Vlaardingen
Encyclopedia
Vlaardingen is a town in South Holland
in the Netherlands
. It is located on the north bank of the Nieuwe Maas
/Nieuwe Waterweg
river at the confluence with the Oude Maas
. The municipality administers an area of 26.71 km², of which 23.81 km² is land, with 71,938 residents (in May 2006).
motorway. On the east the town is (currently in part) separated from Schiedam
by the A4
motorway. Other places nearby are Maassluis
to the west, Schipluiden
and Delft
to the north, and Spijkenisse
in the south-west, on the other side of the Nieuwe Waterweg
. The A20 connects Rotterdam
to Hoek van Holland
. The Beneluxtunnel (the tunnel that runs under the Nieuwe Waterweg) connects the A20 to the A15
.
The centre of the city is on the west side of the old harbour, which is a widened section of the canal (Vlaardingse Vaart) which runs from Vlaardingen to Schipluiden
.
was identified, the oldest found anywhere in the Netherlands. Between roughly 250 AD and 700 AD the region was uninhabited, like much of the west of the Netherlands. In 726 or 727 the area is again mentioned as Marsum, where a little church was established, around which Vlaardingen formed.
In 1018 Vlaardingen was a stronghold of Dirk III
, who levied an illegal toll on ships on the Meuse river. An army sent by German Emperor Henry II
in order to stop this practice was defeated by Dirk III in the Battle of Vlaardingen
. In 1047, his successor Dirk IV
repelled another such attack.
The flood disaster of December 21, 1163 ended the growth of Vlaardingen. The Counts of Holland moved away and its development stagnated.
In 1273 Vlaardingen was granted city rights
by Floris V, Count of Holland
.
In 1574, during the Eighty Years War of Dutch independence, a group of Watergeuzen burnt down Vlaardingen as commanded by William of Orange
to prevent the Spanish from capturing the city. Vlaardingen later became a shipbuilding area and a significant harbour for the herring
fishing industry. The fishing boats (locally known as "haringbuizen" ceased to use Vlaardingen in the years after World War II
.
In 1855 the former municipality of Zouteveen
was merged into the municipality Vlaardingerambacht which in turn was merged with Vlaardingen during the occupation of the Netherlands in the Second World War by the Germans in 1941.
Vlaardingen consists of 8 districts/neighbourhoods:
Seats in the city council after the municipal elections in 2010:
research centre is located in Vlaardingen. There are still some ship repair business(es) in east Vlaardingen beside the Nieuwe Maas
River. The Vulcaanhaven was for many years the largest privately owned artificial harbour in the world.
, where ropes were made). The Grote Kerk was probably established between 1156 and 1164 and has been expanded, damaged and rebuilt over the centuries. To the north of the old harbour is the old windmill (named Aeolus
), which is still in operation and sells ground cereals. The harbour itself is used as a marina
and open air museum
with a collection of old ships. At the harbour is the Visserijmuseum (in 2003 the museum was renamed Visserij en Vlaardings Museum), a museum dedicated to commercial sea fishing and local lore.
fishery, the customary English name is Lugger
) is held on the first Saturday of June. The festival used to be called "Haring en Bierfeest" (translation: herring
and beer
festival), but in 2003 the mayor decided to rename it.
South Holland
South Holland is a province situated on the North Sea in the western part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is The Hague and its largest city is Rotterdam.South Holland is one of the most densely populated and industrialised areas in the world...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. It is located on the north bank of the Nieuwe Maas
Nieuwe Maas
The Nieuwe Maas distributary of the Rhine River, and a former distributary of the Maas River, in the Dutch province of South Holland. It runs from the confluence of the rivers Noord and Lek, and flows west through Rotterdam. It ends west of the city where it meets the Oude Maas , near Vlaardingen,...
/Nieuwe Waterweg
Nieuwe Waterweg
The Nieuwe Waterweg is a ship canal in the Netherlands from het Scheur west of the town of Maassluis to the North Sea at Hook of Holland...
river at the confluence with the Oude Maas
Oude Maas
The Oude Maas is a distributary of the Rhine River, and a former distributary of the Maas River, in the Dutch province of South Holland. It begins at the city of Dordrecht where the Beneden Merwede river splits into the Noord River and the Oude Maas...
. The municipality administers an area of 26.71 km², of which 23.81 km² is land, with 71,938 residents (in May 2006).
Geography
The town is divided into a northern (locally known as the "Holy") and a southern part by the A20A20 motorway (Netherlands)
The A20 motorway is a motorway in the Netherlands. It is approximately 39 kilometers in length.The A20 is entirely located in the Dutch province South Holland and connects the N213 road from the Westland municipality with the cities of Rotterdam and Gouda, where it connects to the A12 motorway at...
motorway. On the east the town is (currently in part) separated from Schiedam
Schiedam
Schiedam is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. It is part of the Rotterdam metropolitan area. The city is located west of Rotterdam, east of Vlaardingen and south of Delft...
by the A4
A4 motorway (Netherlands)
The A4 motorway is a motorway in the Netherlands from Amsterdam to the Belgian border near Zandvliet. Some parts of the motorway are still not completed. The completed route as of 2006 is divided into three parts: from Amsterdam via The Hague to Delft, from Vlaardingen to Pernis, and finally from...
motorway. Other places nearby are Maassluis
Maassluis
Maassluis is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 32,847 in 2004, and covers an area of 10.11 km² .It received city rights in 1811...
to the west, Schipluiden
Schipluiden
Schipluiden is a village in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. It is the seat of the council of the municipality of Midden-Delfland....
and Delft
Delft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
to the north, and Spijkenisse
Spijkenisse
Spijkenisse is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 74,482 in 2006, and covers an area of 30.23 km²...
in the south-west, on the other side of the Nieuwe Waterweg
Nieuwe Waterweg
The Nieuwe Waterweg is a ship canal in the Netherlands from het Scheur west of the town of Maassluis to the North Sea at Hook of Holland...
. The A20 connects Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
to Hoek van Holland
Hoek van Holland
The Hook of Holland , also known in English as the Hook, is a town in South Holland in the Netherlands. It is situated on the North Sea coast, on the north bank of the Nieuwe Waterweg ship canal. The town is administered by the municipality of Rotterdam as a district of that city...
. The Beneluxtunnel (the tunnel that runs under the Nieuwe Waterweg) connects the A20 to the A15
A15 motorway (Netherlands)
The Dutch Rijksweg 15 is a set of two motorways in the Netherlands, the A15 and the A18. The map on the right-hand side shows these two parts of this Rijksweg 15.- Connection between A15 and A18 :...
.
The centre of the city is on the west side of the old harbour, which is a widened section of the canal (Vlaardingse Vaart) which runs from Vlaardingen to Schipluiden
Schipluiden
Schipluiden is a village in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. It is the seat of the council of the municipality of Midden-Delfland....
.
History
The area around Vlaardingen was already settled by about 2900BC to 2600BC. In 1990, a skeleton dated at about 1300 BC was dug up in the periphery of Vlaardingen; some human nuclear DNADNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
was identified, the oldest found anywhere in the Netherlands. Between roughly 250 AD and 700 AD the region was uninhabited, like much of the west of the Netherlands. In 726 or 727 the area is again mentioned as Marsum, where a little church was established, around which Vlaardingen formed.
Dirk III, Count of Holland
Dirk III was Count of Holland from 993 to May 27, 1039, until 1005 under regency of his mother. It is thought that Dirk III went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land around 1030, hence his nickname of Hierosolymita....
, who levied an illegal toll on ships on the Meuse river. An army sent by German Emperor Henry II
Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor
Henry II , also referred to as Saint Henry, Obl.S.B., was the fifth and last Holy Roman Emperor of the Ottonian dynasty, from his coronation in Rome in 1014 until his death a decade later. He was crowned King of the Germans in 1002 and King of Italy in 1004...
in order to stop this practice was defeated by Dirk III in the Battle of Vlaardingen
Battle of Vlaardingen
The Battle of Vlaardingen was fought on 29 July 1018. The German emperor sent an army towards western Frisia to subdue the rebellious Count Dirk III...
. In 1047, his successor Dirk IV
Dirk IV, Count of Holland
Dirk IV was Count of Holland from 1039 to 1049 . Dirk's date of birth is unknown but it was probably ca. 1030 or shortly before, he was described as "adolescent" at the time of his death. His base of operations was the stronghold his father built at Vlaardingen...
repelled another such attack.
The flood disaster of December 21, 1163 ended the growth of Vlaardingen. The Counts of Holland moved away and its development stagnated.
In 1273 Vlaardingen was granted 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....
by Floris V, Count of Holland
Floris V, Count of Holland
Count Floris V of Holland and Zeeland , "der Keerlen God" , is one of the most important figures of the first, native dynasty of Holland . His life was documented in detail in the Rijmkroniek by Melis Stoke, his chronicler...
.
In 1574, during the Eighty Years War of Dutch independence, a group of Watergeuzen burnt down Vlaardingen as commanded by William of Orange
William the Silent
William I, Prince of Orange , also widely known as William the Silent , or simply William of Orange , was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years' War and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648. He was born in the House of...
to prevent the Spanish from capturing the city. Vlaardingen later became a shipbuilding area and a significant harbour for the herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
fishing industry. The fishing boats (locally known as "haringbuizen" ceased to use Vlaardingen in the years after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In 1855 the former municipality of Zouteveen
Zouteveen
Zouteveen is a hamlet in the municipality Midden-Delfland in the province Zuid-Holland in the Netherlands. It is located between Vlaardingen and Delft....
was merged into the municipality Vlaardingerambacht which in turn was merged with Vlaardingen during the occupation of the Netherlands in the Second World War by the Germans in 1941.
Vlaardingen consists of 8 districts/neighbourhoods:
- Vlaardingen Centrum
- Westwijk
- Vettenoordse polder (includes industry)
- Vlaardingen Oost
- Ambacht/Babberspolder
- Holy Zuid
- Holy Noord
- Broekpolder
Politics
Mayor: mr. T.P.J. Bruinsma (PvdA)Seats in the city council after the municipal elections in 2010:
- Labour Party (PvdALabour Party (Netherlands)The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...
), 6 seats - Vlaardingen Ahead 2000/Livable Vlaardingen (VV2000/LV), 6 seats
- Groenlinks (GL), 4 seats
- People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVDPeople's Party for Freedom and DemocracyThe People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
), 4 seats - Christian Democratic Appeal (CDAChristian Democratic AppealThe Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
), 3 seats - Socialist Party (SPSocialist Party (Netherlands)The Socialist Party is a democratic socialist political party in the Netherlands. After the 2006 general election, the Socialist Party became one of the major parties of the Netherlands with 25 seats of 150, an increase of 16 seats. The party was in opposition against the fourth Balkenende cabinet...
), 3 seats - Democrats 66 (D66Democrats 66Democrats 66 is a progressive and social-liberal political party in the Netherlands. D66 was formed in 1966 by a group of politically unaligned, young intellectuals, led by journalist Hans van Mierlo. The party's main objective was to democratise the political system; it proposed to create an...
), 2 seats - Christian Union/Political Reformed Party (CUChristianUnionThe ChristianUnion , abbreviated to CU, is a Dutch Christian democratic political party. A centrist party, the CU's policies combine social conservatism and soft euroscepticism with more centre-left positions on economic, immigration, and environmental issues.Founded in 2000 as a merger of the...
/SGPReformed Political PartyThe Reformed Political Party is an orthodox Protestant Dutch political party. The term Reformed is not a reference to political reform, but is a synonym for Calvinist. The SGP is the oldest political party in the Netherlands in its current form, and for its entire existence has been in opposition...
), 2 seats - City Interests Vlaardingen (SBV), 2 seats
- Proud of the Netherlands (TONProud of the NetherlandsProud of the Netherlands is a Dutch Political party. The party was founded on 17 October 2007 by Rita Verdonk, who at that time was an independent member of the House of Representatives. Verdonk declared that her movement would consist of "sympathizers" and, like the Party for Freedom, would not...
), 2 seats - General Elderly Alliance (AOVGeneral Elderly AllianceThe General Elderly Alliance was a Dutch pensioners' political party. The AOV was very successful in the 1994 elections but disappeared four years later.-Party History:...
), 1 seat
Economy
A UnileverUnilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
research centre is located in Vlaardingen. There are still some ship repair business(es) in east Vlaardingen beside the Nieuwe Maas
Nieuwe Maas
The Nieuwe Maas distributary of the Rhine River, and a former distributary of the Maas River, in the Dutch province of South Holland. It runs from the confluence of the rivers Noord and Lek, and flows west through Rotterdam. It ends west of the city where it meets the Oude Maas , near Vlaardingen,...
River. The Vulcaanhaven was for many years the largest privately owned artificial harbour in the world.
Monuments
Some historical buildings in the centre of town are the Grote Kerk (Big Church), the Waag (Weighing Bridge) adjoining to the church and the old town hall (among other things used for weddings), all located on the Markt, the former marketplace, the Visbank (Fish Auction) at the harbour and the Oude Lijnbaan (Old RopewalkRopewalk
A ropewalk is a long straight narrow lane, or a covered pathway, where long strands of material were laid before being twisted into rope.Ropewalks historically were harsh sweatshops, and frequently caught on fire, as hemp dust forms an explosive mixture. Rope was essential in sailing ships and the...
, where ropes were made). The Grote Kerk was probably established between 1156 and 1164 and has been expanded, damaged and rebuilt over the centuries. To the north of the old harbour is the old windmill (named Aeolus
Aeolus
Aeolus was the ruler of the winds in Greek mythology. In fact this name was shared by three mythic characters. These three personages are often difficult to tell apart, and even the ancient mythographers appear to have been perplexed about which Aeolus was which...
), which is still in operation and sells ground cereals. The harbour itself is used as a marina
Marina
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....
and open air museum
Open air museum
An open-air museum is a distinct type of museum exhibiting its collections out-of-doors. The first open-air museums were established in Scandinavia towards the end of the nineteenth century, and the concept soon spread throughout Europe and North America. Open-air museums are variously known as...
with a collection of old ships. At the harbour is the Visserijmuseum (in 2003 the museum was renamed Visserij en Vlaardings Museum), a museum dedicated to commercial sea fishing and local lore.
Events
The " Vlaardings Loggerfestival" (it should be noted that Logger is a traditional ship used for herringHerring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
fishery, the customary English name is Lugger
Lugger
A lugger is a class of boats, widely used as traditional fishing boats, particularly off the coasts of France, Scotland and England. It is a small sailing vessel with lugsails set on two or more masts and perhaps lug topsails.-Defining the rig:...
) is held on the first Saturday of June. The festival used to be called "Haring en Bierfeest" (translation: herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
and beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
festival), but in 2003 the mayor decided to rename it.
Notable people
People who are born in or (have) lived in Vlaardingen:- Agnes van Ardenne, politician (Christian Democratic AppealChristian Democratic AppealThe Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
) - Paul-Jan BakkerPaul-Jan BakkerPaul-Jan Bakker is a former Dutch cricketer. Bakker was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler.-International career:Bakker made his ICC Trophy debut in 1986, taking 5/18 against Papua New Guinea...
, former Dutch cricketer - Bassie en Adriaan, (brothers) actors in a children's tv-show
- Gerrit BervelingGerrit BervelingGerrit Berveling is a Dutch Esperanto author.He studied Classical Languages at Leiden University, and Theology at Utrecht and Leiden Universities....
, theologian and EsperantoEsperantois the most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Its name derives from Doktoro Esperanto , the pseudonym under which L. L. Zamenhof published the first book detailing Esperanto, the Unua Libro, in 1887...
poet - Wouter BosWouter BosWouter Jacob Bos is a Dutch management consultant and former politician of the Labour Party . He was Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister in the Cabinet Balkenende IV from February 22, 2007 till February 23, 2010...
, former Deputy Prime Minister, former Minister of Finance during Balkenende IV Government (Labour PartyLabour Party (Netherlands)The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...
) - Edith BoschEdith BoschEdith Bosch is a Dutch Judoka who won the silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in the middleweight division....
, judoka - Gerard CallenburghGerard CallenburghGerard Callenburgh was a Dutch admiral.Gerard was born in Willemstad, the son of a wood-trader, but chose to enter the Dutch navy in 1661 as a cadet, serving the Admiralty of the Maze. He was made second lieutenant in May 1666 during the Second Anglo-Dutch War. On 10 February 1671 he was promoted...
, vice admiral and town councillor (later mayor) - Arjan El FassedArjan El FassedArjan El Fassed is a Dutch politician, and former human rights activist and development aid worker. As a member of GreenLeft he has been an MP since June 17, 2010...
, politician (GreenLeftGreenLeftGreenLeft is a green political party operating in the Netherlands.GreenLeft was formed on 1 March 1989 as a merger of four left-wing political parties: the Communist Party of the Netherlands, Pacifist Socialist Party, the Political Party of Radicals and the Evangelical People's Party...
), development aid worker and human rights activist - Wilma van HofwegenWilma van HofwegenWillemina Cornelia Adriana van Hofwegen-Van Rijn is a former freestyle swimmer from the Netherlands, who was a member of the Dutch Women's 4×100 m freestyle relay Team that won the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.Van Hofwegen did so alongside Inge de Bruijn,...
, swimmer - Andries HoogerwerfAndries HoogerwerfAndries Hoogerwerf was a Dutch athlete, naturalist, ornithologist and conservationist who spent much of his working life in the Dutch East Indies and Dutch New Guinea....
, middle-distance runner, scientist and conservationist - Mark HuizingaMark HuizingaMark Huizinga is a Dutch judoka and Olympic champion.Huizinga was born in Vlaardingen, Zuid-Holland in Netherlands in 1973. He won the gold medal in the men's under 90 kg class at the 2000 Summer Olympics by defeating Brazil's Carlos Honorato by ippon. He took bronze at the 1996 and 2004...
, olympicOlympic GamesThe 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...
gold medalGold medalA gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
winner in judoJudois a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an... - Rudie LiebrechtsRudie LiebrechtsRutgerus Liebrechts is a former Dutch speed skater and racing cyclist.Liebrechts was among the best Dutch speedskaters from 1961 to 1967...
, speed skater and cyclist - Geert MakGeert MakGeert Mak is a Dutch journalist and a non-fiction writer in the field of history. His ten books about Amsterdam, Netherlands and Europe have earned him great popularity. His best-known work, In Europe, a combination of a travelogue through the continent of Europe and a history of the 20th century,...
, author and journalist - Karen MulderKaren MulderKaren Mulder is a Dutch former model and singer. During the 90s, she had a successful modeling career and was recognized as a world-class "supermodel" by various media...
, former supermodelSupermodelThe term supermodel refers to a highly-paid fashion model who usually has a worldwide reputation and often a background in haute couture and commercial modeling. The term became prominent in the popular culture of the 1980s. Supermodels usually work for top fashion designers and labels... - Martijn LeNobleMartyn LeNobleMartyn LeNoble is a Dutch bassist and founding member of Porno for Pyros.LeNoble started his musical career by playing bass in a Dutch punk rock band when he was 14. In 1989, he moved to Los Angeles and played with the likes of Thelonious Monster and The Too Free Stooges...
, bassplayer (amongst others The CultThe CultThe Cult are a British rock band that was formed in 1983. They gained a dedicated following in Britain in the mid 1980s as a post-punk band with singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary", before breaking mainstream in the United States in the late 1980s as a hard rock band with singles such as "Love...
and Porno for PyrosPorno for PyrosPorno for Pyros was an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1992, following the initial break-up of Jane's Addiction...
) - Ted van de Parre, World's Strongest Man (1992)
- Roel PieperRoel Pieper-Early life and education:Pieper was born in Vlaardingen, son of an engineer at a car manufacturer. His father died when Pieper was 20, and on his 18th birthday he suffered a motoring accident which destroyed his sporting career as a player of the Juventus Schiedam basketball team. According to...
, internet businessman, Professor of Electronic Commerce, former director at PhilipsPhilipsKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company.... - Remi Poppe, former politician (Socialist PartySocialist Party (Netherlands)The Socialist Party is a democratic socialist political party in the Netherlands. After the 2006 general election, the Socialist Party became one of the major parties of the Netherlands with 25 seats of 150, an increase of 16 seats. The party was in opposition against the fourth Balkenende cabinet...
) - Denise van Rijswijk, married to Winston Post, member of the dance-act VengaboysVengaboysVengaboys are a Eurodance pop group based in Amsterdam. The brainchild of two Dutch producers Wessel van Diepen and Dennis van den Driesschen , they enjoyed commercial success in the late 1990s. They are best known for their two UK number one singles, "Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!!" and "We're Going...
- Hans Rikken, actor and model
- Willem van Ruytenburgh, one of the main characters, in the yellow clothes, on Rembrandts Nightwatch
- Ericus VerkadeEricus VerkadeEricus Gerhardus Verkade was the founder in 1886 of the Verkade manufacturing company of the Netherlands.Verkade was born in Vlaardingen. He was named after his father, the notary Ericus Gerhardus Verkade Sr , who died one month before he was born...
, manufacturer - Harald WapenaarHarald WapenaarHarald Wapenaar is a former Dutch football goalkeeper.Wapenaar has played for Italian club Udinese Calcio and FC Utrecht, whom he left for Portsmouth in the summer of 2003. He joined Vitesse in January 2005....
, professional football player for Sparta RotterdamSparta RotterdamSparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands, established on April 1, 1888. Sparta is one of three professional football clubs from Rotterdam, the others being Excelsior and Feyenoord , the latter playing in the Eredivisie.-History:Sparta was first founded in 1887....