IJmuiden
Encyclopedia
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IJmuiden (ˌɛi̯ˈmœy̯də(n), approx. ei mouden) is a port city in the Dutch
province of North Holland
, and it is the main town of the municipality of Velsen
. It is located at the start of the North Sea Canal
to Amsterdam
, and is approximately 17 kilometres (10 mi) north of Haarlem
.
ed lake of Wijkermeer indicate there was a North Sea
port of some regional importance built here. Present day IJmuiden includes four harbors: the vissershaven (Ship's code IJM), a fishing dock (visafslag), the haringhaven, the IJmondhaven and the Seaport Marina IJmuiden, a harbour for pleasure craft. IJmuiden became the largest fishing port of the Netherlands after the island of Urk
became closed in by the Afsluitdijk
. The town suffered heavy damage and demolition during World War II
, because of its maritime importance.
was officially opened by William III of the Netherlands
, connecting the Amsterdam
harbors to the open sea. He dubbed the town "IJmuiden" after passing the locks from the North Sea into the canal. After his ship, the paddle steamer
'Stad Breda' built by the Stoomvaart Maatschappij Zeeland
, passed, the first ship from Amsterdam, the 'SS Rembrandt' built by the Royal Netherlands Steamship Company (KNSM), passed the other way. The workers who dug the canal later settled there; they found work after the canal was finished in the fishing industry, but many also suffered extreme poverty. Before the present IJmuiden was built, the area was known as Breesaap; it was a desolate plain where only a handful of farmers strived to make a living. In 1851 the whole area was sold to the entrepreneurs Bik and Arnold, who finally set into motion plans that had been drawn up already since 1626. The first spade hit the ground on 8 April 1865.
The IJmuiden name literally means “mouth of the IJ
”, which is a hint to the importance the town has for the Amsterdam
harbor. The name “IJmuiden” first appeared as IJ-muiden in lines written in 1848 by the professor
and journalist
(and, later, a liberal
finance minister
in the Van Lynden van Sandenburg Cabinet
) Simon Vissering. The present IJmuiden form was eventually adopted in 1876, as the North Sea Canal
was being completed in this section.
In 1890 it had about 1,500 inhabitants, but boomed when the Koninklijke Nederlandse Hoogovens steelworks
settled in IJmuiden in 1918. At that time shipping was at a low, because during World War I
minesweepers laid many mines off the coast of IJmuiden. Also the canal mouth needed constant dredging due to the littoral drift in both directions on an open, sandy coast, due to winds blowing alternately from opposite quarters, sand accumulates in the sheltered angles outside the harbour between each converging breakwater and the shore.
After the war, the town was rebuilt according to a plan by the architect Willem Marinus Dudok
. The statistical area IJmuiden, which includes the surrounding countryside, has a population of 30,466. The headquarters of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij
is located in IJmuiden.
connects the North Sea with the IJ Bay
in Amsterdam
, and the importance of this ship canal has been recognized with the introduction of the "Holland Route" along the canal by the European Route of Industrial Heritage
(ERIH). The places to see on this route are the Hoogovens Museum, the system of sluice gates at the mouth of the canal, and the Zee- en Haven Museum in IJmuiden.
Besides the Velsen
Municipality Hall (Raadhuis van de gemeente Velsen), designed by the architect Willem Dudok as a centerpiece to his plan for a new IJmuiden, important sights in IJmuiden are the North Sea
locks
. The latter are among the largest in the world and one set is able to close off a shipping lane 50 metres (164 ft) wide and 12 meters (39 ft) deep. There are plans to enlarge or build a new set to facilitate passage for even larger vessels.
DFDS Seaways serve a route between Amsterdam
and Newcastle
via IJmuiden. A new roll-on/roll-off ferry route between IJmuiden and Great Yarmouth
in the United Kingdom
was considered. Any plans in that direction appear to have been abandoned by the relevant authorities.
< Unicode IJ (U+0132) / ij (U+0133). Though these characters obviously exist their >
< use is officially discouraged. They are mentioned in the sections "encoding" >
< and "keyboards" [in IJ (digraph) ] and that should remain the only places where they are used. >
< Richardw NL / 2007-10-15T0717 (copied here from IJ (digraph) by ~~~~) >
< -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->
IJmuiden (ˌɛi̯ˈmœy̯də(n), approx. ei mouden) is a port city 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:...
, and it is the main town of the municipality of Velsen
Velsen
Velsen is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is located on both sides of the North Sea Canal.On the north side of the North Sea Canal, in IJmuiden, there is a major steel plant, Corus Strip Products IJmuiden, formerly known as Koninklijke Hoogovens...
. It is located at the start of the North Sea Canal
North Sea Canal
The North Sea Canal is a Dutch ship canal from Amsterdam to the North Sea at IJmuiden, constructed between 1865 and 1876 to enable seafaring vessels to reach the port of Amsterdam...
to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, and is approximately 17 kilometres (10 mi) north of Haarlem
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
.
History
In the Roman era, this Velsen district was already inhabited, and archeological finds at the impolderPolder
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...
ed lake of Wijkermeer indicate there was a North Sea
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...
port of some regional importance built here. Present day IJmuiden includes four harbors: the vissershaven (Ship's code IJM), a fishing dock (visafslag), the haringhaven, the IJmondhaven and the Seaport Marina IJmuiden, a harbour for pleasure craft. IJmuiden became the largest fishing port of the Netherlands after the island of Urk
Urk
Urk is a municipality and a town in the Flevoland province in the central Netherlands.Urk is first mentioned in historical records dating to the 10th century, when it was still an island in the Almere, a lake that would become part of the Zuiderzee in the 13th century after a series of incursions...
became closed in by the Afsluitdijk
Afsluitdijk
The Afsluitdijk is a major causeway in the Netherlands, constructed between 1927 and 1933 and running from Den Oever on Wieringen in North Holland province, to the village of Zurich in Friesland province, over a length of and a width of 90 m, at an initial height of 7.25 m above sea-level.It is...
. The town suffered heavy damage and demolition during 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...
, because of its maritime importance.
Mouth of the IJ
IJmuiden is the newest city in North Holland, and only came into existence on November 1, 1876, when the North Sea CanalNorth Sea Canal
The North Sea Canal is a Dutch ship canal from Amsterdam to the North Sea at IJmuiden, constructed between 1865 and 1876 to enable seafaring vessels to reach the port of Amsterdam...
was officially opened by William III of the Netherlands
William III of the Netherlands
William III was from 1849 King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg until his death and the Duke of Limburg until the abolition of the Duchy in 1866.-Early life:William was born in Brussels as son of William II of the Netherlands and...
, connecting the Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
harbors to the open sea. He dubbed the town "IJmuiden" after passing the locks from the North Sea into the canal. After his ship, the paddle steamer
Paddle steamer
A paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...
'Stad Breda' built by the Stoomvaart Maatschappij Zeeland
Stoomvaart Maatschappij Zeeland
Stoomvaart Maatschappij Zeeland was a Dutch ferry operator that ran services from Hook of Holland to Harwich between 1875 and 1989.-History:The Stoomvaart Maatschappij Zeeland was founded in 1875....
, passed, the first ship from Amsterdam, the 'SS Rembrandt' built by the Royal Netherlands Steamship Company (KNSM), passed the other way. The workers who dug the canal later settled there; they found work after the canal was finished in the fishing industry, but many also suffered extreme poverty. Before the present IJmuiden was built, the area was known as Breesaap; it was a desolate plain where only a handful of farmers strived to make a living. In 1851 the whole area was sold to the entrepreneurs Bik and Arnold, who finally set into motion plans that had been drawn up already since 1626. The first spade hit the ground on 8 April 1865.
The IJmuiden name literally means “mouth of the IJ
IJ (bay)
The IJ is a river, formerly a bay, in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is known for being Amsterdam's waterfront. The name derives from the generic Germanic term for "water" and is similar to other Aa/Ee names for bodies of water. In Dutch, the name consists of the digraph ij, which is...
”, which is a hint to the importance the town has for the Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
harbor. The name “IJmuiden” first appeared as IJ-muiden in lines written in 1848 by the professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
(and, later, a liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
finance minister
Finance minister
The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government.A minister of finance has many different jobs in a government. He or she helps form the government budget, stimulate the economy, and control finances...
in the Van Lynden van Sandenburg Cabinet
Cabinet of the Netherlands
The cabinet of the Netherlands is the main executive body of the Dutch government. The current cabinet of the Netherlands is the Rutte cabinet.-Composition and role:...
) Simon Vissering. The present IJmuiden form was eventually adopted in 1876, as the North Sea Canal
North Sea Canal
The North Sea Canal is a Dutch ship canal from Amsterdam to the North Sea at IJmuiden, constructed between 1865 and 1876 to enable seafaring vessels to reach the port of Amsterdam...
was being completed in this section.
In 1890 it had about 1,500 inhabitants, but boomed when the Koninklijke Nederlandse Hoogovens steelworks
Koninklijke Hoogovens
Koninklijke Hoogovens was a Dutch steel producer founded in 1918. In 1999, the company merged with British Steel to create Corus Group steel company. In 2007, Corus Group was purchased by India-based Tata Steel.- History :On April 19, 1917, H.J.E...
settled in IJmuiden in 1918. At that time shipping was at a low, because during World War I
World 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...
minesweepers laid many mines off the coast of IJmuiden. Also the canal mouth needed constant dredging due to the littoral drift in both directions on an open, sandy coast, due to winds blowing alternately from opposite quarters, sand accumulates in the sheltered angles outside the harbour between each converging breakwater and the shore.
WWII
When the second world war began, on May 12, 1940 the Dutch royal couple left the country at 23.00 in the evening on board the H.M.S. Codrington from IJmuiden to England. The quays at IJmuiden were crowded at that time with people desperate to be transported across the channel, sometimes at great expense. During the German occupation the canal was out of operation and the Germans destroyed most of IJmuiden to create their Festung IJmuiden. The story of IJmuiden during the war period can be viewed in the Bunker Museum IJmuiden.After the war, the town was rebuilt according to a plan by the architect Willem Marinus Dudok
Willem Marinus Dudok
Willem Marinus Dudok , was a Dutch modernist architect, best known for the brick Hilversum City Hall....
. The statistical area IJmuiden, which includes the surrounding countryside, has a population of 30,466. The headquarters of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij
Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij
The Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution is the voluntary organization in the Netherlands tasked with saving lives at sea. For that purpose, it maintains 39 lifeboat stations along the Dutch coast of the North Sea and Wadden Sea and on the IJsselmeer...
is located in IJmuiden.
North Holland's gate to the North Sea
The North Sea CanalNorth Sea Canal
The North Sea Canal is a Dutch ship canal from Amsterdam to the North Sea at IJmuiden, constructed between 1865 and 1876 to enable seafaring vessels to reach the port of Amsterdam...
connects the North Sea with the IJ Bay
IJ (bay)
The IJ is a river, formerly a bay, in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is known for being Amsterdam's waterfront. The name derives from the generic Germanic term for "water" and is similar to other Aa/Ee names for bodies of water. In Dutch, the name consists of the digraph ij, which is...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, and the importance of this ship canal has been recognized with the introduction of the "Holland Route" along the canal by the European Route of Industrial Heritage
European Route of Industrial Heritage
The European Route of Industrial Heritage is a network of the most important industrial heritage sites in Europe. The aim of the project is to create interest for the common European Heritage of the Industrialisation and its remains...
(ERIH). The places to see on this route are the Hoogovens Museum, the system of sluice gates at the mouth of the canal, and the Zee- en Haven Museum in IJmuiden.
Besides the Velsen
Velsen
Velsen is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is located on both sides of the North Sea Canal.On the north side of the North Sea Canal, in IJmuiden, there is a major steel plant, Corus Strip Products IJmuiden, formerly known as Koninklijke Hoogovens...
Municipality Hall (Raadhuis van de gemeente Velsen), designed by the architect Willem Dudok as a centerpiece to his plan for a new IJmuiden, important sights in IJmuiden are the North Sea
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...
locks
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
. The latter are among the largest in the world and one set is able to close off a shipping lane 50 metres (164 ft) wide and 12 meters (39 ft) deep. There are plans to enlarge or build a new set to facilitate passage for even larger vessels.
DFDS Seaways serve a route between Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
via IJmuiden. A new roll-on/roll-off ferry route between IJmuiden and Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth Outer Harbour
Great Yarmouth Outer Harbour is a port constructed on the east coast of England at Great Yarmouth. Construction work on the Outer Harbour began in June 2007...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
was considered. Any plans in that direction appear to have been abandoned by the relevant authorities.
