Jump to content

Medemblik

Coordinates: 52°41′N 5°2′E / 52.683°N 5.033°E / 52.683; 5.033
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Medemblik
Municipality
Medemblik city centre
Medemblik city centre
Flag of Medemblik
Flag
Coat of arms of Medemblik
Coat of arms
Highlighted position of Medemblik in a municipal map of North Holland
Location in North Holland
Coordinates: 52°41′N 5°2′E / 52.683°N 5.033°E / 52.683; 5.033
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceNorth Holland
Government
[1]
 • BodyMunicipal council
 • MayorMichiel Pijl (CDA)
Area
[2]
 • Total
257.56 km2 (99.44 sq mi)
 • Land121.42 km2 (46.88 sq mi)
 • Water136.14 km2 (52.56 sq mi)
Elevation
[3]
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (January 2021)[4]
 • Total
45,165
 • Density372/km2 (960/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
Parts of 1600 range
Area code0227–0229
Websitewww.medemblik.nl
Map of Medemblik, June 2015

Medemblik (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈmeːdəmblɪk] ⓘ) is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia.[5] It lies immediately south of the polder and former municipality of Wieringermeer.

History

[edit]

Medemblik was a prosperous trading town, when in 1282, Floris V, Count of Holland, successfully invaded West Friesland. He built several fortresses to control the region, one of which was Kasteel Radboud in Medemblik, and awarded Medemblik city rights in 1289. After Floris V was murdered in 1296, the local Frisians besieged the castle, but in 1297 an army from Holland thwarted their efforts to starve out the inhabitants, which included Medemblik citizens.[6]

Several more attacks took place in the following centuries. The most notorious of these happened in June 1517, when Medemblik was attacked from mainland Frisia by about 4000 pirates known as the Arumer Zwarte Hoop, led by Pier Gerlofs Donia and Wijard Jelckama. Many citizens fled to the castle, which the pirates unsuccessfully besieged. Eventually, they took out their fury on the town, which burned to the ground. After this the band continued their marauding path on land throughout present day North Holland.[7]

After Medemblik town walls were constructed in 1572, the castle lost its role as a refuge for the citizens, which led to its partially dismantling in 1578. Over the centuries the castle fell into decay, but in 1889 it became property of the crown and was restored to be used as a courthouse, which function it served until 1934. Anticipating the German invasion, the Rijksmuseum in September 1939 chose the castle as the initial hiding place of Rembrandt's Night Watch.[6]

On 1 January 2007 Medemblik merged with the municipalities of Noorder-Koggenland and Wognum. The new municipality was called Medemblik, even though it was the smallest of the three in population. Again, on 1 January 2011, Medemblik merged with Andijk and Wervershoof into the municipality Medemblik.

The new city hall is the former office building of the DSB Bank in Wognum.

Tourism

[edit]

Medemblik is best known in Europe for its sailing events. Medemblik also has a picturesque small innercity with many 17th and 18th century houses, two big churches, an old orphanage, a town hall and, of course, castle Radboud, which is at the edger of the innercity. The city also hosts the Medemblik steam museum, housed in a decommissioned pumping station.

Transport

[edit]

A heritage railway connects Medemblik with Hoorn.

Local government

[edit]

The municipal council of Medemblik consists of 29 seats, which at the 2022 municipal elections divided as follows:[8]

  • Hart voor Medemblik - 6 seats
  • VVD - 5 seats
  • CDA - 5 seats
  • Gemeentebelangen - 5 seats
  • Morgen! in Medemblik - 4 seats
  • D66 - 2 seats
  • GroenLinks - 1 seat
  • ChristenUnie - 1 seat

Notable people

[edit]
Yvonne Spigt, 2012
  • Jan Albertsz Rotius (1624 in Medemblik – 1666) a Dutch painter
  • A. C. Baantjer (1923 in Urk – 2010) a Dutch author of detective fiction and police officer
  • Jan Vriend (born 1938 in Benningbroek) a Dutch classical music composer, conductor, organist and pianist
  • Wim Cool (born 1943 in Gieten) a Dutch business consultant, mediator and politician
  • Bep Vriend (born 1946 in Andijk) a Dutch bridge player and teacher
  • Willem Vogelsang (born 1956 in Medemblik) academic and reserve soldier
  • John Appel (born 1958 in Wognum) a Dutch documentary filmmaker [9]

Sport

[edit]
[edit]
  • Medemblik, church: de Sint-Martinuskerk
    Medemblik, church: de Sint-Martinuskerk
  • Medemblik, near spoortram station
    Medemblik, near spoortram station
  • Medemblik, church: Grote of Sint Bonifaciuskerk
    Medemblik, church: Grote of Sint Bonifaciuskerk
  • Medemblik Castle on a drawing by Johannes Blaeu
    Medemblik Castle on a drawing by Johannes Blaeu
  • The Lely pumping station, Gemaal Lely
    The Lely pumping station, Gemaal Lely

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Michiel Pijl" (in Dutch). Gemeente Medemblik. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2020" [Key figures for neighbourhoods 2020]. StatLine (in Dutch). CBS. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Postcodetool for 1687CD". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  4. ^ "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Gemeente Medemblik" (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 August 2010.
  6. ^ a b Ben Dijkhuis The Castle at Medemblik
  7. ^ Ben Dijkhuis Grote Pier en de Zwarte Hoop in 1517 (in Dutch)
  8. ^ "Medemblik municipal election 2022". verkiezingsuitslagen.nl (in Dutch). 16 March 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  9. ^ IMDb Database retrieved 9 August 2019
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Medemblik&oldid=1243390166"