Zoeterwoude
Encyclopedia
Zoeterwoude (ˌzutərˈʋʌudə) is a municipality in the western Netherlands
, in the province of South Holland
. The municipality covers 21.91 km² (of which 0.67 km² is water). It had a population of 8,526 in 2004.
The municipality of Zoeterwoude consists of Zoeterwoude-Dorp
, Zoeterwoude-Rijndijk
, Gelderswoude
, Weipoort
, Westeinde
, and Zuidbuurt
. The main brewery
of Heineken International is located there.
.
Its municipal boundaries were set circa 1300. At that time it was one of the largest municipalities in the Netherlands, but later much land was annexed by surrounding cities, notably Leiden. In 1450, the first bridge between Leiderdorp
and Zoeterwoude was built. In 1574, Zoeterwoude was burnt to the ground and its polder
s inundated by Leideners in order to increase the range of the city's cannons. Almost no inhabitants remained in Zoeterwoude.
Around 1650, Zoeterwoude had been almost rebuilt and 50 years later it was prospering. After 1800, Leiden started a long series of annexations, reducing the land area of Zoeterwoude.
In 1960, the A4 motorway
was built and since 1966 it has been the municipal boundary between Leiden and Zoeterwoude.
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...
, in the province of South Holland
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...
. The municipality covers 21.91 km² (of which 0.67 km² is water). It had a population of 8,526 in 2004.
The municipality of Zoeterwoude consists of Zoeterwoude-Dorp
Zoeterwoude-Dorp
Zoeterwoude-Dorp is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Zoeterwoude, and lies about 6 km south of Leiden.In 2001, the town of Zoeterwoude-Dorp had 4605 inhabitants...
, Zoeterwoude-Rijndijk
Zoeterwoude-Rijndijk
Zoeterwoude-Rijndijk is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Zoeterwoude, and lies about southeast of Leiden....
, Gelderswoude
Gelderswoude
Gelderswoude is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Zoeterwoude, and lies about 5 km northeast of Zoetermeer....
, Weipoort
Weipoort
Weipoort is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Zoeterwoude, and lies about 6 km north of Zoetermeer....
, Westeinde
Westeinde (Zoeterwoude)
Westeinde is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Zoeterwoude, and lies about 6 km north of Zoetermeer....
, and Zuidbuurt
Zuidbuurt
Zuidbuurt is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Zoeterwoude, and lies about 6 km north of Zoetermeer.In 2001 Zuidbuurt had 325 inhabitants...
. The main brewery
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
of Heineken International is located there.
History
The name Zoeterwoude is first mentioned in a document from 1205, which references a certain "Florentius van Sotrewold". It is uncertain if this is a reference to the village. The first confirmed existence is from 1276 when Dirk van Santhorst received the "Soetrewold" fiefdom from Floris V, Count of HollandFloris 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...
.
Its municipal boundaries were set circa 1300. At that time it was one of the largest municipalities in the Netherlands, but later much land was annexed by surrounding cities, notably Leiden. In 1450, the first bridge between Leiderdorp
Leiderdorp
Leiderdorp is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland near the city of Leiden. It had a population of 26,182 in 2004....
and Zoeterwoude was built. In 1574, Zoeterwoude was burnt to the ground and its polder
Polder
A polder is a low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments known as dikes, that forms an artificial hydrological entity, meaning it has no connection with outside water other than through manually-operated devices...
s inundated by Leideners in order to increase the range of the city's cannons. Almost no inhabitants remained in Zoeterwoude.
Around 1650, Zoeterwoude had been almost rebuilt and 50 years later it was prospering. After 1800, Leiden started a long series of annexations, reducing the land area of Zoeterwoude.
In 1960, the A4 motorway
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...
was built and since 1966 it has been the municipal boundary between Leiden and Zoeterwoude.
Notable people born in Zoeterwoude
- Harm Kamerlingh OnnesHarm Kamerlingh OnnesHarm Henrick Kamerlingh Onnes was a Dutch painter, the nephew of physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes. -Source:* at the Netherlands Institute for Art History....
(1893–1985), artist - Paul van KempenPaul van KempenPaul van Kempen was a Dutch conductor.Van Kempen was born in Zoeterwoude, Netherlands, and later studied at the Amsterdam conservatory from 1910 to 1913, including composition and conducting with Julius Roentgen and Bernard Zweers, as well as violin with Louis Zimmerman...
(1893–1955), violinist and conductor - Bram van VeldeBram van VeldeBram van Velde was a Dutch painter known for an intensely colored and geometric semi-representational painting style related to Tachisme, and Lyrical Abstraction...
(1895–1981), fine-art painter - Jeroen StraathofJeroen StraathofJohannes Nicolaas Maria Straathof is a retired Dutch racing cyclist and speed skater. Straathof was the first, and still the only, athlete in the world to represent his country at the Summer Olympics, the Winter Olympics and the Paralympics.Straathof started his sports career as a speed skater,...
(born 1972), cyclist and speed skater - Suzanne de GoedeSuzanne de GoedeSuzanne de Goede is a Dutch professional racing cyclist. She is currently part of the Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung cycling team.-Palmarès:20002002...
(born 1984), cyclist