Steenwijkerland
Encyclopedia
Steenwijkerland is a municipality
in the province Overijssel
, in the eastern Netherlands
.
The municipality forms the entire northwesterly corner of the province. This area is called "the Head of Overijssel" (in Dutch: de Kop van Overijssel
). It borders the province Friesland
.
The "capital" of the municipality, Steenwijk
, with a population of about 17,100, is situated on the A32 motorway ( Zwolle
– Meppel
– Leeuwarden) and has a railway station on the line connecting those same cities.
Vollenhove has a shipyard, where very exclusive yacht
s are built.
All over the area, partially being below sea level
, the soil is somewhat swampy. Many Steenwijkerland farmers only raise cattle. The soil is too wet to grow corn or wheat. However, the wetlands also have an advantage: many nature- or water sports-loving tourists come to the municipality.
Municipality
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...
in the province 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...
, in the eastern 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 municipality forms the entire northwesterly corner of the province. This area is called "the Head of Overijssel" (in Dutch: de Kop van Overijssel
Kop van Overijssel
The Kop van Overijssel is a region in the very northwestern part of the Dutch province of Overijssel. It consists of the municipality of Steenwijkerland and matches the historical region of the Land van Vollenhove...
). It borders the province 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 "capital" of the municipality, Steenwijk
Steenwijk
Steenwijk is a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland. It is the largest town of the municipality.Steenwijk received city rights in 1327...
, with a population of about 17,100, is situated on the A32 motorway ( 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:...
– Meppel
Meppel
Meppel is a municipality and a city in the northeast of the Netherlands, in the south-west of the province Drenthe.It developed in the 16th century as a transport and distribution inland harbour for turf...
– Leeuwarden) and has a railway station on the line connecting those same cities.
Economy
Steenwijk is the economic and administrative centre of the region. Many smaller trading and industrial enterprises are housed here, as well as a hospital and some secondary schools.Vollenhove has a shipyard, where very exclusive yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
s are built.
All over the area, partially being below sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, the soil is somewhat swampy. Many Steenwijkerland farmers only raise cattle. The soil is too wet to grow corn or wheat. However, the wetlands also have an advantage: many nature- or water sports-loving tourists come to the municipality.
Population centres
The more important places are printed in bold type. In brackets: estimated population, on January 1, 2006.- Baarlo
- Baars
- Barsbeek
- Basse
- Belt-SchutslootBelt-SchutslootBelt-Schutsloot is a small village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, about 3 km north of Zwartsluis....
- Blauwe Hand
- BlokzijlBlokzijlBlokzijl is a city located southwest of Steenwijk in the province of Overijssel, the Netherlands.Blokzijl grew in the 1580s. During the siege of Steenwijk, the Dutch built there a fortified lock or in local dialect zijl or siel. It received city rights in 1672...
(1,400) - De Bult
- De Klosse
- De Kolk
- De Pol
- Doosje
- Dwarsgracht – like Nederland and Muggenbeet, a small village much like Giethoorn, however more remote
- Eesveen
- GiethoornGiethoornGiethoorn is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, about 5 km southwest of Steenwijk....
(2,600) - Heetveld
- Kadoelen
- Kalenberg
- Kallenkote
- KuinreKuinreKuinre is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It was a separate municipality until 1973, when it became a part of IJsselham, which in turn merged into the municipality of Steenwijkerland in 2001....
- Leeuwte
- MarijenkampenMarijenkampenMarijenkampen is a small village in Steenwijkerland, a municipality in the province Overijssel in the Netherlands. At the beginning of the 20th century the area was called Huttenberg and was overgrown with heath. The first inhabitants were people who had been banned from the neighbouring colony...
- Moespot
- Muggenbeet
- Nederland, OverijsselNederland, OverijsselNederland is a hamlet in the municipality Steenwijkerland in the province Overijssel, Netherlands. It has a population of about 25. 'Nederland' is the Dutch name for the Netherlands. Because of the comical value of the toponym, roadsigns with the name 'Nederland' are stolen frequently.The Dutch...
- OldemarktOldemarktOldemarkt is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, about 12 km west of Steenwijk....
(2,600) - Onna, Overijssel
- Ossenzijl
- Paasloo
- Roekebosch
- Ronduite
- Scheerwolde
- Sint Jansklooster (2,400)
- SteenwijkSteenwijkSteenwijk is a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland. It is the largest town of the municipality.Steenwijk received city rights in 1327...
(17,100) - SteenwijkerwoldSteenwijkerwoldSteenwijkerwold is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, about 5 km northwest of Steenwijk.Steenwijkerwold was a separate municipality until 1973, when it became a part of Steenwijk....
(1,900) - Tuk – like Zuidveen now a suburb of Steenwijk (1,600)
- VollenhoveVollenhoveVollenhove is a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, southwest of Steenwijk. Until the Noordoostpolder was drained, it was located on the coast of the IJsselmeer....
(4,100) - WanneperveenWanneperveenWanneperveen is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, about 4 km west of Meppel....
(1,600) - WeteringWeteringWetering is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, about 9 km southwest of the town of Steenwijk.-References:...
- WillemsoordWillemsoord, SteenwijkerlandWillemsoord is a village in Steenwijkerland in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It was founded in 1820 as a colony of the Society of Humanitarianism....
- Witte Paarden
- Zuidveen
Sights
- The city of Steenwijk can be visited for daily shopping, going to the market, etc. Don't expect exclusive or extremely "trendy" shops!
- In Steenwijk the villa "Ramswoerthe", built in 1899 in Jugendstil architecture, and its park can be visited.
- Blokzijl has a small marinaMarinaA 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....
, surrounded by picturesque old brick houses from the 17th century, looking like miniatures of the 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...
canal houses. - Vollenhove has two remarkable old churches (15th and 17th century), the castle ruins of Toutenburg with a park, the estate Old Ruitenborgh (18th century; small hotel with a good restaurant) and several old houses, of which the former Latin School (17th century) is the most beautiful.
- Giethoorn and Dwarsgracht are picturesque due to their local structure (see above); many of the old farmhouses have been transformed into "second homes" where rich Dutchmen live during their holidays. In summer, most houses of the village are lit in the evening, which enables the Tourist Board to organise romantic guided boat tours. Of course, a yacht-basin, restaurants and camping sites are there as well.
- Between Kuinre and Steenwijk lies the National Park "De Weerribben", a very valuable wetlandWetlandA wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
area with bogs, swamps, small canals and meadows. It can be visited on guided tours. The entrance is in Ossenzijl. For information ask the VVV (Tourist Board) or the owner, the "Natuurmonumenten" organization (on their website, type under: Zoeken ( = Search) the name of the area). - A similar natural reserve called "De Wieden" is situated in the southern part of the municipality. An information centre is situated in St. Jansklooster near Vollenhove. "Wieden" means: wide places, wide lakes. These lakes are suitable for sailing, windsurfingWindsurfingWindsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
etc.
External links
- Official Website of Steenwijkerland (only Dutch)
- Website of "Natuurmonumenten", the biggest Dutch nature protection organization, with elaborate descriptions of its natural reserves and walking routes (only Dutch)
- Tourist Board of the region (Dutch, German)
- National Park De Weerribben (partially in English)