Schiedam
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| Schiedam | |||
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| Nickname: Brandersstad | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country | The Netherlands | ||
| Province | South Holland | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | W.M. (Wilma) Verver-Aartsen (VVD) | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 19.89 km² (7.7 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 18.18 km² (7 sq mi) | ||
| - Water | 1.71 km² (0.7 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2005) | |||
| - Total | 75,111 | ||
| - Density | 3,768/km² (9,759.1/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CETDST (UTC+2) | ||
| Postcode | 3111 - 3125 | ||
| Website: http://www.schiedam.nl | |||
Schiedam is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands and is part of the Rotterdam metropolitan area. It is well known for the jenever (gin) , its historical center with its canals, and the tallest historical windmills in the world.
In English, the word schiedam (usually without a capital s-) refers to the town's Holland gin, some with internationally renowned brand names like Ketel One.
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[edit] History
Around the year 1250 the river Schie was dammed to protect the polderland from the seawater. The dam attracted trade activities because goods for and from the hinterland had to be transhipped. A small town developed around the dam and its activities.
In the year 1275 Schiedam received city rights from Aleida van Avesnes, sister of William II, count of Holland.
[edit] Geography
The city of Schiedam lies in South Holland, The Netherlands.
It is enclosed between Rotterdam (east), Vlaardingen (west) and the river Nieuwe Maas (south).
[edit] Demographics
[edit] Population
2004 - 75,619
2006 - 75,111
[edit] Museums
- Het Stedelijk Museum (website)
- Het Gedestilleerd Museum (website)
- Het Glasmuseum Schiedam (website)
- Museummolen De Nieuwe Palmboom (website)
- Nationaal Coöperatie Museum Schiedam / 't Winkeltje
- Artmuseum T'Walvisch
[edit] Monuments
- The old city hall (Het Oude stadhuis) (photo)
- The canals of Schiedam
- The Wheat Exchange (De Korenbeurs)
- Church of Saint John (Sint Jan)
- The ruins of the castle Huis te Riviere (photo)
- Saint Lidwina basilica (photo)
- De Plantage
- The Porters' Guild House (Het Zakkendragershuisje)
- Het Proveniershuis
- The six historical windmills of Schiedam, the tallest in the world (website). The tallest of them, De Noord, is in use as a restaurant.
[edit] Sport
Cricket is not the most popular sport in Schiedam[1], but it is more popular than in the most other Dutch cities. The most popular sport in Schiedam is soccer, but also field hockey is popular.
[edit] Known people from Schiedam
- Luke van Jammer - former Dutch Cricket Captain.
- Ali El-kababbi (born ) - footballer
- Willem den Broeder (born 1951) - Surrealist Artist
- Rinus Gosens (born 1920) - footballer
- Erik Jazet (born 1971) - hockey player and coach
- Danny Koevermans (born 1978) - footballer
- Saint Liduina (1380-1433) - Catholic saint
- Robert Maaskant (born 1969) - footballer
- Rien Poortvliet (1932-1995) - sketcher and painter
- Andre van Troost (born 1972) - English County cricketer (Somerset)
- Pieter van Vollenhoven (born 1939) - husband of Princess Margriet of the Netherlands
- Pauline van der Wildt (born 1944) - swimmer
- Elizabeth Winter (born 1946) - member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Canada
- John de Wolf (born 1962) - footballer
[edit] Events
[edit] External links
- http://www.schiedam.nl/ - Official site
- Detailed Falkplan map
- http://www.scyedam.nl/ - Historical Society Schiedam
