Twente
Encyclopedia
Twente is a non-administrative region in the eastern Netherlands
. It encompasses the most urbanised and easternmost part of the province of Overijssel
. Twente is most likely named after the Tuihanti or Tvihanti, a Germanic tribe that settled in the area and was mentioned by the Roman
historian Tacitus
.
The region's borders are defined by the Overijssel region of Salland
in the northwest and west (the river Regge
roughtly defines the western border), the German
County of Bentheim in the northeast and east (the river Dinkel
roughly defines the eastern border) and the Gelderland
region of the Achterhoek
in the south.
Twente has approximately 620,000 inhabitants, most of whom live in the three largest cities: Almelo
, Hengelo
and Enschede
, the latter being the main city of the region.
Twente comprises fourteen municipalities: Almelo
, Borne, Dinkelland
, Enschede
, Haaksbergen
, Hellendoorn
, Hengelo
, Hof van Twente
, Losser
, Oldenzaal, Rijssen-Holten
, Tubbergen
, Twenterand
and Wierden
.
The whole of Hellendoorn and the western parts of both Rijssen-Holten and Twenterand belong to the cultural region of Salland
, but belong the city region
of Twente.
historicus Tacitus
mentions a tribe called Tvihanti, who lived near or in present-day Tweante. This same name was found on two altar stones found in the ruins of Vercovicium, a Roman guard post on Hadrian's Wall
near present-day Housesteads
in Northern England
. The Tvihanti served in a Roman-Frisian cavalry unit that was stationed there.
An other explanation of the origins of the name, is that Tweante was part of the Oversticht, a Medieval administrative construction which included the adjacent shire
s of Tweante and Dreante
. Some scholars believe that the names were probably derived from the local equivalents of the count nouns two (twee) and three (dree).
Although Twente is the most urbane part of the province of Overijssel, it is renowned for its scenic countryside. This is sometimes typefied as a bocage
landscape, attracting many tourists from other parts of the country, with popular sights such as the Lutterzand on the meandering Dinkel, or the wide heather
fields on the Frezenbaarg near Markelo
. Twente is bisected from north to south by a range of hills in western Twente (Holterberg, Rijsserberg, Friezenberg, Nijverdalse Berg, Hellendoornse Berg), and hills in the east, with the Tankenberg near Oldenzaal being the highest point. The towns of Ootmarsum
, and Oldenzaal to a lesser extent, are known for their scenic historical buildings, the latter of which has a noteworthy Roman-style church called 'Oale Grieze' (Old Grey one), which is the oldest Roman-style church in the Netherlands. Eight Twents towns have obtained city rights
: Almelo
, Delden
, Diepenheim
, Enschede
, Goor
, Oldenzaal, Ootmarsum
, and Rijssen
.
Since Twente's economy is for a considerable part reliant on agriculture, this leaves its marks on the landscape, with lots of meadows and pastures, alternated by, undergrowth
, scrub
s and copse. There are several fen
s, marsh
es and peat
bogs, which long made Twente less accessible for the rest of the Netherlands, and which formed some natural defence. It also made the inhabitants of Twente to incline towards the east (Westphalia
, and Münster
, more precisely) for trade, politics and fashion, rather than to the more western parts of the Netherlands.
Geologically, Twente is one of the most interesting areas of the Netherlands. It has strata (earth layers) from various eras concentrated in a relatively small area. There is an open stone quarry at Losser
, while there are several salt mines at Hengelo and Boekelo
. The western Twente town of Nijverdal is the only place in the Netherlands where gold
was ever found.
, next to services
, and to a lesser degree on tourism
. The improved national image of Twente has stimulated an increase in regional products sales. One of the largest Dutch beer breweries, the Grolsch Brewery
, is in Twente.
Twente has many construction companies, most notably in the town of Rijssen
, which houses over twenty more or lesser known construction companies and related services, such as electricity
, plumbing
, and insulation
. Some north-western Twents villages, such as Westerhaar-Vriezenveensewijk, are known for their many inhabitants being employed in road engineering. A number of construction companies have set up, or invested in offices in other continents, such as the US
and Asia
.
Next to aforementioned occupations, many Tweants people are engaged in the transport
sector. The second half of the twentieth century saw an explosive increase in the number of freight transportation companies.
. The rampant horse is not uncommonly found in the coats of arms or banners of other regions with a Saxon heritage, such as the German
states of North Rhine-Westphalia
and Lower Saxony
, and County Kent in England
.
service has reduced the need for strong noaberskop bonds, some communities do appreciate newcomers to adapt to these old customs and to "make neighbourship" with the others, and not fulfilling noaberskop duties may be still regarded a grave offence.
A number of traditional cultural practices have been preserved in Twente, such as blowing mid-winter horns around Christmas
, and burning Easter fires. Twente is also known for its considerable number of so-called klootsketersverennigings (Road bowling
Associations), which is commonly considered the "local traditional sport".
In the small town of Ootmarsum
, a tradition known as vlöggeln is practised annually around Easter
. Firstly, a group of five young bachelors called Poaskearls (Easter Men) are selected. On Easter morning, the Poaskearls form a human chain by joining hands. They go through every single house of the town while singing psalms, after which the other inhabitants and other spectators may join the chain. After a while, the chain halts in the town centre, where fathers may lift their young children three times, while shouting halleluja. The gathering continues towards the fields, where a large Easter Fire has been built by the community. The gathering sings a psalm and then the Poaskearls light the bonfire. It is commonly believed to be a Roman Catholic adaptation of a pre-Christian
fertility tradition.
An extravagant carnival is celebrated in Oldenzaal, which, like the most of eastern Twente has a considerable group of Roman Catholics. The west of Twente is mainly Protestant
.
Today, Twente has one of the Netherlands’ largest exile communities of Syriacs
(also known as Assyrians
, Arameans and Chaldeans
).
bread
, that is traditionally baked to celebrate the birth of children. The kreantewegge was usually a long loaf, sometimes extending over as much as one meter, cut into thick slices. It is currently still a popular accompaniment with a cup of coffee, though it is no longer exclusively linked to child birth.
Another typically Tweants food is bakleaverworst (roughly translated as baked liver sausage), mostly abbreviated to bakworst. This is a spicey pork sausage, usually approximately 15 cm in diameter. The sausage is cut into 1 cm slices and baked. It is not usually served for dinner, but is often eaten for lunch, on a sandwich
. It is mainly a seasonal product; as it is a hot and hearty snack, it is only available during the winters.
There are several dishes that are often termed "typically Tweants", although they are hardly served today. Examples include Stip in de pan and balkenbriej.
Perhaps the best internationally known beverage from Tweante is Grolsch lager
. Though it is originally from the town of Groenlo
which is in the adjacent Achterhook region, the brewery moved to Boekelo
near Enschede
. It is therefore currently often considered a Tweants brand. A relatively new brand of lager, Twents Bier, is brewed in the town of Hengelo
. Tweante also has a longstanding tradition of distilling bitters
. There are many locally distilled bitters, which are often produced and consumed for special occasions and celebrations. Often, they aren't for sale outside the home village.
Though Tweants families traditionally ate potatoes, vegetables and meat for dinner, the influx of many immigrants from all over the world to Tweante, who brought with them their own food traditions, has broadened the average Tweanteman's nutritional horizon.
has reconstructed a lös hoes on their premises. Many contemporary houses are designed with "Twents" Saxon elements, such as thatched roofs, wooden planks to decorate the gables, and gewelteekns (gable signs), which is are wooden planks shaped with several symbols, such as a life tree, cross
, anchor
and heart
and two rampant horses. These gewelteekns are mounted vertically onto the ridge of the house at the front and the back gable. The symbols are believed to either invoke prosperity or ward off misfortune.
Many construction companies have their origins, or main office in Twente. Especially in the town of Rijssen, which houses over twenty more or lesser known construction companies next to companies that provide related services, such as plumbing
, building insulation
and electricity
. This makes Twente an attractive place for architects.
An well-known piece of architecture is found in the town of Goor
, where a construction engineering company has built their main office in the style of Friedensreich Hundertwasser
, who was known for using lively colours and natural forms.
. It is a dialect of the Westphalian
branch of the Low German
language group, which together with Limburgs
is one of the two officially recognised regional languages of the Netherlands. Tweants is spoken in all parts of Twente, but may vary per village in pronunciation or lexicon, though they are mutually intelligible, as they are part of the Low German dialect continuum
. The dialect is often separated in two main categories, namely East-Tweants and Tweants-Groafskops, though the differences are largely insignificant. The dialects work as a certain shibboleth
; minor accent differences help speakers define others' place of origin. As a result, speakers do not usually refer to their dialect by the umbrella term Tweants, but rather by the name of their local variety. Speakers from Markelo
, for instance, may call their dialect Maarkels, whereas speakers from Overdinkel may state that they speak Oaverdeenkels.
Although the dialect has been stigmatised for a considerable period over the last century, leading to a decline in use, interests in preserving and promoting the use of it are currently rising, resulting in initiatives such as dialect festivals, writing competitions and other culturally engaging projects. The municipality council of Rijssen-Holten
holds one conference per year in dialect, and in 2008 declared their desk workers officially bilingual, to lower the threshold for the inhabitants of Rijssen who feel more comfortable in speaking Tweants, rather than Dutch
. Other municipality councils have recently indicated that they are willing to try dialect conferences, such as the municipalities of Hellendoorn
and Wierden
.
The former Van Deinse Instituut
, which is now incorporated in the TwentseWelle museum, is involved in researching the past and present of Twente. It is located in Enschede and studies the regional culture, folk knowledge, language, cultural history and landscape of Twente. It also collects, maintains, studies and displays an extensive collection of material from the history of Twente, with a full-size historic Tweants Lös Hoes (open house, a farm house without separate rooms, where both livestock and humans lived together) as one of its main attractions. The museum has designated a specific part of its premises for the Tweantse Taalkamer (language room), where visitors may become (further) acquainted with the language.
Tweants is largely mutually intelligible with dialects from surrounding areas, such as Achterhooks
to the south, Sallaands in the west, Groafschupper Platt and Münsterlandic
across the Dutch
-German
border.
On a professional level, Twente houses two football clubs that play in the national Eredivisie
league; Heracles
from Almelo
, and FC Twente
from Enschede
, the latter which is one of the most successful sides of recent years having won the Eredivisie title in 2010 and the KNVB Cup
in 2011. Twente is also the home region of Olympic Gold
swimmers
such as Marleen Veldhuis
and Hinkelien Schreuder
, and to internationally renowned equestrians
(horse driving
and horse jumping), such as Jeroen Dubbeldam
, Gerco Schröder
and Jos Lansink
.
A number of well-known bicycle racing
pros are from Twente, including Bram Tankink
, Tom Stamsnijder
and Joost Posthuma
.
On an amateur level, many people participate for leisure in popular team sports with local clubs, such as waterpolo, basketball
and volleyball
.
A local traditional sport, klootskeetn
, which is similar to Irish road bowling
, has seen an increase in interest over the last decades. It is mainly practised for leisure or for cultural engagement. There are, however, a number of (semi)-professional klootsketer clubs. It is a popular activity for staff trips.
-- Albergen
-- Almelo
-- Beuningen -- Boekelo
-- Borne -- Bornerbroek
-- Breklenkamp
-- Buurse -- Daarle -- Daarlerveen
-- Delden
-- De Lutte -- Denekamp
-- Deurningen
-- Diepenheim
-- Enschede
-- Enter
-- Fleringen
-- Glanerbrug
-- Goor
-- Haaksbergen
-- Hengelo
-- Lattrop
-- Lonneker
-- Losser
-- Mander -- Markelo
-- Oldenzaal -- Ootmarsum
-- Overdinkel -- Rijssen
-- Rossum -- Saasveld
-- Tilligte
-- Tubbergen
-- Twekkelo -- Usselo
-- Vasse -- Vriezenveen
-- Vroomshoop
(partly Salland
) -- Weerselo
-- Wierden
-- Zenderen
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...
. It encompasses the most urbanised and easternmost part of the province of 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...
. Twente is most likely named after the Tuihanti or Tvihanti, a Germanic tribe that settled in the area and was mentioned by the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
historian Tacitus
Tacitus
Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman Emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors...
.
The region's borders are defined by the Overijssel region of Salland
Salland
Salland is a historical dominion in the west and north of the present Dutch province of Overijssel. It is probably named after the Salian Franks, who are thought to originate from Salland...
in the northwest and west (the river Regge
Regge River
The Regge is a river in Overijssel, the Netherlands, tributary of the Vecht. The source of the Regge is near the town Goor. It flows north through Rijssen, Nijverdal, and Hellendoorn. The Regge joins the Vecht near Ommen....
roughtly defines the western border), the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
County of Bentheim in the northeast and east (the river Dinkel
Dinkel
The Dinkel is a river in Germany and the Netherlands, left tributary of the Vecht. Its total length is 93 km, of which 47 km in Germany. The Dinkel originates in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, between Ahaus and Coesfeld. It flows north to Gronau, crosses the border with the Netherlands , flows...
roughly defines the eastern border) and the Gelderland
Gelderland
Gelderland is the largest province of the Netherlands, located in the central eastern part of the country. The capital city is Arnhem. The two other major cities, Nijmegen and Apeldoorn have more inhabitants. Other major regional centers in Gelderland are Ede, Doetinchem, Zutphen, Tiel, Wijchen,...
region of the Achterhoek
Achterhoek
The Achterhoek is a region in the eastern part of the Netherlands, Europe.Its name is geographically appropriate because the area lies in the Eastern-most part of Gelderland, and therefore of the Netherlands, protruding into Germany...
in the south.
Twente has approximately 620,000 inhabitants, most of whom live in the three largest cities: Almelo
Almelo
Almelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. The main population centres in the town are Aadorp, Almelo, Mariaparochie and Bornerbroek....
, Hengelo
Hengelo
Hengelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel. The city lies along the motorways A1/E30 and A35 and it has a station for the International Amsterdam – Hannover – Berlin service.-Traffic and transport:...
and Enschede
Enschede
Enschede , also known as Eanske in the local dialect of Twents, is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel and in the Twente region...
, the latter being the main city of the region.
Twente comprises fourteen municipalities: Almelo
Almelo
Almelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. The main population centres in the town are Aadorp, Almelo, Mariaparochie and Bornerbroek....
, Borne, Dinkelland
Dinkelland
Dinkelland is a municipality in the eastern Netherlands. For a short time it was known as Denekamp until it was renamed in 2002.-Population centres :...
, Enschede
Enschede
Enschede , also known as Eanske in the local dialect of Twents, is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel and in the Twente region...
, Haaksbergen
Haaksbergen
Haaksbergen is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel, in the Twente region.-External links:*...
, Hellendoorn
Hellendoorn
Hellendoorn is a municipality and a town in the middle of the Dutch province of Overijssel.- Population centres :The municipality comprises:Towns:* Hellendoorn* NijverdalHamlets:* Daarle* Daarlerveen* Eelen en Rhaan* Egede* Haarle* Hancate...
, Hengelo
Hengelo
Hengelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel. The city lies along the motorways A1/E30 and A35 and it has a station for the International Amsterdam – Hannover – Berlin service.-Traffic and transport:...
, Hof van Twente
Hof van Twente
Hof van Twente is a municipality in the eastern Netherlands, province Overijssel. The municipality came into being on January 1, 2001 as the result of the merger of the municipalities of Diepenheim, Goor, Markelo, Ambt Delden, and Stad Delden....
, Losser
Losser
-Population centres:*Beuningen*De Lutte*Glane*Losser*Overdinkel-Losser:The oldest known reference to Losser dates from the tenth century. Originally, the village consisted of two separate parts. Both were almost completely destroyed when on 21 September 1665, troops from Münster set fire to...
, Oldenzaal, Rijssen-Holten
Rijssen-Holten
Rijssen-Holten is a municipality in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel.The municipality was formed in 2001 by the joining of the municipalities of Holten and Rijssen...
, Tubbergen
Tubbergen
-Population centres:Albergen, Fleringen, Geesteren, Haarle, Harbrinkhoek, Hezingen, Langeveen, Mander, Manderveen, Mariaparochie, Reutum, Tubbergen and Vasse.-Religion:...
, Twenterand
Twenterand
Twenterand is a municipality in the province of Overijssel in the eastern Netherlands. The name means "edge of Twente" as it is situated on the northwestern fringe of the historical region of Twente....
and Wierden
Wierden
Wierden is a town and a municipality in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel.The municipality of Wierden also includes the following towns, villages and townships:Enter, Hoge Hexel, Ypelo, Notter, Rectum, Zuna....
.
The whole of Hellendoorn and the western parts of both Rijssen-Holten and Twenterand belong to the cultural region of Salland
Salland
Salland is a historical dominion in the west and north of the present Dutch province of Overijssel. It is probably named after the Salian Franks, who are thought to originate from Salland...
, but belong the city region
City region
The term city region has been in use since about 1950 by urbanists, economists and urban planners to mean a metropolitan area and hinterland which has a shared and formal administrative government...
of Twente.
Etymology
Various sources provide several explanations of the name Tweante. In his work Germania, the RomanRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
historicus Tacitus
Tacitus
Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman Emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors...
mentions a tribe called Tvihanti, who lived near or in present-day Tweante. This same name was found on two altar stones found in the ruins of Vercovicium, a Roman guard post on Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
near present-day Housesteads
Housesteads
Vercovicium, now known as Housesteads Roman Fort, was an auxiliary fort on Hadrian's Wall, in the Roman province of Britannia. Its ruins are located at Housesteads in the civil parish of Bardon Mill in Northumberland, England, somewhat to the south of Broomlee Lough.-History:In the 2nd century AD,...
in Northern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The Tvihanti served in a Roman-Frisian cavalry unit that was stationed there.
An other explanation of the origins of the name, is that Tweante was part of the Oversticht, a Medieval administrative construction which included the adjacent shire
Shire
A shire is a traditional term for a division of land, found in the United Kingdom and in Australia. In parts of Australia, a shire is an administrative unit, but it is not synonymous with "county" there, which is a land registration unit. Individually, or as a suffix in Scotland and in the far...
s of Tweante and Dreante
Drenthe
Drenthe is a province of the Netherlands, located in the north-east of the country. The capital city is Assen. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and Germany to the east.-History:Drenthe, unlike many other parts of the Netherlands, has been a...
. Some scholars believe that the names were probably derived from the local equivalents of the count nouns two (twee) and three (dree).
Landscape
Bocage
Bocage is a Norman word which has entered both the French and English languages. It may refer to a small forest, a decorative element of leaves, a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture, or a type of rubble-work, comparable with the English use of 'rustic' in relation to garden...
landscape, attracting many tourists from other parts of the country, with popular sights such as the Lutterzand on the meandering Dinkel, or the wide heather
Calluna
Calluna vulgaris is the sole species in the genus Calluna in the family Ericaceae. It is a low-growing perennial shrub growing to tall, or rarely to and taller, and is found widely in Europe and Asia Minor on acidic soils in open sunny situations and in moderate shade...
fields on the Frezenbaarg near Markelo
Markelo
Markelo is a town in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Hof van Twente, about west of Hengelo and south-west of Almelo. The population is about 7.000....
. Twente is bisected from north to south by a range of hills in western Twente (Holterberg, Rijsserberg, Friezenberg, Nijverdalse Berg, Hellendoornse Berg), and hills in the east, with the Tankenberg near Oldenzaal being the highest point. The towns of Ootmarsum
Ootmarsum
Ootmarsum is a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Dinkelland, and lies about 10 km north of Oldenzaal. It received city rights in 1325....
, and Oldenzaal to a lesser extent, are known for their scenic historical buildings, the latter of which has a noteworthy Roman-style church called 'Oale Grieze' (Old Grey one), which is the oldest Roman-style church in the Netherlands. Eight Twents towns have obtained 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....
: Almelo
Almelo
Almelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. The main population centres in the town are Aadorp, Almelo, Mariaparochie and Bornerbroek....
, Delden
Delden
Delden is a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel and, since 2001, in the municipality of Hof van Twente.Although its population is small, it gained city rights in 1333. Castle Twickel is a famous landmark near Delden and the Baron van Heeckeren of Twickel built a watertower in Delden...
, Diepenheim
Diepenheim
Diepenheim is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Hof van Twente, about 5 km southwest of Goor.Diepenheim was a separate municipality until 2001, when it became a part of Hof van Twente....
, Enschede
Enschede
Enschede , also known as Eanske in the local dialect of Twents, is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel and in the Twente region...
, Goor
Goor
Goor is a town about 26 km south of Almelo in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It received city rights in 1263. The population is about 13,000.Goor was a separate municipality until 2001, when it became a part of Hof van Twente....
, Oldenzaal, Ootmarsum
Ootmarsum
Ootmarsum is a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Dinkelland, and lies about 10 km north of Oldenzaal. It received city rights in 1325....
, and Rijssen
Rijssen
Rijssen is a town in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is part of Rijssen-Holten, one of thirteen municipalities in Twente. It has over 28,000 inhabitants...
.
Since Twente's economy is for a considerable part reliant on agriculture, this leaves its marks on the landscape, with lots of meadows and pastures, alternated by, undergrowth
Undergrowth
Undergrowth usually refers to the vegetation in a forest, which can obstruct passage through the forest. The height of undergrowth is usually considered to be 0.3 – 3 m . Undergrowth can also refer all vegetation in a forest, which isn't in the canopy....
, scrub
Scrub
Scrub or Scrubber may refer to:* Scrub, low shrub and grass characteristic of scrubland* Scrubs , worn by medical staff* Scrubs , an American television program...
s and copse. There are several fen
Fen
A fen is a type of wetland fed by mineral-rich surface water or groundwater. Fens are characterised by their water chemistry, which is neutral or alkaline, with relatively high dissolved mineral levels but few other plant nutrients...
s, marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es and peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
bogs, which long made Twente less accessible for the rest of the Netherlands, and which formed some natural defence. It also made the inhabitants of Twente to incline towards the east (Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
, and Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
, more precisely) for trade, politics and fashion, rather than to the more western parts of the Netherlands.
Geologically, Twente is one of the most interesting areas of the Netherlands. It has strata (earth layers) from various eras concentrated in a relatively small area. There is an open stone quarry at Losser
Losser
-Population centres:*Beuningen*De Lutte*Glane*Losser*Overdinkel-Losser:The oldest known reference to Losser dates from the tenth century. Originally, the village consisted of two separate parts. Both were almost completely destroyed when on 21 September 1665, troops from Münster set fire to...
, while there are several salt mines at Hengelo and Boekelo
Boekelo
Boekelo is a Dutch village in the municipality of Enschede in the Eastern Netherlands, the population is estimated at approximately 2500. It is located just west of Usselo. The village is known for the Military Boekelo Enschede, an international equestrian event.It is also known for the salt...
. The western Twente town of Nijverdal is the only place in the Netherlands where gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
was ever found.
Economy
Tweante is largely reliant on agricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, next to services
Public services
Public services is a term usually used to mean services provided by government to its citizens, either directly or by financing private provision of services. The term is associated with a social consensus that certain services should be available to all, regardless of income...
, and to a lesser degree on tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. The improved national image of Twente has stimulated an increase in regional products sales. One of the largest Dutch beer breweries, the Grolsch Brewery
Grolsch Brewery
Grolsch Brewery , known simply as Grolsch , is a Dutch brewery founded in 1615 by Willem Neerfeldt in Groenlo. In 1895 the De Groen family bought the brewery. They had started their own brewery in Cuijk the Netherlands in early 1800. It held a significant stake until November 2007...
, is in Twente.
Twente has many construction companies, most notably in the town of Rijssen
Rijssen
Rijssen is a town in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is part of Rijssen-Holten, one of thirteen municipalities in Twente. It has over 28,000 inhabitants...
, which houses over twenty more or lesser known construction companies and related services, such as electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
, plumbing
Plumbing
Plumbing is the system of pipes and drains installed in a building for the distribution of potable drinking water and the removal of waterborne wastes, and the skilled trade of working with pipes, tubing and plumbing fixtures in such systems. A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping...
, and insulation
Building insulation
building insulation refers broadly to any object in a building used as insulation for any purpose. While the majority of insulation in buildings is for thermal purposes, the term also applies to acoustic insulation, fire insulation, and impact insulation...
. Some north-western Twents villages, such as Westerhaar-Vriezenveensewijk, are known for their many inhabitants being employed in road engineering. A number of construction companies have set up, or invested in offices in other continents, such as the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
Next to aforementioned occupations, many Tweants people are engaged in the transport
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
sector. The second half of the twentieth century saw an explosive increase in the number of freight transportation companies.
Culture and folklore
The flag of Twente is a bright red cloth with a white rampant horse, which is believed to be the Saxon SteedSaxon Steed
The Saxon Steed is a favorite heraldic motif of the Saxons.-Origin and past uses:The Saxon Steed originated in the tribal Duchy of Saxony...
. The rampant horse is not uncommonly found in the coats of arms or banners of other regions with a Saxon heritage, such as the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
states of North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
and Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
, and County Kent in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Traditions
In the more rural parts of Twente, a notion called Noaberskop, which may be roughly translated as neighbourship, is deemed of great importance. In short, noaberskop involves neighbours looking after each other, or giving good counsil whenever a neighbour asks for advice. For instance, it may include collecting each other's mail and watering plants and flowers while the other family is on holiday and looking after each other's pets. Noaberskop is regarded a matter of rights and obligations. A neighbour may for instance call on the other neighbours for help if something needs to be repaired or otherwise taken care of, but it is very indecent to refuse if the other neighbours then ask a favour in return. Neighbours are expected to help each other preparing wedding celebrations, funerals, birthday parties, etc. Though modern social securitySocial security
Social security is primarily a social insurance program providing social protection or protection against socially recognized conditions, including poverty, old age, disability, unemployment and others. Social security may refer to:...
service has reduced the need for strong noaberskop bonds, some communities do appreciate newcomers to adapt to these old customs and to "make neighbourship" with the others, and not fulfilling noaberskop duties may be still regarded a grave offence.
A number of traditional cultural practices have been preserved in Twente, such as blowing mid-winter horns around Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, and burning Easter fires. Twente is also known for its considerable number of so-called klootsketersverennigings (Road bowling
Klootschieten
Klootschieten is a sport in the Netherlands and East Frisia, Germany. In the game, participants try to throw a ball as far as they can...
Associations), which is commonly considered the "local traditional sport".
In the small town of Ootmarsum
Ootmarsum
Ootmarsum is a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Dinkelland, and lies about 10 km north of Oldenzaal. It received city rights in 1325....
, a tradition known as vlöggeln is practised annually around Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
. Firstly, a group of five young bachelors called Poaskearls (Easter Men) are selected. On Easter morning, the Poaskearls form a human chain by joining hands. They go through every single house of the town while singing psalms, after which the other inhabitants and other spectators may join the chain. After a while, the chain halts in the town centre, where fathers may lift their young children three times, while shouting halleluja. The gathering continues towards the fields, where a large Easter Fire has been built by the community. The gathering sings a psalm and then the Poaskearls light the bonfire. It is commonly believed to be a Roman Catholic adaptation of a pre-Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
fertility tradition.
An extravagant carnival is celebrated in Oldenzaal, which, like the most of eastern Twente has a considerable group of Roman Catholics. The west of Twente is mainly Protestant
Protestant Church in the Netherlands
The Protestant Church in the Netherlands is the largest Protestant Christian denomination in the Netherlands. With 2,000 congregations and a membership of some 1.8 million , it is the second largest church in the Netherlands after the Roman Catholic Church.It was founded 1 May 2004 as a merger of...
.
Today, Twente has one of the Netherlands’ largest exile communities of Syriacs
Syriacs
Syriac may refer to:* Syriac alphabet* Syriac language* Syriac Christians* Syriac Christianity, the churches using Syriac as their liturgical language* Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac people, adherents of Syriac Christianity-See also:...
(also known as Assyrians
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
, Arameans and Chaldeans
Chaldean Christians
Chaldean Christians are ethnic Assyrian adherents of the Chaldean Catholic Church, most of whom entered communion with the Catholic Church from the Church of the East, which was already Catholic, but most wanted to stray away from the Catholic Church, causing the split in the 17th and 18th...
).
Food
Although Tweante has always been part of larger cultural areas, borrowing and adopting food traditions, there are a number of traditional "typically Tweants" dishes and snacks. One of the nationally most-renowned foods from Tweante is the kreantewegge. This is a type of currantRibes
Ribes is a genus of about 150 species of flowering plants native throughout the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is usually treated as the only genus in the family Grossulariaceae. Seven subgenera are recognized....
bread
Bread
Bread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and often additional ingredients. Doughs are usually baked, but in some cuisines breads are steamed , fried , or baked on an unoiled frying pan . It may be leavened or unleavened...
, that is traditionally baked to celebrate the birth of children. The kreantewegge was usually a long loaf, sometimes extending over as much as one meter, cut into thick slices. It is currently still a popular accompaniment with a cup of coffee, though it is no longer exclusively linked to child birth.
Another typically Tweants food is bakleaverworst (roughly translated as baked liver sausage), mostly abbreviated to bakworst. This is a spicey pork sausage, usually approximately 15 cm in diameter. The sausage is cut into 1 cm slices and baked. It is not usually served for dinner, but is often eaten for lunch, on a sandwich
Sandwich
A sandwich is a food item, typically consisting of two or more slices of :bread with one or more fillings between them, or one slice of bread with a topping or toppings, commonly called an open sandwich. Sandwiches are a widely popular type of lunch food, typically taken to work or school, or...
. It is mainly a seasonal product; as it is a hot and hearty snack, it is only available during the winters.
There are several dishes that are often termed "typically Tweants", although they are hardly served today. Examples include Stip in de pan and balkenbriej.
Perhaps the best internationally known beverage from Tweante is Grolsch lager
Lager
Lager is a type of beer made from malted barley that is brewed and stored at low temperatures. There are many types of lager; pale lager is the most widely-consumed and commercially available style of beer in the world; Pilsner, Bock, Dortmunder Export and Märzen are all styles of lager...
. Though it is originally from the town of Groenlo
Groenlo
Groenlo is a city in the municipality of Oost Gelre, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands on the German border, a region in the province of Gelderland called the Achterhoek . Groenlo was a municipality until January 1, 2005, when it merged with Lichtenvoorde. Until May 19 2006 Groenlo...
which is in the adjacent Achterhook region, the brewery moved to Boekelo
Boekelo
Boekelo is a Dutch village in the municipality of Enschede in the Eastern Netherlands, the population is estimated at approximately 2500. It is located just west of Usselo. The village is known for the Military Boekelo Enschede, an international equestrian event.It is also known for the salt...
near Enschede
Enschede
Enschede , also known as Eanske in the local dialect of Twents, is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel and in the Twente region...
. It is therefore currently often considered a Tweants brand. A relatively new brand of lager, Twents Bier, is brewed in the town of Hengelo
Hengelo
Hengelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel. The city lies along the motorways A1/E30 and A35 and it has a station for the International Amsterdam – Hannover – Berlin service.-Traffic and transport:...
. Tweante also has a longstanding tradition of distilling bitters
Bitters
A bitters is an alcoholic beverage that is flavored with herbal essences and has a bitter or bittersweet flavor. There are numerous brands of bitters that were formerly marketed as patent medicines but are now considered to be digestifs, rather than medicines...
. There are many locally distilled bitters, which are often produced and consumed for special occasions and celebrations. Often, they aren't for sale outside the home village.
Though Tweants families traditionally ate potatoes, vegetables and meat for dinner, the influx of many immigrants from all over the world to Tweante, who brought with them their own food traditions, has broadened the average Tweanteman's nutritional horizon.
Architecture
Twente is mainly a rural area with a number of urbane centres. The Saxon heritage of Twente is reflected in the design of more traditional farms and residential houses. Twente has the only remaining "Lös Hoes" in the Netherlands (lit. Loose House), a type of construction design that was previously common throughout the east of the Netherlands, and the north of Germany. A lös hoes consisted mostly of one room in which both humans and livestock lived together. The roofs, which are relatively large in comparison to contemporary houses, making up approximately 2/3 of the entire height, were mostly thatched, and supported by a frame of thick beams. The TwentseWelle museum in EnschedeEnschede
Enschede , also known as Eanske in the local dialect of Twents, is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel and in the Twente region...
has reconstructed a lös hoes on their premises. Many contemporary houses are designed with "Twents" Saxon elements, such as thatched roofs, wooden planks to decorate the gables, and gewelteekns (gable signs), which is are wooden planks shaped with several symbols, such as a life tree, cross
Cross
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run obliquely, the design is technically termed a saltire, although the arms of a saltire need not meet...
, anchor
Anchor
An anchor is a device, normally made of metal, that is used to connect a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the vessel from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ancora, which itself comes from the Greek ἄγκυρα .Anchors can either be temporary or permanent...
and heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
and two rampant horses. These gewelteekns are mounted vertically onto the ridge of the house at the front and the back gable. The symbols are believed to either invoke prosperity or ward off misfortune.
Many construction companies have their origins, or main office in Twente. Especially in the town of Rijssen, which houses over twenty more or lesser known construction companies next to companies that provide related services, such as plumbing
Plumbing
Plumbing is the system of pipes and drains installed in a building for the distribution of potable drinking water and the removal of waterborne wastes, and the skilled trade of working with pipes, tubing and plumbing fixtures in such systems. A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping...
, building insulation
Building insulation
building insulation refers broadly to any object in a building used as insulation for any purpose. While the majority of insulation in buildings is for thermal purposes, the term also applies to acoustic insulation, fire insulation, and impact insulation...
and electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
. This makes Twente an attractive place for architects.
An well-known piece of architecture is found in the town of Goor
Goor
Goor is a town about 26 km south of Almelo in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It received city rights in 1263. The population is about 13,000.Goor was a separate municipality until 2001, when it became a part of Hof van Twente....
, where a construction engineering company has built their main office in the style of Friedensreich Hundertwasser
Friedensreich Hundertwasser
Friedensreich Regentag Dunkelbunt Hundertwasser was an Austrian painter and architect. Born Friedrich Stowasser in Vienna, he became one of the best-known contemporary Austrian artists, although controversial, by the end of the 20th century.-Life:Hundertwasser's father Ernst Stowasser died three...
, who was known for using lively colours and natural forms.
Languages
The local language variety is known as Tweants, or Twents in DutchDutch 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...
. It is a dialect of the Westphalian
Westphalian language
Westphalian is one of the major dialect groups of West Low German. Its most salient feature is the diphthongization . For example, speakers say iEten instead of Eːten for eat...
branch of the Low German
Low German
Low German or Low Saxon is an Ingvaeonic West Germanic language spoken mainly in northern Germany and the eastern part of the Netherlands...
language group, which together with Limburgs
Limburgish language
Limburgish, also called Limburgian or Limburgic is a group of East Low Franconian language varieties spoken in the Limburg and Rhineland regions, near the common Dutch / Belgian / German border...
is one of the two officially recognised regional languages of the Netherlands. Tweants is spoken in all parts of Twente, but may vary per village in pronunciation or lexicon, though they are mutually intelligible, as they are part of the Low German dialect continuum
Dialect continuum
A dialect continuum, or dialect area, was defined by Leonard Bloomfield as a range of dialects spoken across some geographical area that differ only slightly between neighboring areas, but as one travels in any direction, these differences accumulate such that speakers from opposite ends of the...
. The dialect is often separated in two main categories, namely East-Tweants and Tweants-Groafskops, though the differences are largely insignificant. The dialects work as a certain shibboleth
Shibboleth
A shibboleth is a custom, principle, or belief distinguishing a particular class or group of people, especially a long-standing one regarded as outmoded or no longer important...
; minor accent differences help speakers define others' place of origin. As a result, speakers do not usually refer to their dialect by the umbrella term Tweants, but rather by the name of their local variety. Speakers from Markelo
Markelo
Markelo is a town in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Hof van Twente, about west of Hengelo and south-west of Almelo. The population is about 7.000....
, for instance, may call their dialect Maarkels, whereas speakers from Overdinkel may state that they speak Oaverdeenkels.
Although the dialect has been stigmatised for a considerable period over the last century, leading to a decline in use, interests in preserving and promoting the use of it are currently rising, resulting in initiatives such as dialect festivals, writing competitions and other culturally engaging projects. The municipality council of Rijssen-Holten
Rijssen-Holten
Rijssen-Holten is a municipality in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel.The municipality was formed in 2001 by the joining of the municipalities of Holten and Rijssen...
holds one conference per year in dialect, and in 2008 declared their desk workers officially bilingual, to lower the threshold for the inhabitants of Rijssen who feel more comfortable in speaking Tweants, rather than 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...
. Other municipality councils have recently indicated that they are willing to try dialect conferences, such as the municipalities of Hellendoorn
Hellendoorn
Hellendoorn is a municipality and a town in the middle of the Dutch province of Overijssel.- Population centres :The municipality comprises:Towns:* Hellendoorn* NijverdalHamlets:* Daarle* Daarlerveen* Eelen en Rhaan* Egede* Haarle* Hancate...
and Wierden
Wierden
Wierden is a town and a municipality in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel.The municipality of Wierden also includes the following towns, villages and townships:Enter, Hoge Hexel, Ypelo, Notter, Rectum, Zuna....
.
The former Van Deinse Instituut
Van Deinse Instituut
The Van Deinse Instituut, located in the city of Enschede, is aimed at finding out more about the cultural past and present of Twente, a non-administrative region in the east of the Netherlands...
, which is now incorporated in the TwentseWelle museum, is involved in researching the past and present of Twente. It is located in Enschede and studies the regional culture, folk knowledge, language, cultural history and landscape of Twente. It also collects, maintains, studies and displays an extensive collection of material from the history of Twente, with a full-size historic Tweants Lös Hoes (open house, a farm house without separate rooms, where both livestock and humans lived together) as one of its main attractions. The museum has designated a specific part of its premises for the Tweantse Taalkamer (language room), where visitors may become (further) acquainted with the language.
Tweants is largely mutually intelligible with dialects from surrounding areas, such as Achterhooks
Achterhooks
Achterhooks is a Dutch Low Saxon dialect....
to the south, Sallaands in the west, Groafschupper Platt and Münsterlandic
Münster (region)
Münster is one of the five Regierungsbezirke of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, located in the north of the state, and named after the city of Münster. It includes the area which in medieval times was known as the Dreingau....
across the Dutch
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...
-German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
border.
Sports
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
league; Heracles
Heracles
Heracles ,born Alcaeus or Alcides , was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, foster son of Amphitryon and great-grandson of Perseus...
from Almelo
Almelo
Almelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. The main population centres in the town are Aadorp, Almelo, Mariaparochie and Bornerbroek....
, and FC Twente
FC Twente
FC Twente is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, playing in the Eredivisie. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Eredivisie Champions, Sportclub Enschede and Enschedese Boys...
from Enschede
Enschede
Enschede , also known as Eanske in the local dialect of Twents, is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel and in the Twente region...
, the latter which is one of the most successful sides of recent years having won the Eredivisie title in 2010 and the KNVB Cup
KNVB Cup
The KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
in 2011. Twente is also the home region of Olympic Gold
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
swimmers
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
such as Marleen Veldhuis
Marleen Veldhuis
Magdalena Johanna Maria Veldhuis is a professional swimmer from the Netherlands. She is world record holder in 4 events . Veldhuis has won 6 world championships gold medals and 20 European championships gold medals...
and Hinkelien Schreuder
Hinkelien Schreuder
Hinkelien Schreuder is a butterfly, freestyle and backstroke swimmer from The Netherlands, who also competed in the medley events...
, and to internationally renowned equestrians
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
(horse driving
Driving (horse)
Driving, when applied to horses, ponies, mules, or donkeys, is a broad term for hitching equines to a wagon, carriage, cart, sleigh, or other horse-drawn vehicle by means of a harness and working them in this way...
and horse jumping), such as Jeroen Dubbeldam
Jeroen Dubbeldam
Jeroen Dubbeldam is a Dutch show jumping champion.-Olympic Record:Dubbeldam competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics held in Sydney, where he won a gold medal in Individual Jumping with the horse De Sjiem.-References:...
, Gerco Schröder
Gerco Schröder
Gerco Bernardus Schröder is a Dutch show jumping equestrian.Gerco Schröder represented the Netherlands at the 2004 Summer Olympics where he took part in the individual jumping competition and the show jumping team event alongside Wim Schröder, Leopold van Asten and Gert-Jan Bruggink...
and Jos Lansink
Jos Lansink
Jozeph Johannes Gerardus Marinus Lansink is an equestrian from The Netherlands, but currently representing Belgium, who competes in the sport of show jumping....
.
A number of well-known bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
pros are from Twente, including Bram Tankink
Bram Tankink
Bram Tankink is a Dutch professional road bicycle racer. He started his career as a mountainbiker, but in 1999 he became a road rider. In 2000 he became Dutch champion of the espoirs which resulted in a professional contract for 2001 at Domo-Farm Frites...
, Tom Stamsnijder
Tom Stamsnijder
Tom Stamsnijder is a Dutch professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam , and son of former cyclo-cross world champion Hennie Stamsnijder.- Palmares :2000...
and Joost Posthuma
Joost Posthuma
Joost Posthuma is a Dutch professional road bicycle racer. He rides on the UCI ProTour for the professional cycling team...
.
On an amateur level, many people participate for leisure in popular team sports with local clubs, such as waterpolo, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
.
A local traditional sport, klootskeetn
Klootschieten
Klootschieten is a sport in the Netherlands and East Frisia, Germany. In the game, participants try to throw a ball as far as they can...
, which is similar to Irish road bowling
Irish Road Bowling
Irish road bowling is an ancient sport. It is centered in Ireland - primarily in County Armagh and County Cork. However, it also has players in Boston, Massachusetts; Cambridge, New York, and Bennington, Vermont, vicinity; Traverse City, Michigan; the Bronx, New York; New Zealand; Asheville, North...
, has seen an increase in interest over the last decades. It is mainly practised for leisure or for cultural engagement. There are, however, a number of (semi)-professional klootsketer clubs. It is a popular activity for staff trips.
Places in Twente
AadorpAadorp
Aadorp is a village on the northern side of Almelo, Netherlands with a population of about 1500; it has been part of the Almelo municipality since 2001. The villagers of Aadorp are very close, since there are so few of them. The central meeting point in Aadorp is the Aahoes, which consists of a...
-- Albergen
Albergen
Albergen is a town in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Tubbergen, and lies about 7 km east of Almelo.In 2001, the town of Albergen had 1990 inhabitants...
-- Almelo
Almelo
Almelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. The main population centres in the town are Aadorp, Almelo, Mariaparochie and Bornerbroek....
-- Beuningen -- Boekelo
Boekelo
Boekelo is a Dutch village in the municipality of Enschede in the Eastern Netherlands, the population is estimated at approximately 2500. It is located just west of Usselo. The village is known for the Military Boekelo Enschede, an international equestrian event.It is also known for the salt...
-- Borne -- Bornerbroek
Bornerbroek
Bornerbroek is a church village in the municipality of Almelo in Twente, the Dutch province of Overijssel. The village has approximately 1800 inhabitants. Up to the municipal reallocation of 1 January 2001, the village was part of the municipality of Borne....
-- Breklenkamp
Breklenkamp
Breklenkamp is a town in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Dinkelland, and lies about 16 km north of Oldenzaal....
-- Buurse -- Daarle -- Daarlerveen
Daarlerveen
Daarlerveen is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Hellendoorn, about 2 km south of the town of Vroomshoop.-References:...
-- Delden
Delden
Delden is a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel and, since 2001, in the municipality of Hof van Twente.Although its population is small, it gained city rights in 1333. Castle Twickel is a famous landmark near Delden and the Baron van Heeckeren of Twickel built a watertower in Delden...
-- De Lutte -- Denekamp
Denekamp
Denekamp is a town in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the region of Twente and the municipality of Dinkelland, and lies about 9 km northeast of Oldenzaal....
-- Deurningen
Deurningen
Deurningen is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Dinkelland, and lies about 5 km northeast of Hengelo.In 2001, the village of Deurningen had 1132 inhabitants...
-- Diepenheim
Diepenheim
Diepenheim is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Hof van Twente, about 5 km southwest of Goor.Diepenheim was a separate municipality until 2001, when it became a part of Hof van Twente....
-- Enschede
Enschede
Enschede , also known as Eanske in the local dialect of Twents, is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel and in the Twente region...
-- Enter
Enter (town)
Enter is a village in the eastern Netherlands. Enter is located in the municipality of Wierden, Overijssel, between Almelo, Goor, Bornerbroek and Rijssen. It has approximately 7500 inhabitants.- History:...
-- Fleringen
Fleringen
Fleringen is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Tubbergen, and lies about 10 km east of Almelo.In 2001, the village of Fleringen had 392 inhabitants...
-- Glanerbrug
Glanerbrug
Glanerbrug is a village east of Enschede, Netherlands and is also situated in the municipality Enschede. It is close to the border with Germany, which is formed by the stream Glanerbeek...
-- Goor
Goor
Goor is a town about 26 km south of Almelo in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It received city rights in 1263. The population is about 13,000.Goor was a separate municipality until 2001, when it became a part of Hof van Twente....
-- Haaksbergen
Haaksbergen
Haaksbergen is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel, in the Twente region.-External links:*...
-- Hengelo
Hengelo
Hengelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel. The city lies along the motorways A1/E30 and A35 and it has a station for the International Amsterdam – Hannover – Berlin service.-Traffic and transport:...
-- Lattrop
Lattrop
Lattrop is a town in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Dinkelland, and lies about 13 km north of Oldenzaal.In 2001, the village of Lattrop had 358 inhabitants...
-- Lonneker
Lonneker
Lonneker is a village in Twente, in the province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Enschede, about 3 km north of the city centre. It has 1770 inhabitants ....
-- Losser
Losser
-Population centres:*Beuningen*De Lutte*Glane*Losser*Overdinkel-Losser:The oldest known reference to Losser dates from the tenth century. Originally, the village consisted of two separate parts. Both were almost completely destroyed when on 21 September 1665, troops from Münster set fire to...
-- Mander -- Markelo
Markelo
Markelo is a town in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Hof van Twente, about west of Hengelo and south-west of Almelo. The population is about 7.000....
-- Oldenzaal -- Ootmarsum
Ootmarsum
Ootmarsum is a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Dinkelland, and lies about 10 km north of Oldenzaal. It received city rights in 1325....
-- Overdinkel -- Rijssen
Rijssen
Rijssen is a town in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is part of Rijssen-Holten, one of thirteen municipalities in Twente. It has over 28,000 inhabitants...
-- Rossum -- Saasveld
Saasveld
Saasveld is a town in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Dinkelland, and lies about 7 km north of Hengelo.In 2001, the town of Saasveld had 552 inhabitants...
-- Tilligte
Tilligte
Tilligte is a town in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Dinkelland, and lies about 10 km north of Oldenzaal.In 2001, the town of Tilligte had 362 inhabitants...
-- Tubbergen
Tubbergen
-Population centres:Albergen, Fleringen, Geesteren, Haarle, Harbrinkhoek, Hezingen, Langeveen, Mander, Manderveen, Mariaparochie, Reutum, Tubbergen and Vasse.-Religion:...
-- Twekkelo -- Usselo
Usselo
Usselo is a Dutch village in the municipality of Enschede in the eastern Netherlands in region of Twente. It is located just west of Enschede and east of Boekelo. It has existed for over 800 years. Archeology shows that the region was inhabited more or less continuously since the last ice-age. The...
-- Vasse -- Vriezenveen
Vriezenveen
Vriezenveen is a town in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Twenterand, about 7 km north of Almelo.Vriezenveen was a separate municipality until 2001, when it merged with Den Ham...
-- Vroomshoop
Vroomshoop
The town Vroomshoop is located in the center of the municipality Twenterand in the Dutch province of Overijssel and was founded around 1850. The earliest inhabitants lived from the peat that was found in the nearby area. After that the peat grounds were used for agriculture.On 1 September 2004...
(partly Salland
Salland
Salland is a historical dominion in the west and north of the present Dutch province of Overijssel. It is probably named after the Salian Franks, who are thought to originate from Salland...
) -- Weerselo
Weerselo
Weerselo is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Dinkelland, and lies about 6 km northwest of Oldenzaal.Weerselo was a separate municipality until 2001, when it became a part of Denekamp....
-- Wierden
Wierden
Wierden is a town and a municipality in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel.The municipality of Wierden also includes the following towns, villages and townships:Enter, Hoge Hexel, Ypelo, Notter, Rectum, Zuna....
-- Zenderen
- See also TwentestadTwentestadTwentestad was a proposal for the merger of two cities and a town in the eastern part of the Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel. Enschede, Hengelo and parts of Borne would become an urban area in Twente, with about 250,000 inhabitants....