Uithoorn
Encyclopedia
Uithoorn is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands
, in the province of North Holland
.
and Uithoorn.
People depended on agriculture and animal husbandry. Agriculture became increasingly more difficult due to the steady soil subsidence
. From circa 1600 on, peat
extraction became important and resulted in the formation of large ponds, which in turn would be made into polders later on.
During the Franco-Dutch War
in the "disaster year" of 1672
, Uithoorn was on the front lines and fortifications were built.
During the Batavian Republic
period, the neighbouring village of Thamen was merged with Uithoorn. Its economy was limited but improved in the middle of the 19th century when some industries (including chemical) were established in the area. The reclamation of a few large ponds provided extra agricultural land at the end of the same century.
Circa 1885, several fortifications were built around Uithoorn as part of the Stelling van Amsterdam
. In 1915 the railway was built through town.
After World War II, Uithoorn developed quickly: in 1948 the Thamerdal neighbourhood was built, followed by Zijdelwaard in 1960, Legmeer in 1972, Meerwijk-West and Meerwijk-Oost from 1985 on. In 1991 a new shopping centre was built in the town centre, at the expense of many original buildings.
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...
, in the 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:...
.
Population centres
The municipality of Uithoorn consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: De KwakelDe Kwakel
De Kwakel is a village in the municipality of Uithoorn, North Holland, the Netherlands, near the border with South Holland. Having 3880 inhabitants in 2006, it's close to Kudelstaart and Aalsmeer....
and Uithoorn.
History
The name De Uithoorn (or also De Uythoorn) was used at the end of the Middle Ages for the location of the lower courts of the deanery of Saint John. The village formed around its courthouse.People depended on agriculture and animal husbandry. Agriculture became increasingly more difficult due to the steady soil subsidence
Subsidence
Subsidence is the motion of a surface as it shifts downward relative to a datum such as sea-level. The opposite of subsidence is uplift, which results in an increase in elevation...
. From circa 1600 on, peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
extraction became important and resulted in the formation of large ponds, which in turn would be made into polders later on.
During the Franco-Dutch War
Franco-Dutch War
The Franco-Dutch War, often called simply the Dutch War was a war fought by France, Sweden, the Bishopric of Münster, the Archbishopric of Cologne and England against the United Netherlands, which were later joined by the Austrian Habsburg lands, Brandenburg and Spain to form a quadruple alliance...
in the "disaster year" of 1672
Rampjaar
The rampjaar was the year 1672 in Dutch history. In that year,the Republic of the Seven United Provinces was after the outbreak of the Franco-Dutch War and the Third Anglo-Dutch War attacked by England, France, and the prince-electors Bernhard von Galen, bishop of Münster and Maximilian Henry of...
, Uithoorn was on the front lines and fortifications were built.
During the Batavian Republic
Batavian Republic
The Batavian Republic was the successor of the Republic of the United Netherlands. It was proclaimed on January 19, 1795, and ended on June 5, 1806, with the accession of Louis Bonaparte to the throne of the Kingdom of Holland....
period, the neighbouring village of Thamen was merged with Uithoorn. Its economy was limited but improved in the middle of the 19th century when some industries (including chemical) were established in the area. The reclamation of a few large ponds provided extra agricultural land at the end of the same century.
Circa 1885, several fortifications were built around Uithoorn as part of the Stelling van Amsterdam
Stelling van Amsterdam
The UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Defence Line of Amsterdam is a 135 km long ring of fortifications around Amsterdam, consisting of 42 forts located between 10 to 15 kilometers the centre, and lowlands that can easily be flooded in time of war...
. In 1915 the railway was built through town.
After World War II, Uithoorn developed quickly: in 1948 the Thamerdal neighbourhood was built, followed by Zijdelwaard in 1960, Legmeer in 1972, Meerwijk-West and Meerwijk-Oost from 1985 on. In 1991 a new shopping centre was built in the town centre, at the expense of many original buildings.
Local government
The municipal council of Uithoorn consists of 21 seats, which are divided as follows:- VVDPeople's Party for Freedom and DemocracyThe People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
- 7 seats - DUS! - 3 seats
- Gemeentebelangen - 3 seats
- CDAChristian Democratic AppealThe Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
- 3 seats - PvdALabour Party (Netherlands)The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...
- 3 seats - Ons Uithoorn - 1 seat
- Groen Uithoorn - 1 seat