Bilthoven
Encyclopedia
Bilthoven is a village in the Dutch
province of Utrecht
. It is a part of the municipality of De Bilt
. It has a railway station with connections to Utrecht
, Amersfoort
and Baarn
. It is home to the Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
, RIVM; and to the Union Mundial pro Interlingua
, UMI, which promotes Interlingua
internationally.
The statistical area "Bilthoven", which also can include the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 17560.
-Amersfoort
railway track began operating. A station was placed at the junction of the track line with the Soestdijkseweg. Initially the Dutch railways did not plan a station on this spot.
Around 1900, the first villas appeared round the new station. The train traffic to and from the new station increased strongly at the same time: in 1902, one could take the train in both directions 52 times per day. As a result of this rail connection with the city, and the fact that the land nearby was relatively cheap, the number of villas continued to increase rapidly.
At this time the name of the town was still Bilt-station, but since it was not just a station anymore, the name was changed during a Council meeting on the 23 May 1917. Several names were presented, among which Bilt-Buiten, the Biltwijk and the Leyen. Eventually the name Biltsche Duinen was chosen. However, this name was not accepted by the Dutch railway company. For this reason, on 11 October 1917 another Council meeting was dedicated to the naming of the village. At this Council meeting several names were discussed, such as Leyenhoven, Bilt-Hoog and the Bilthof. The majority of the Council eventually agreed to the name of Bilthoven (which is the plural of Bilthof), which was suggested by Council member Melchior.
: the International Fellowship of Reconciliation
in 1919, Service Civil International
in 1920, and War Resisters' International
in 1921. The founding meetings of all three groups took place at the home of Kees and Betty Boeke
.
The experimental school De Werkplaats Kindergemeenschap, founded by Kees Boeke
, has been based in Bilthoven since 1926.
The Dutch Queen Beatrix
went to school in Bilthoven. She attended the Werkplaats.
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...
province of Utrecht
Utrecht (province)
Utrecht is the smallest province of the Netherlands in terms of area, and is located in the centre of the country. It is bordered by the Eemmeer in the north, Gelderland in the east, the river Rhine in the south, South Holland in the west, and North Holland in the northwest...
. It is a part of the municipality of De Bilt
De Bilt
De Bilt is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht.-Population centres :The municipality of De Bilt consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: Bilthoven, De Bilt, Groenekan, Hollandsche Rading, Maartensdijk, Westbroek...
. It has a railway station with connections to Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, Amersfoort
Amersfoort
Amersfoort is a municipality and the second largest city of the province of Utrecht in central Netherlands. The city is growing quickly but has a well-preserved and protected medieval centre. Amersfoort is one of the largest railway junctions in the country, because of its location on two of the...
and Baarn
Baarn
Baarn is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht.-The municipality Baarn :The municipality of Baarn consists of the following towns: Baarn, Eembrugge, Lage Vuursche.- The town Baarn :...
. It is home to the Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
The Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment , is a Dutch research institute that is an independent agency of the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport....
, RIVM; and to the Union Mundial pro Interlingua
Union Mundial pro Interlingua
The Union Mundial Pro Interlingua , or UMI, is a global organization that promotes Interlingua, an international auxiliary language published in 1951 by the International Auxiliary Language Association . UMI was founded on July 28, 1955, when the first International Interlingua Congress took place...
, UMI, which promotes Interlingua
Interlingua
Interlingua is an international auxiliary language , developed between 1937 and 1951 by the International Auxiliary Language Association...
internationally.
The statistical area "Bilthoven", which also can include the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 17560.
History
The history of the town goes back to 20 August 1843, the day when the UtrechtUtrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
-Amersfoort
Amersfoort
Amersfoort is a municipality and the second largest city of the province of Utrecht in central Netherlands. The city is growing quickly but has a well-preserved and protected medieval centre. Amersfoort is one of the largest railway junctions in the country, because of its location on two of the...
railway track began operating. A station was placed at the junction of the track line with the Soestdijkseweg. Initially the Dutch railways did not plan a station on this spot.
Around 1900, the first villas appeared round the new station. The train traffic to and from the new station increased strongly at the same time: in 1902, one could take the train in both directions 52 times per day. As a result of this rail connection with the city, and the fact that the land nearby was relatively cheap, the number of villas continued to increase rapidly.
At this time the name of the town was still Bilt-station, but since it was not just a station anymore, the name was changed during a Council meeting on the 23 May 1917. Several names were presented, among which Bilt-Buiten, the Biltwijk and the Leyen. Eventually the name Biltsche Duinen was chosen. However, this name was not accepted by the Dutch railway company. For this reason, on 11 October 1917 another Council meeting was dedicated to the naming of the village. At this Council meeting several names were discussed, such as Leyenhoven, Bilt-Hoog and the Bilthof. The majority of the Council eventually agreed to the name of Bilthoven (which is the plural of Bilthof), which was suggested by Council member Melchior.
Significant events
Three international peace groups were founded in Bilthoven in the aftermath of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
: the International Fellowship of Reconciliation
International Fellowship of Reconciliation
The International Fellowship of Reconciliation is an international faith-based nonviolent movement created shortly after the First World War, in 1919, to draw together national Fellowships of Reconciliation that had been founded during the war....
in 1919, Service Civil International
Service Civil International
Service Civil International is an international non-governmental voluntary service organisation and peace movement with 43 branches and groups worldwide...
in 1920, and War Resisters' International
War Resisters' International
War Resisters' International is an international anti-war organization with members and affiliates in over thirty countries. Its headquarters are in London, UK.-History:...
in 1921. The founding meetings of all three groups took place at the home of Kees and Betty Boeke
Kees Boeke
Cornelis Boeke was a Dutch reformist educator, Quaker missionary and pacifist. He is best known for his popular essay/book Cosmic View which presents a seminal view of the universe, from the galactic to the microscopic scale, and inspired several films.Boeke tried to renovate education by letting...
.
The experimental school De Werkplaats Kindergemeenschap, founded by Kees Boeke
Kees Boeke
Cornelis Boeke was a Dutch reformist educator, Quaker missionary and pacifist. He is best known for his popular essay/book Cosmic View which presents a seminal view of the universe, from the galactic to the microscopic scale, and inspired several films.Boeke tried to renovate education by letting...
, has been based in Bilthoven since 1926.
The Dutch Queen Beatrix
Beatrix of the Netherlands
Beatrix is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprising the Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba. She is the first daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She studied law at Leiden University...
went to school in Bilthoven. She attended the Werkplaats.