Aalsmeer
Encyclopedia
Aalsmeer is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands
, in the province of North Holland
. Its name is derived from the Dutch
for eel (aal) and lake (meer). Aalsmeer is bordered by the Westeinderplassen
lake, the largest open water of the Randstad
, and the Ringvaart
Canal. The town is located 13 km (8 mi) southwest of Amsterdam
.
Because the largest flower auction in the world is based in Aalsmeer, along with numerous nurseries
and an experimental station for floriculture
, the town is sometimes referred to as the flower capital of the world.
. Diederik VII van Kleef confirmed this grant in an act in 1199. The area was then a wilderness with alders and willow forests.
In its surroundings, large tracks of land were dug up for peat, creating large lakes and ponds such as Oosteinderpoel (East End Pool), Schinkelpoel (Schinkel Pool), Stommeer (Stom Lake), Hornmeer (Horn Lake), Legmeer (Leg Lake), and the Westeinderplassen (West End Ponds). This left little land for agriculture, causing Aalsmeer's inhabitants to switch to fishery. The land was cultivated intensely, mostly for tree nurseries
.
The lack of dry land was countered by reclaiming some of the lakes, starting with Stom Lake in 1650, and followed by Horn Lake in 1674. In 1852, the large Haarlem Lake
, bordering on Aalsmeer, was made into a polder. Then followed Schinkelpoel, Oosteinderpoel, and Legmeer. Peat was no longer dug up and the fishing business declined. Yet horticulture increased, especially strawberry cultivation, which peaked between 1850 and 1885. The strawberry became the symbol for the flag of Aalsmeer: red (fruit), green (leaf), and black (soil). The cultivation of flowers began circa 1880, first with roses in greenhouses.
The growers would sell their strawberries and flowers to distributors who would bring it with barges to the market in Amsterdam. But the trade shifted to Aalsmeer where auctions began to be held in local cafés. In 1912 two auction businesses were established: Centrale Aalsmeerse Veiling (Central Aalsmeer Auction) in the town's centre and Bloemenlust in Aalsmeer East.
mayor and a handful of fascist supporters. The highest supreme commander of the German Wehrmacht
in the Netherlands, Friedrich Christiansen
, was a regular visitor. Following the war, more than a hundred court cases were held against Nazi supporters from Aalsmeer.
(United Flower Auctions Aalsmeer). In 1972 a new large auction building was completed in South Aalsmeer and expanded in 1999.
The current mayor is Pieter Litjens (VVD
), who succeeded J. Hoffscholte (VVD
) in May 2007.
All of these services are very frequent, half hourly or more frequent.
The Endemol
television studios are located in the former Central Auction building. The Bloemenlust building is nowadays a sports, event, and congress centre
. Dominating the Ringvaart canal are the large building halls of Royal De Vries
Scheepsbouw.
), every first Saturday in September. After 60 years, this tradition has been discontinued in 2007. Other annual events are the "Pramenrace", every second Saturday in September and the Bands Night (Bandjesavond) in June.
Living in Aalsmeer
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:...
. Its name is derived from the Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
for eel (aal) and lake (meer). Aalsmeer is bordered by the Westeinderplassen
Westeinderplassen
The Westeinderplassen are a complex of lakes belonging mostly to the territory of Aalsmeer, the Netherlands. Their total area is circa 10 km2, making it the largest freshwater body of water in the Randstad area.-Geography:...
lake, the largest open water of the Randstad
Randstad
Image:Randstad_with_scale.png|400px|thumb|right|Clickable schematic map of the Randstadcircle 528 380 26 Schipholrect 426 356 498 436 Haarlemmermeerrect 399 166 479 245 Velsencircle 250 716 32 Delftcircle 220 642 60 The Hague...
, and the Ringvaart
Ringvaart
The Ringvaart is a canal in the province of North Holland, the Netherlands. The Ringvaart is a true circular canal surrounding the Haarlemmermeer polder and forms the boundary of the Haarlemmermeer municipality...
Canal. The town is located 13 km (8 mi) southwest of 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...
.
Because the largest flower auction in the world is based in Aalsmeer, along with numerous nurseries
Nursery (horticulture)
A nursery is a place where plants are propagated and grown to usable size. They include retail nurseries which sell to the general public, wholesale nurseries which sell only to businesses such as other nurseries and to commercial gardeners, and private nurseries which supply the needs of...
and an experimental station for floriculture
Floriculture
Floriculture, or flower farming, is a discipline of horticulture concerned with the cultivation of flowering and ornamental plants for gardens and for floristry, comprising the floral industry...
, the town is sometimes referred to as the flower capital of the world.
Population centres
The municipality of Aalsmeer consists of the following cities, towns, and villages: Aalsmeer, Kudelstaart, Oosteinde, as well as the hamlet Calslagen.History
Aalsmeer is first referenced in a document from 1133 in which it is called "Alsmar" and is granted to the Abbey of RijnsburgRijnsburg
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:...
. Diederik VII van Kleef confirmed this grant in an act in 1199. The area was then a wilderness with alders and willow forests.
In its surroundings, large tracks of land were dug up for peat, creating large lakes and ponds such as Oosteinderpoel (East End Pool), Schinkelpoel (Schinkel Pool), Stommeer (Stom Lake), Hornmeer (Horn Lake), Legmeer (Leg Lake), and the Westeinderplassen (West End Ponds). This left little land for agriculture, causing Aalsmeer's inhabitants to switch to fishery. The land was cultivated intensely, mostly for tree nurseries
Nursery (horticulture)
A nursery is a place where plants are propagated and grown to usable size. They include retail nurseries which sell to the general public, wholesale nurseries which sell only to businesses such as other nurseries and to commercial gardeners, and private nurseries which supply the needs of...
.
The lack of dry land was countered by reclaiming some of the lakes, starting with Stom Lake in 1650, and followed by Horn Lake in 1674. In 1852, the large Haarlem Lake
Haarlemmermeer
Haarlemmermeer is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is a polder, consisting of land reclaimed from water, and the name Haarlemmermeer means Haarlem's Lake, still referring to the body of water from which the region was reclaimed in the 19th century.Its main...
, bordering on Aalsmeer, was made into a polder. Then followed Schinkelpoel, Oosteinderpoel, and Legmeer. Peat was no longer dug up and the fishing business declined. Yet horticulture increased, especially strawberry cultivation, which peaked between 1850 and 1885. The strawberry became the symbol for the flag of Aalsmeer: red (fruit), green (leaf), and black (soil). The cultivation of flowers began circa 1880, first with roses in greenhouses.
The growers would sell their strawberries and flowers to distributors who would bring it with barges to the market in Amsterdam. But the trade shifted to Aalsmeer where auctions began to be held in local cafés. In 1912 two auction businesses were established: Centrale Aalsmeerse Veiling (Central Aalsmeer Auction) in the town's centre and Bloemenlust in Aalsmeer East.
World War II
During the Second World War, Aalsmeer gained a reputation for its Nazi support, mostly because of its fanatical National SocialisticNational Socialist Movement in the Netherlands
The National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands was a Dutch fascist and later national socialist political party. As a parliamentary party participating in legislative elections, the NSB had some success during the 1930s...
mayor and a handful of fascist supporters. The highest supreme commander of the German Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
in the Netherlands, Friedrich Christiansen
Friedrich Christiansen
Friedrich Christiansen was a World War I German seaplane ace who claimed shooting down twenty planes and an airship; thirteen of those victories were confirmed...
, was a regular visitor. Following the war, more than a hundred court cases were held against Nazi supporters from Aalsmeer.
Post war
In 1950 Aalsmeer had 12500 inhabitants. In 1968 the two auction businesses merged and formed the Verenigde Bloemenveilingen AalsmeerAalsmeer Flower Auction
Aalsmeer Flower Auction is a flower auction, located in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands.It is the largest flower auction in the world. The auction building of the flower auction in Aalsmeer is the 4th largest building in the world, in terms of floorspace, covering 990,000 m²...
(United Flower Auctions Aalsmeer). In 1972 a new large auction building was completed in South Aalsmeer and expanded in 1999.
Local government
The municipal council of Aalsmeer consists of 19 seats, which are divided as follows:- Christian Democratic AppealChristian 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...
(CDA) - 6 seats - de Progressieve Aalsmeerse Combinatie Tweeduizend Aalsmeer (PACT) - 5 seats
- Aalsmeerse Belangen (AB) - 4 seats
- People's Party for Freedom and DemocracyPeople'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...
(VVD) - 4 seats
The current mayor is Pieter Litjens (VVD
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
The 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...
), who succeeded J. Hoffscholte (VVD
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
The 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...
) in May 2007.
Public transportation
The bus interchange in Aalsmeer is called the Hortensiaplein, where the buses meet. These services are:- 140 - UithoornUithoornUithoorn is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.-Population centres :The municipality of Uithoorn consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: De Kwakel and Uithoorn.- History :...
- Aalsmeer - Hoofddorp StationHoofddorp railway stationHoofddorp is a railway station in Hoofddorp, Noord Holland, the Netherlands.The station is on the Amsterdam - Schiphol - Leiden Centraal - Den Haag - Rotterdam main line.-History:...
- HoofddorpHoofddorpHoofddorp is the main town of the Haarlemmermeer municipality in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands. In 2009, the population was just over 73,000...
- HeemstedeHeemstedeHeemstede is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.-History :Heemstede formed around the Castle Heemstede that was built on the Spaarne River around 1286. Before 1296, Floris V, Count of Holland, granted Heemstede as a fiefdom to Reinier of Holy...
- HaarlemHaarlemHaarlem 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...
- Haarlem Station - 171 - Kudelstaart - Aalsmeer - BovenkerkBovenkerkBovenkerk is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Vlist, and lies about 7 km southeast of Gouda....
- AmstelveenAmstelveen' is a suburban municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is part of the metropolitan area of Amsterdam. The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the following villages and/or districts: Amstelveen, Bovenkerk, Westwijk, Bankras-Kostverloren, Groenelaan, Waardhuizen,...
- Amsterdam Zuid Station - 172 - Kudelstaart - Aalsmeer - AmstelveenAmstelveen' is a suburban municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is part of the metropolitan area of Amsterdam. The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the following villages and/or districts: Amstelveen, Bovenkerk, Westwijk, Bankras-Kostverloren, Groenelaan, Waardhuizen,...
- AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam 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...
City Centre - Amsterdam Centraal - 178 - Aalsmeer - AalsmeerderbrugAalsmeerderbrugAalsmeerderbrug is a hamlet in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, and lies about southeast of Hoofddorp.Aalsmeerderbrug has a population of around 500....
- RijsenhoutRijsenhoutRijsenhout is a town in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Haarlemmermeer, and lies about 6 km southeast of Hoofddorp....
- Hoofddorp StationHoofddorp railway stationHoofddorp is a railway station in Hoofddorp, Noord Holland, the Netherlands.The station is on the Amsterdam - Schiphol - Leiden Centraal - Den Haag - Rotterdam main line.-History:...
- HoofddorpHoofddorpHoofddorp is the main town of the Haarlemmermeer municipality in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands. In 2009, the population was just over 73,000... - 188 - UithoornUithoornUithoorn is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.-Population centres :The municipality of Uithoorn consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: De Kwakel and Uithoorn.- History :...
- Aalsmeer - Amsterdam Schiphol AirportAmsterdam Schiphol AirportAmsterdam Airport Schiphol ) is the Netherlands' main international airport, located 20 minutes southwest of Amsterdam, in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer. The airport's official English name, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, reflects the original Dutch word order...
(Schiphol Sternet) - 198 - Aalsmeer - Amsterdam Schiphol AirportAmsterdam Schiphol AirportAmsterdam Airport Schiphol ) is the Netherlands' main international airport, located 20 minutes southwest of Amsterdam, in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer. The airport's official English name, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, reflects the original Dutch word order...
(Schiphol Sternet) - N72 - Amsterdam Schiphol AirportAmsterdam Schiphol AirportAmsterdam Airport Schiphol ) is the Netherlands' main international airport, located 20 minutes southwest of Amsterdam, in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer. The airport's official English name, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, reflects the original Dutch word order...
- Aalsmeer - UithoornUithoornUithoorn is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.-Population centres :The municipality of Uithoorn consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: De Kwakel and Uithoorn.- History :...
- AmstelveenAmstelveen' is a suburban municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is part of the metropolitan area of Amsterdam. The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the following villages and/or districts: Amstelveen, Bovenkerk, Westwijk, Bankras-Kostverloren, Groenelaan, Waardhuizen,...
- AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam 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...
City Centre - Amsterdam Centraal (Nightbus)
All of these services are very frequent, half hourly or more frequent.
Economy
Having 999000 square metres (10,753,146.5 sq ft) of floor space, the flower auction building of FloraHolland is one of the largest commercial buildings in the world. Its close proximity to Schiphol Airport allows the growers access to markets worldwide. Since January 1, 2008 the Aalsmeer flower auction has merged with the united auctions of Naaldwijk and Rijnsburg under the name FloraHolland.The Endemol
Endemol
Endemol is an international television production and distribution company based in the Netherlands, with subsidiaries and joint ventures in 23 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Dominican Republic, Poland,...
television studios are located in the former Central Auction building. The Bloemenlust building is nowadays a sports, event, and congress centre
Convention center
A convention center is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees...
. Dominating the Ringvaart canal are the large building halls of Royal De Vries
Royal De Vries
The first De Vries shipyard was started in Aalsmeer in The Netherlands by Chris de Vries. His sons Henk and Joh started a yacht-building shipyard nearby in 1923, and these two were among the original founders of Feadship in 1949. The history of Feadship is detailed in the referenced article...
Scheepsbouw.
Events
Aalsmeer has always had a number of yearly recurring events and festivals. The most famous event has always been the Flower parade (BloemencorsoBloemencorso
Bloemencorso means "flower parade", "flower pageant" or "flower procession". In a parade of this kind the floats , cars and boats are magnificently decorated or covered in flowers. Each parade has its own character, charm and theme...
), every first Saturday in September. After 60 years, this tradition has been discontinued in 2007. Other annual events are the "Pramenrace", every second Saturday in September and the Bands Night (Bandjesavond) in June.
Music scene
Aalsmeer has always had a rich music scene. The best known groups and artists from Aalsmeer and Kudelstaart since 1970 are:- Eton Crop
- Hobo String band
- The Whatts
- Livin' at A
- Madeliefjes
- Los Boundros
- Café Blue (later: Koel Bewaren)
- Ten Beers After
- Katelijne van Otterloo Group
- Social Animal
People from Aalsmeer
Native from Aalsmeer- Jacques van Tol (1897–1969), AuthorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
- Johannes Fake Berghoef (1903–1994), ArchitectArchitectAn architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
- Jan Willem de PousJan Willem de PousJan Willem de Pous was a Dutch politician.-References:...
(1920–1996), MinisterMinister (government)A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet.... - Theodore van Houten (1952), AuthorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and JournalistJournalistA 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... - Peter R. de VriesPeter R. de VriesPeter Rudolf de Vries is a Dutch Investigative Journalist and crime reporter. His television program covers high profile cases and set a Dutch television viewing record. In 2005, he started his own political party which was disbanded soon after.-Early life and career:Peter Rudolf de Vries was born...
(1956), CrimeCrimeCrime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
Reporter
Living in Aalsmeer
- Gerard JolingGerard JolingGerard Jan Joling is a Dutch singer and television presenter. Known for his high tenor voice, he rose to fame in the late 80's and released a string of singles including "Ticket to the Tropics", "Love is in your Eyes", and his biggest hit, "No more boleros", a song that reached the top 10 in...
(1960), SingerSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Bob de JongBob de JongBob Johannes Carolus de Jong is a Dutch speed skater who specializes in long distances: five and ten kilometers.-Speed skating career:...
(1976), Speed skater (Kudelstaart) - Frans Mulder (1953), ActorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
- Marianne van Wijnkoop Actress, Casting DirectorCasting (performing arts)In the performing arts, casting is a pre-production process for selecting a cast of actors, dancers, singers, models and other talent for a live or recorded performance.-Casting process:...
, Jury member X FactorX Factor (Netherlands)X Factor is a Dutch television music talent show contested by aspiring pop singers drawn from public auditions. It is shown Friday evenings on the RTL4 Network in the Netherlands. The first series of the show aired from October 2006 through to February 2007, while the second series of the show...
(Kudelstaart) - Bonnie St. Claire (1949), SingerSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Laidback LukeLaidback LukeLaidback Luke is a Dutch DJ, producer. He was voted #46 on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJ list in 2008, before jumping to #27 in 2009 and jumping up 10 places in 2010....
(1976), DJ, ProducerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...