Egmond aan Zee
Encyclopedia
Egmond aan Zee is a village on the North Sea
coast in the Dutch
province of North Holland
. It is a part of the municipality of Bergen
, and lies about 9 km west of Alkmaar
.
Egmond aan Zee was a separate municipality until 1978, when it merged with Egmond-Binnen
and Egmond aan den Hoef to form the new municipality Egmond. In turn, Egmond was amalgamated into Bergen on 1 January 2001.
Apart from being dangerous, the sea also gave the people of Egmond food and work, as most inhabitants of Egmond were fishermen. Quite a few sights in Egmond remind one of this; for instance, the "fishermen-houses", which are tiny houses near the sea where fishermen used to live. Another sight is a fishermen monument and the "Prins Hendrik Stichting", a stately building named after a Dutch prince that used to house retired fishermen. The Egmond museum paints a picture of what living in Egmond used to be like.
Egmond aan Zee has been a popular seaside resort since the beginning of the 20th century, when it was well known for its healthy and clear sea air. Children came over to stay in one of the many "koloniehuizen" (colony houses), which were sanatorium-like institutions often run by charities and churches. The centre of attention in Egmond is certainly the Jan van Speijk Lighthouse, built in 1834 and named after Dutch sea captain Jan van Speijk.
The rural Dutch villages of Egmond aan Zee, Egmond aan den Hoef, and Egmond Binnen played host to a small artists' colony beginning in 1881 when the American artist George Hitchcock
settled there. Walter MacEwen, also American, painted there from 1883 to 1885. Another American, Gari Melchers
, arrived in 1884. Melchers continued there for 25 years, recording the people and the rural environment. See Joseph G. Dreiss, Gari Melchers; His Works in the Belmont Collection, Charlottesville, University Press of Virginia, 1984, pp. 11ff.
circuit, and formally sanctioned by the World Darts Federation
. It is usually held in December, at the Hotel Zuiderduin, and is traditionally the last tournament held before the World Championship
.
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
coast in 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...
province of North Holland
North Holland
North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...
. It is a part of the municipality of Bergen
Bergen, North Holland
Bergen is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Its North Sea beaches make it a popular destination for tourists, especially Germans. In 2001, the municipality was expanded to include the former municipalities of Egmond and Schoorl.Since about 1900, Bergen...
, and lies about 9 km west of Alkmaar
Alkmaar
Alkmaar is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of Noord Holland. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination.-History:...
.
Egmond aan Zee was a separate municipality until 1978, when it merged with Egmond-Binnen
Egmond-Binnen
Egmond-Binnen is a village in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Bergen, and lies about southwest of Alkmaar....
and Egmond aan den Hoef to form the new municipality Egmond. In turn, Egmond was amalgamated into Bergen on 1 January 2001.
History
This best-known of the three villages of Egmond was formed in 977 in the coastal dunes. Settlers in this area have battled the sea since the first settlements. During the All Saints' Flood of 1570, some 50 houses disappeared into the sea. And in November 1741, 36 houses and the church and its tower were swallowed by the sea.Apart from being dangerous, the sea also gave the people of Egmond food and work, as most inhabitants of Egmond were fishermen. Quite a few sights in Egmond remind one of this; for instance, the "fishermen-houses", which are tiny houses near the sea where fishermen used to live. Another sight is a fishermen monument and the "Prins Hendrik Stichting", a stately building named after a Dutch prince that used to house retired fishermen. The Egmond museum paints a picture of what living in Egmond used to be like.
Egmond aan Zee has been a popular seaside resort since the beginning of the 20th century, when it was well known for its healthy and clear sea air. Children came over to stay in one of the many "koloniehuizen" (colony houses), which were sanatorium-like institutions often run by charities and churches. The centre of attention in Egmond is certainly the Jan van Speijk Lighthouse, built in 1834 and named after Dutch sea captain Jan van Speijk.
The rural Dutch villages of Egmond aan Zee, Egmond aan den Hoef, and Egmond Binnen played host to a small artists' colony beginning in 1881 when the American artist George Hitchcock
George Hitchcock
George Hitchcock was an American artist, born in Providence, Rhode Island.Hitchcock graduated from the University of Manitoba, and from Harvard Law School in 1874...
settled there. Walter MacEwen, also American, painted there from 1883 to 1885. Another American, Gari Melchers
Gari Melchers
Julius Garibaldi Melchers was an American artist. He was one of the leading American proponents of naturalism.-Biography:...
, arrived in 1884. Melchers continued there for 25 years, recording the people and the rural environment. See Joseph G. Dreiss, Gari Melchers; His Works in the Belmont Collection, Charlottesville, University Press of Virginia, 1984, pp. 11ff.
Statistics
In 2001, the town of Egmond aan Zee had 5086 inhabitants. The built-up area of the town was 0.85 km², and contained 2490 residences.Events
From 1995, Egmond aan Zee has hosted the Zuiderduin Masters, a yearly major darts tournament that features players for the British Darts OrganisationBritish Darts Organisation
The British Darts Organisation, or the BDO for short, is a darts organisation founded on 7 January 1973 by Olly Croft, OBE. The BDO is a founder member of the World Darts Federation which was formed in 1976....
circuit, and formally sanctioned by the World Darts Federation
World Darts Federation
The World Darts Federation Is a sport governing body and tournament organiser for the game of darts. It was formed in 1976, by representatives of fifteen nations. Membership is open to the official National organizing body for Darts in all nations...
. It is usually held in December, at the Hotel Zuiderduin, and is traditionally the last tournament held before the World Championship
BDO World Darts Championship
The BDO World Darts Championship is a world championship competition in darts, organised by the British Darts Organisation . It began in 1978, and was the only world championship tournament until 1994...
.