Giethmen

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The village (dark red) and the statistical district (light green) of Giethmen in the municipality of Ommen.

Giethmen (52°30′N, 6°24′E) is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Ommen, and lies about 21 km east of Zwolle.

The statistical area "Giethmen", which also can include the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 170.^[1]

[edit] Giethemer Kerkpad

Giethmen is known for its kerkpad, or church path, an old trail which leads from Giethmen to Ommen. Because Giethmen does not have its own church, its inhabitants used to walk (and later bicycle) up and down to Ommen twice every Sunday. The trail's pedestrian bridge across the Regge has become an icon for Giethmen. Today the Giethemer Kerkpad is part of a popular hiking and bicycle trail.

[edit] Nieuwebrug

For centuries during the Middle-Ages, the Estates of Overijssel - a diet or feudal parliament, representing the knighthoods of Salland, Vollenhove and Twenthe (and, until 1527, also Drenthe) and the cities of Zwolle, Deventer and Kampen - convened in Giethmen at Nieuwebrug (or New Bridge), named after the bridge over the Regge on the road between Ommen and Hellendoorn. Following a feud between Kampen and Zwolle in 1519, however, the Estates were attacked by citizens of Zwolle, who abducted three noblemen and pillaged the nearby Eerde castle. During the years that followed, conflict escalated in Overijssel.^[2]

In 1556, the States met again at Nieuwebrug to discuss whether to depose King Philip II.

[edit] References

1. ^ Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Statline: Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2003-2005. As of January 1, 2005.
2. ^ Dieks Horsman, "Nieuwebrug, geen echte buurtschap... en toch een gezellige buurt" in De Darde Klokke No. 117, page 28 (in Dutch)