Katwijk
Encyclopedia
Katwijk is a coastal municipality and town in the province of South Holland
in the western Netherlands
. It has a population of 61,292.
, northwest of Leiden and 16 km north of The Hague
. The municipality is essentially the area between Leiden and the North Sea. Katwijk lies along the Oude Rijn, which ends at the North Sea in Katwijk aan Zee. It shares its borders with the municipalities of Noordwijk
, Teylingen
, Oegstgeest
, Leiden, and Wassenaar
. Katwijk is by far the largest town in the Duin- en Bollenstreek
("Dune and Bulb Region"). The municipality covers an area of 31.06 km² (11.99 mile²), of which 6.41 km² (2.47 mile²) is water.
Lying on the coast, Katwijk aan Zee is (and has always been) the larger town. Katwijk aan den Rijn lies just slightly inland. Rijnsburg is east of Katwijk aan den Rijn and to the south is Valkenburg. Hoornes-Rijnsoever is north of Katwijk aan Zee.
Although consisting of historically separate towns (except Hoornes-Rijnsoever) that still today maintain separate identities, the towns have more or less grown together and merged into a single conurbation. The creation of the municipality of Katwijk is a recognition of that fact. The town hall of the current municipality of Katwijk is located in Katwijk aan den Rijn, near the boundary of Katwijk aan Zee. All these districts lie along the Oude Rijn.
(Chatti). The Dutch word "wijk" means "area", so the name probably meant something like "the Chatti area".
In Romans times, Katwijk was a place of strategic importance. It was located at the Roman Empire
's northern border, at the mouth of the Rhine river, which in Roman times was larger in this area than it is today. There was a good deal of traffic along the Rhine. Katwijk was also a jumping-off point for the voyage to Britain.
Built during the reign of Emperor Claudius
(41-54), the town's name was Lugdunum Batavorum. The town's name was later associated with the name of the city of Leiden, but this is now thought to be incorrect.
In 1231, the first reference to Catwijck appeared in records.
The history of the modern municipality of Katwijk is essentially the history of its constituent parts, which for each village extends back to Roman times. However, Katwijk aan Zee, Katwijk aan den Rijn and Valkenburg were part of the same heerlijkheid
called "Beide de Katwijken en 't Zand" (or something similar). They have been administratively joined for centuries despite their differing characters. Katwijk aan Zee was a fishing town and Katwijk aan den Rijn had an agricultural character.
During World War II, Katwijk aan Zee was heavily damaged. On May 1, 1942, beach access was no longer permitted and large scale evacuation took place. From October 1943 houses were demolished in relation to the construction of the Atlantic Wall
.
On 1 January 2006, Rijnsburg
and Valkenburg
were also merged into the municipality.
, Haarlem
, Nieuw Vennep and Zoetermeer
. The RijnGouweLijn
is planned to connect Katwijk with Gouda
.
ride can be taken around Lake Valkenburg. Katwijk has many hotels and three camping places, mostly situated in the dune
s.
Ohrid
, Republic of Macedonia
Lowestoft
, UK (until 1990s)
Siegen
, Germany
(since merge with Valkenburg and Rijnsburg)
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...
in the western Netherlands
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...
. It has a population of 61,292.
Location
Katwijk is located on the North SeaNorth 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...
, northwest of Leiden and 16 km north of The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. The municipality is essentially the area between Leiden and the North Sea. Katwijk lies along the Oude Rijn, which ends at the North Sea in Katwijk aan Zee. It shares its borders with the municipalities of Noordwijk
Noordwijk
Noordwijk is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 51.53 km² and had a population of 24,707 in May 2006....
, Teylingen
Teylingen
Teylingen is a municipality in the province of South Holland, the Netherlands. It was created on January 1, 2006, through the amalgamation of Sassenheim, Voorhout, and Warmond...
, Oegstgeest
Oegstgeest
Oegstgeest is a town and municipality in the province of South Holland in the western Netherlands. Its population was 22,576 in 2008.-Location :...
, Leiden, and Wassenaar
Wassenaar
Wassenaar is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. A fairly affluent suburb of The Hague, Wassenaar lies 10 km north of that city on the N44 highway near the North Sea coast. It is part of the Haaglanden region...
. Katwijk is by far the largest town in the Duin- en Bollenstreek
Duin- en Bollenstreek
The Duin- en Bollenstreek is a region in South Holland, The Netherlands, that features coastal dunes and the cultivation of flower bulbs. Situated at the heart of historical Holland between Leiden and Haarlem, the combination of beaches, flower fields, lakes and history makes this area attractive...
("Dune and Bulb Region"). The municipality covers an area of 31.06 km² (11.99 mile²), of which 6.41 km² (2.47 mile²) is water.
Composition
The town consists of a number of districts, including namesakes Katwijk aan den Rijn and Katwijk aan Zee. On 1 January 2005 the various districts had the following populations:- Katwijk aan den RijnKatwijk aan den RijnNote: parts of this article have been translated from the Dutch version of this page.Katwijk aan den Rijn is a population centre in the municipality of Katwijk in the province of South Holland, in The Netherlands, with approximately 6020 inhabitants. Katwijk aan den Rijn lies between Katwijk aan...
(5,916) - Katwijk aan ZeeKatwijk aan ZeeKatwijk aan Zee is a seaside resort located on the North Sea at the mouth of the Oude Rijn. It is situated in the municipality of Katwijk and the province of South Holland.- History :...
(22,405) - Hoornes-Rijnsoever (13,845)
- RijnsburgRijnsburgRijnsburg is a community in the eastern part of the city Katwijk, in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The name means Rhines Burg in Dutch.-History:...
(15,450) - ValkenburgValkenburg (South Holland)Valkenburg is a village and former municipality in the province of South Holland, in thewestern Netherlands. Valkenburg is now part of the municipality Katwijk....
(3,904)
Lying on the coast, Katwijk aan Zee is (and has always been) the larger town. Katwijk aan den Rijn lies just slightly inland. Rijnsburg is east of Katwijk aan den Rijn and to the south is Valkenburg. Hoornes-Rijnsoever is north of Katwijk aan Zee.
Although consisting of historically separate towns (except Hoornes-Rijnsoever) that still today maintain separate identities, the towns have more or less grown together and merged into a single conurbation. The creation of the municipality of Katwijk is a recognition of that fact. The town hall of the current municipality of Katwijk is located in Katwijk aan den Rijn, near the boundary of Katwijk aan Zee. All these districts lie along the Oude Rijn.
History
The name "Katwijk" probably has its origins in the name of a Germanic tribe called the ChattenChatti
The Chatti were an ancient Germanic tribe whose homeland was near the upper Weser. They settled in central and northern Hesse and southern Lower Saxony, along the upper reaches of the Weser River and in the valleys and mountains of the Eder, Fulda and Weser River regions, a district approximately...
(Chatti). The Dutch word "wijk" means "area", so the name probably meant something like "the Chatti area".
In Romans times, Katwijk was a place of strategic importance. It was located at the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
's northern border, at the mouth of the Rhine river, which in Roman times was larger in this area than it is today. There was a good deal of traffic along the Rhine. Katwijk was also a jumping-off point for the voyage to Britain.
Built during the reign of Emperor Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
(41-54), the town's name was Lugdunum Batavorum. The town's name was later associated with the name of the city of Leiden, but this is now thought to be incorrect.
In 1231, the first reference to Catwijck appeared in records.
The history of the modern municipality of Katwijk is essentially the history of its constituent parts, which for each village extends back to Roman times. However, Katwijk aan Zee, Katwijk aan den Rijn and Valkenburg were part of the same heerlijkheid
Heerlijkheid
A heerlijkheid was the basic administrative and judicial unit in rural areas in Dutch-speaking lands before 1800. It originated in the feudal subdivision of government authority in the Middle Ages. The closest English equivalents of the word are "seigniory" and "manor"...
called "Beide de Katwijken en 't Zand" (or something similar). They have been administratively joined for centuries despite their differing characters. Katwijk aan Zee was a fishing town and Katwijk aan den Rijn had an agricultural character.
During World War II, Katwijk aan Zee was heavily damaged. On May 1, 1942, beach access was no longer permitted and large scale evacuation took place. From October 1943 houses were demolished in relation to the construction of the Atlantic Wall
Atlantic Wall
The Atlantic Wall was an extensive system of coastal fortifications built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944 along the western coast of Europe as a defense against an anticipated Allied invasion of the mainland continent from Great Britain.-History:On March 23, 1942 Führer Directive Number 40...
.
On 1 January 2006, Rijnsburg
Rijnsburg
Rijnsburg is a community in the eastern part of the city Katwijk, in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The name means Rhines Burg in Dutch.-History:...
and Valkenburg
Valkenburg (South Holland)
Valkenburg is a village and former municipality in the province of South Holland, in thewestern Netherlands. Valkenburg is now part of the municipality Katwijk....
were also merged into the municipality.
Public transportation
Katwijk is the largest town in the Netherlands without a railway station. The nearest railway stations are Voorhout and Leiden. Katwijk is connected by bus with Voorhout, Leiden, The HagueThe Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, 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...
, Nieuw Vennep and Zoetermeer
Zoetermeer
Zoetermeer is a city in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 37.06 km² . A small village until the late 1960s, it had 6,392 inhabitants in 1950...
. The RijnGouweLijn
RijnGouweLijn
The RijnGouweLijn or RGL is originally a plan for a light rail project in South Holland, Netherlands, with partly new rail tracks and partly using existing rail tracks of the Gouda–Alphen aan den Rijn railway and the Woerden–Leiden railway....
is planned to connect Katwijk with Gouda
Gouda
Gouda is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Gouda, which was granted city rights in 1272, is famous for its Gouda cheese, smoking pipes, and 15th-century city hall....
.
People born in Katwijk
- Cees de VreugdCees de VreugdCees de Vreugd, also known as "Kees de Vreugd" was a butcher, strongman and powerlifter from Katwijk, the Netherlands. He finished 3rd at the World's Strongest Man games in 1985....
, (1952–1998) strongman and powerlifter - Dirk KuytDirk KuytDirk Kuyt is a Dutch footballer who plays for English club Liverpool. He started his career as a striker, but he has been converted into a winger and plays the position for both Liverpool and the Netherlands national team....
, famous Dutch footballer, currently playing at Liverpool F.C.Liverpool F.C.Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... - Esther OuwehandEsther OuwehandEsther Ouwehand is a Dutch politician and former marketing manager. She is one of the two Members of Parliament for the Party for the Animals .- Personal life :...
, Dutch politician, parliamentarian for the Party for the AnimalsParty for the AnimalsThe Party for the Animals is a political party in the Netherlands.Among its main goals are animal rights and animal welfare, though it claims not to be a single-issue party... - Elianne Smit, Dutch fashionmodel
- Jan Gesink, Dutch nude model and porn actor
- Charley Toorop (1891–1955), Dutch painter
- Diana van der Tuuk, TV personality
- Jeffrey TalanJeffrey TalanJeffrey Dennis Talan is a former football striker and winger from the Netherlands, who obtained eight caps for the Netherlands national football team, in which he scored once. He played club football for ADO Den Haag and SC Heerenveen .-References:...
, Former professional footballer and Dutch international
Tourist attractions
Katwijk is a seaside resort with a wide sandy beach. Its attractivenes is mainly due to its laid-back atmosphere. The boulevard along the shore is not spoiled by large hotels or appartment blocks and has not given in to an excessive commercialisation. Although most buildings lining the boulevard are tourist appartments and pensions, most are just three floors high (and none more than 5) and offer a distinctive 'feel' of the 1950s. Besides the beach, there are a few museums in Katwijk, like the old fishermans museum Katwijks Museum and the Spinoza-museum. A few kilometers inland there is a narrow gauge museum where a museum steam locomotiveSteam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
ride can be taken around Lake Valkenburg. Katwijk has many hotels and three camping places, mostly situated in the dune
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
s.
Sister cities
OhridOhrid
Ohrid is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia. It has about 42,000 inhabitants, making it the seventh largest city in the country. The city is the seat of Ohrid Municipality. Ohrid is notable for having once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year and has...
, Republic of Macedonia
Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
, UK (until 1990s)
Siegen
Siegen
Siegen is a city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia.It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg region...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(since merge with Valkenburg and Rijnsburg)
External links
- Official Website
- Alles over Katwijk
- Public transport information site
- Site for the youth of Katwijk
- http://www.sdu.nl/staatscourant/gemeentes/gem255zh.htm
- Map of the Municipality of Katwijk on Google Maps
- Detailed Cito-plan map
- History of Katwijk
- Website of Katwijker Motor