and pirate - Murk van PhelsumMurk van PhelsumMurk van Phelsum was a Dutch physician who was born 1730 and died 1779 in Sneek. He is most memorable as the namesake for the lizard genus Phelsuma....
(1730–1799), physician - Nicolaas Molenaar (1850–1930), architect
- Jakob van Schevichaven (1866–1935), detective writer
- Geert Aeilco Wumkes (1869–1954), theologian and historian
- Willem de Sitter (1872–1934), Scientist
- Pieter Sjoerds GerbrandyPieter Sjoerds GerbrandyPieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy was a Dutch politician of the Anti Revolutionary Party . He served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from September 3, 1940 until June 24, 1945. He was the Prime Minister of the Dutch government in exile during World War II...
(1885–1961), politician - Frits Wissel (1907–1999), pilot, discoverer of the Wissellakes in New-Guinea.
- Kees Deenik (1915–1993) , singer, TV producer
- Dieuwkje Nauta (1930–2008), Teacher
- Bart Tromp (1944–2007)
- Joke Tjalsma (1957), actress
- Toon Gerbrands (1957), coach and manager
- Pauline KrikkePauline KrikkePauline C. Krikke is a Dutch politician for the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . Since 1 September 2001, she has been the mayor of the municipality of Arnhem. Before that, she was alderman in the municipality of Amsterdam.Krikke studied Human Rights at Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam...
(1961), politician - Manon Thomas (1963), televisionTelevisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
presenter - Jan PosthumaJan PosthumaJan Marcus Posthuma is a retired volleyball player from the Netherlands, who represented his native country in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea....
(1963), international volleyball player - Ronald ZoodsmaRonald ZoodsmaRonald Zoodsma is a retired volleyball player from the Netherlands, who represented his native country at two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1988. Under the guidance of head coach Arie Selinger he ended up in fifth place in Seoul, South Korea, followed by the silver medal four years...
(1966), international volleyball player - Monique Sluyter (1967), model and television star
- Olof van der MeulenOlof van der MeulenRoelof Antonius van der Meulen is a retired volleyball player from the Netherlands, who represented his native country in two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1992 in Barcelona, Spain....
(1968), volleyball player - Jan de Wit (1980), creator Anna Kournikova-computervirusAnna Kournikova (computer virus)The Anna Kournikova computer virus was a computer virus authored by Dutch programmer Jan de Wit on February 11, 2001. It was designed to trick email users into opening a mail message purportedly containing a picture of tennis player Anna Kournikova, while actually hiding a malicious program...
- Sherida Spitse (1990), soccer player
- Matthew Livsey (1988), strijder
- Martin van der Kooi (1988), tallest person in Sneek
Living
Sneek has around 14.000 houses. Half of those houses are rental houses. There are new projects in different neighbourhoodsgoing on, besides the building of new houses, there are plenty of existing rental or normal houses for various prices.
Extra Information
In 1519\1520, the Frisian warlord and freedom fighter Pier Gerlofs DoniaPier Gerlofs Donia
Pier Gerlofs Donia was a Frisian warrior, pirate, and rebel. He is best known by his West Frisian nickname "Grutte Pier" , or by the Dutch translations "Grote Pier" and "Lange Pier", or, in Latin, "Pierius Magnus", which referred to his legendary size and strength. His life is mostly shrouded in...
spent his last days in Sneek. Donia died peacefully in bed at Grootzand 12 on 18 October 1520. Pier is buried in Sneek in the 15th-century Groote Kerk (also called the Martinikerk). His tomb is located on the north side of the church. This quaint little city has a shopping center that is walker and biker friendly. There are high-end clothing stores, restaurants, bars, music stores, cafes, coffee shops, and an old-fashioned candy store.