City rights in the Netherlands
Encyclopedia
City rights are a medieval phenomenon in the history of the Low Countries
. A liegelord, usually a count, duke or similar member of high nobility, granted a settlement he owned certain town privileges
that settlements without city rights did not have.
In Belgium
, Luxembourg
, and the Netherlands
, a settlement is, often proudly, called a city when it was granted (or collected) a complete package of city rights at one time of its history. As the current number of inhabitants has no relevance on this, there are very small cities. The smallest one is Staverden
in the Netherlands, with 40 inhabitants. In Belgium, Durbuy
is the smallest city, whilst the smallest in Luxembourg is Vianden
.
Selling a privilege was both a positive and a negative development for the feudal lords. The positive side was the (non-recurrent) revenue. The negative was the loss of power. Over time, the landlords sold more and more privileges. This resulted in a shift of power within the counties and duchies in the Low Countries from the aristocracy to the bourgeoisie, starting in Flanders. Some cities even managed to develop into city-state
s. The growing economical and military power concentrating in the cities led to a very powerful class of well-to-do merchants and traders.
Freedoms
Governance
.
to receive city rights was Deventer
in 956. It can be argued that some cities have older rights such as Nijmegen that may already have received city rights during the Roman Empire
. Another case is Voorburg
, which is built on the site of the Roman settlement Forum Hadriani
and was granted city rights in about 151. Forum Hadriani was abandoned however in the late third century, thus the current settlement is not considered an uninterrupted continuation of the Roman city. With the end of the Middle Ages
, the number of city rights granted dropped dramatically. The strong role of merchants and traders allowed the Netherlands to become the first modern republic
in the 16th century. When several important settlements (predominantly The Hague
) wanted the right to call themselves cities, rather than towns, the old custom knew a short-lived Romantic revival in the early 19th century. The last community in the Netherlands to receive city rights was Delfshaven
in 1825.
of city rights came gradually to its end with the development and centralization of a national government. In the Netherlands the last city to receive real city rights (as defined above) was Willemstad in 1586. During the Dutch Republic
period, only Blokzijl
gained city rights (in 1672). After the Batavian revolution
in 1795, municipalities were styled after the French model and city rights were abolished by law. Although partially restored after 1813, cities would not fully regain the authorities they previously had: law making and judiciary had become part of the state
. After the Constitution of 1848
and the Municipal Law of 1851, the difference between cities, towns, and villages was permanently erased.
The city rights which were granted at the beginning of the 19th century (the last one to Delfshaven
in 1825) cannot be compared to the rights bestowed in the Middle Ages and are only symbolic in nature. Cities such as The Hague
and Assen
fall into this category which received their rights during the French period.
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
. A liegelord, usually a count, duke or similar member of high nobility, granted a settlement he owned certain town privileges
Town privileges
Town privileges or city rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium.Judicially, a town was distinguished from the surrounding land by means of a charter from the ruling monarch that defined its privileges and laws. Common privileges were related to trading...
that settlements without city rights did not have.
In Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, and the 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...
, a settlement is, often proudly, called a city when it was granted (or collected) a complete package of city rights at one time of its history. As the current number of inhabitants has no relevance on this, there are very small cities. The smallest one is Staverden
Staverden
Staverden is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is located in the municipality of Ermelo, about 5 kilometres east of Ermelo. It received city rights in 1298. With 40 inhabitants, it is today the smallest place with that traditional title in the Netherlands.-References:...
in the Netherlands, with 40 inhabitants. In Belgium, Durbuy
Durbuy
Durbuy is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Luxembourg. On 1 January 2007 the municipality had 10,633 inhabitants. The total area is 156.61 km², giving a population density of 67.9 inhabitants per km²....
is the smallest city, whilst the smallest in Luxembourg is Vianden
Vianden
Vianden is a commune with city status in the Oesling, north-eastern Luxembourg, with over 1,500 inhabitants. It is the capital of the canton of Vianden, which is part of the district of Diekirch. Vianden lies on the Our river, near the border between Luxembourg and Germany., the town of Vianden,...
.
Overview
Forced by financial problems, feudal landlords offered for sale privileges to settlements around the year A.D. 1000. The total package of these privileges are the city rights.Selling a privilege was both a positive and a negative development for the feudal lords. The positive side was the (non-recurrent) revenue. The negative was the loss of power. Over time, the landlords sold more and more privileges. This resulted in a shift of power within the counties and duchies in the Low Countries from the aristocracy to the bourgeoisie, starting in Flanders. Some cities even managed to develop into city-state
City-state
A city-state is an independent or autonomous entity whose territory consists of a city which is not administered as a part of another local government.-Historical city-states:...
s. The growing economical and military power concentrating in the cities led to a very powerful class of well-to-do merchants and traders.
Common City rights
Privileges- City walls (the right to erect a defence wall around an inhabited area)
- Market right (the right to hold a market and receive income from the markets)
- Storage right (the right to store and exclusively tradeMonopolyA monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
particular goods, often only granted to a few cities) - Toll right (the right to charge toll)
- Mint right (the right to mint city coinage)
Freedoms
- Personal freedom (citizens had a relative degree of personal freedom in comparison to citizens of rural areas: they were not subject to the liegelord and had freedom of mobility) — Hence the old saying Stadslucht maakt vrij ('City air makes free').
Governance
- City governance (Well-to-do citizens could sometimes elect local government officials)
- JudiciaryJudiciaryThe judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
and law making (Within its boundaries the city could have a large degree of autonomy) - Taxation (the right to levy taxes)
Rights granted to the cities of present-day Belgium
One of the last towns that became a city in Belgium was GenkGenk
Genk is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. The municipality only comprises the city of Genk itself...
.
Modern era
Note several of the following were first granted city rights during the medieval period.
|
Vianden Vianden is a commune with city status in the Oesling, north-eastern Luxembourg, with over 1,500 inhabitants. It is the capital of the canton of Vianden, which is part of the district of Diekirch. Vianden lies on the Our river, near the border between Luxembourg and Germany., the town of Vianden,... Wiltz Wiltz is a commune with city status in north-western Luxembourg, capital of the canton Wiltz. Wiltz is situated on the banks of the river Wiltz. It was also a battleground in the Battle of the Bulge, near the end of World War II... Esch-sur-Alzette Esch-sur-Alzette is a commune with city status, in south-western Luxembourg. It is the country's second city, and its second-most populous commune, with a population of 29,853 people... Differdange Differdange is a commune with city status in south-western Luxembourg. Differdange is an industrial city that was home to much of Luxembourg's steel production, and lies near the borders with Belgium and France... |
Dudelange Dudelange is a commune with city status in southern Luxembourg. It is the fourth-most populous commune, with over 18,300 inhabitants. Dudelange is situated close to the border to France.... Ettelbruck Ettelbruck is a commune with city status in central Luxembourg, with a population of approximately 7,500. As of 2005, the town of Ettelbruck itself, which lies in the east of the commune, has a population of 6,191. The town of Warken and Grentzingen are also within the commune... Rumelange Rumelange is a commune with city status in south-western Luxembourg, on the border with France., the town of Rumelange, which lies in the east of the commune, has a population of 4,818. It is also the site of some of the underground iron mines no longer in operation... Hollerich-Bonnevoie Hollerich-Bonnevoie was the legal name of a part, formally section , of the then-commune of Hollerich, in southern Luxembourg. It covered the neighbourhoods of Hollerich, Bonnevoie, and Gare, which formed the urbanised part of the commune, separated from Luxembourg City by the Pétrusse.City... |
Rights granted to the cities of the present-day's Netherlands
The first community in the NetherlandsNetherlands
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...
to receive city rights was Deventer
Deventer
Deventer is a municipality and city in the Salland region of the Dutch province of Overijssel. Deventer is largely situated on the east bank of the river IJssel, but also has a small part of its territory on the west bank. In 2005 the municipality of Bathmen Deventer is a municipality and city in...
in 956. It can be argued that some cities have older rights such as Nijmegen that may already have received city rights during 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....
. Another case is Voorburg
Voorburg
Voorburg is a Dutch town and former municipality in the western part of the province of South Holland, the Netherlands. As also Leidschendam and Stompwijk, it is part of the municipality Leidschendam-Voorburg. It has approximately 39,000 inhabitants....
, which is built on the site of the Roman settlement Forum Hadriani
Forum Hadriani
Forum Hadriani, at the modern town of Voorburg, was the northern-most Roman city on the European continent and the second oldest city of The Netherlands. It was located in the Roman province Germania Inferior and is mentioned on the Tabula Peutingeriana, a Roman road map.The site Forum Hadriani...
and was granted city rights in about 151. Forum Hadriani was abandoned however in the late third century, thus the current settlement is not considered an uninterrupted continuation of the Roman city. With the end of the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, the number of city rights granted dropped dramatically. The strong role of merchants and traders allowed the Netherlands to become the first modern republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
in the 16th century. When several important settlements (predominantly 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...
) wanted the right to call themselves cities, rather than towns, the old custom knew a short-lived Romantic revival in the early 19th century. The last community in the Netherlands to receive city rights was Delfshaven
Delfshaven
Delfshaven is a borough of Rotterdam on the right bank of river Nieuwe Maas, in South Holland, the Netherlands. It was a separate municipality until 1886.The town of Delfshaven grew around the port of the city of Delft...
in 1825.
End of city rights
The institutionInstitution
An institution is any structure or mechanism of social order and cooperation governing the behavior of a set of individuals within a given human community...
of city rights came gradually to its end with the development and centralization of a national government. In the Netherlands the last city to receive real city rights (as defined above) was Willemstad in 1586. During the Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
period, only Blokzijl
Blokzijl
Blokzijl is a city located southwest of Steenwijk in the province of Overijssel, the Netherlands.Blokzijl grew in the 1580s. During the siege of Steenwijk, the Dutch built there a fortified lock or in local dialect zijl or siel. It received city rights in 1672...
gained city rights (in 1672). After the Batavian revolution
Batavian revolution
The term Batavian revolution refers to the political, social and cultural turmoil that marked the end of the Dutch Republic at the end of the 18th century...
in 1795, municipalities were styled after the French model and city rights were abolished by law. Although partially restored after 1813, cities would not fully regain the authorities they previously had: law making and judiciary had become part of the state
Sovereign state
A sovereign state, or simply, state, is a state with a defined territory on which it exercises internal and external sovereignty, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states. It is also normally understood to be a state which is neither...
. After the Constitution of 1848
Constitution of the Netherlands
The Constitution of the Netherlands is the fundamental law of the European territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The present constitution is generally seen as directly derived from the one issued in 1815, constituting a constitutional monarchy. A revision in 1848 instituted a system of...
and the Municipal Law of 1851, the difference between cities, towns, and villages was permanently erased.
The city rights which were granted at the beginning of the 19th century (the last one to Delfshaven
Delfshaven
Delfshaven is a borough of Rotterdam on the right bank of river Nieuwe Maas, in South Holland, the Netherlands. It was a separate municipality until 1886.The town of Delfshaven grew around the port of the city of Delft...
in 1825) cannot be compared to the rights bestowed in the Middle Ages and are only symbolic in nature. Cities such as 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...
and Assen
Assen
Assen is a municipality and a city in the north eastern Netherlands, capital of the province of Drenthe. It received city rights in 1809. Assen's main claim to fame is the TT Circuit Assen the motorcycle racing circuit, where on the last Saturday in June the Dutch TT is run...
fall into this category which received their rights during the French period.
Granting of city rights, chronologically
|
Medemblik Medemblik is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia.- History :... Sluis Sluis is the name of both a municipality and a town located in the west of Zeelandic Flanders, in the south-western part of the Netherlands.... Nieuwegein Nieuwegein is a municipality and city in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is bordered on the north by the city of Utrecht, the provincial capital... Muiden Muiden is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It lies at the mouth of the Vecht and is in an area called the Vechtstreek.-Population centres :... Beverwijk Beverwijk is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The town is located about northwest of Amsterdam in the Randstad metropolitan area, north of the North Sea Canal very close to the North Sea coast... Dokkum Dokkum is a Dutch fortified town in the municipality of Dongeradeel in the province of Friesland. It has 13,145 inhabitants . The fortifications of Dokkum are well preserved and are known as the bolwerken . - History :... Staverden Staverden is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is located in the municipality of Ermelo, about 5 kilometres east of Ermelo. It received city rights in 1298. With 40 inhabitants, it is today the smallest place with that traditional title in the Netherlands.-References:... Hattem Hattem is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. The city population is 11,797. The name “Hattem” is a typical farmyard name. The exact origin of “Hattem” is yet unclear. In general two explanation exist. Hattem would be the ‘heem’ of a people who belong to the tribe of Chattuarii... Tiel ' is a municipality and a town in the middle of the Netherlands.The town is enclosed by the Waal river and the Linge river on the south and the north side, and the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal on the east side. The city was founded in the 5th century AD.... 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... Eembrugge Eembrugge is a small village on the river Eem, east of Baarn. It received city rights in 1300.Eembrugge is partially in the municipailty of Eemnes, partially in Baarn.... IJzendijke IJzendijke is a city in the municipality of Sluis, about 10 km east of Oostburg, in the Dutch province of Zeeland. Its population is 1,780 .The town received city rights in 1303.... Waalwijk Waalwijk is a municipality and a city in the southern Netherlands.It is a member of the Langstraat.It has a population of around 38,920 and is located near the motorways A59 and N261... Brielle Brielle , also called Den Briel is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, on the north side of the island of Voorne-Putten, at the mouth of the New Maas. The municipality covers an area of 31.12 km² of which 3.63 km² is water... Goedereede Goedereede is a municipality and a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 11408 in 2010, and covers an area of 153.85 km² of which 82.53 km² is water... Asperen Asperen is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of Lingewaal, and lies about 10 km east of Gorinchem on the river Linge. It received city rights in 1313.... IJlst IJlst is a city in Friesland, Netherlands. It is located about 3 km southwest of Sneek. It lies within the municipality of Wymbritseradiel. It received city rights in 1268 and is one of the eleven cities in Friesland. The little city counts approximately 3800 people.-Name:The name IJlst... Wieringen Wieringen is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It consists of a former island, also named Wieringen, and there are plans to make Wieringen an island again by widening the Amsteldiepkanaal into a lake called the Wieringerrandmeer.-Population centres :The... Wijk bij Duurstede - The city of Wijk bij Duurstede :The city is located on the Rhine. At Wijk bij Duurstede, the Kromme Rijn branches off, and the main branch is called Lek River downstream from Wijk bij Duurstede.... Zaltbommel Zaltbommel is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. The town of Zaltbommel was first mentioned as "Bomela" in the year 850. Zaltbommel first received city status in 1231, which status was renewed in 1316.... Culemborg Culemborg is a municipality and a city in the centre of the Netherlands. The city is situated just south of the Lek River... Heusden Heusden is a municipality and a city in the South of the Netherlands. It is located between the cities Waalwijk and 's-Hertogenbosch.- Population centres :... Gorinchem Gorinchem , also called Gorkum , is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 21.99 km² of which 3.03 km² is water... Ammerstol Ammerstol is a village in the municipality of Bergambacht, in the Netherlands. It is located about 12 km southeast of Gouda, on the Lek River.Between 1817 and 1985, Ammerstol was a separate municipality.... Enschede Enschede , also known as Eanske in the local dialect of Twents, is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel and in the Twente region... Ootmarsum Ootmarsum is a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is a part of the municipality of Dinkelland, and lies about 10 km north of Oldenzaal. It received city rights in 1325.... Appingedam - Population centres :Appingedam, Garreweer, Jukwerd, Laskwerd, Marsum, Oling, Opwierde, Solwerd, Tjamsweer.- Appingedam :Little is known about the exact age and origin of the name of Appingedam. It came into existence on the banks of the Delf, the present Damsterdiep, around 1200... Steenwijk Steenwijk is a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland. It is the largest town of the municipality.Steenwijk received city rights in 1327... Maasbommel Maasbommel is a town in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of West Maas en Waal, and lies about 7 km north of Oss. It received city rights in 1328.... Montfoort Montfoort is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. Montfoort received city rights in 1329.-Population centres :... Wessem Wessem is a small village in the Netherlands, in the province of Limburg. Wessem is a part of the municipality of Maasgouw. As of 2002, Wessem had a population of 1,750.-History of Wessem:Historical Wessem is more than a thousand years old.... IJsselstein IJsselstein is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. IJsselstein received city rights in 1331. IJsselstein owes its name to the river Hollandse IJssel which flows through the city.... Wilsum Wilsum is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Kampen, about 4 km southeast of that city.... Delden Delden is a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel and, since 2001, in the municipality of Hof van Twente.Although its population is small, it gained city rights in 1333. Castle Twickel is a famous landmark near Delden and the Baron van Heeckeren of Twickel built a watertower in Delden... Grafhorst Grafhorst is a small town about 3 km north of Kampen, in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It received city rights in 1333.... Rotterdam Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre... Helmond Helmond is a municipality and a city in the province of North Brabant in the southern Netherlands.- Quarters and Neighbourhoods :*Quarter 11 Inner City**Neighbourhood 0 Centrum**Neighbourhood 2 Leonardus**Neighbourhood 3 Heipoort... Huissen Huissen is a town in Gelderland, Netherlands and has about 17,000 inhabitants. It is located at the Nederrijn, in the area between Arnhem and Nijmegen... Batenburg Batenburg is a village in the municipality of Wijchen, in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is located on the Meuse, about 15 km west of Nijmegen... Vollenhove Vollenhove is a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland, southwest of Steenwijk. Until the Noordoostpolder was drained, it was located on the coast of the IJsselmeer.... Berlikum Berlikum is a small village in Menaldumadeel in the province Friesland of the Netherlands and has around the 2350 citizens .-External links:*... Enkhuizen Enkhuizen is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia.Enkhuizen was one of the harbour-towns of the VOC, just like Hoorn and Amsterdam, from where overseas trade with the East Indies was conducted. It received city rights in 1355... Veere Veere is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands, on Walcheren island in the province of Zeeland.-Population centres :Aagtekerke , Biggekerke , Domburg , Gapinge , Grijpskerke , Koudekerke , Meliskerke , Oostkapelle , Serooskerke , Veere , Vrouwenpolder , Westkapelle... Weesp Weesp is a town and a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It has a population of 17,533 .Weesp lies next to the rivers de Vecht and Smal Weesp and also next to the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. It is in an area called the "Vechtstreek"... Woudrichem Woudrichem is a municipality and a city in the south of the Netherlands.- Population centres :Almkerk, Andel, Bronkhorst, Duizend Morgen, Eng, Giessen, Oudendijk, Rijswijk, Stenenheul, Uitwijk, Uppel, Waardhuizen, Woudrichem and Zandwijk.... Hoorn -Cities :* Purmerend * Enkhuizen * Alkmaar * Amsterdam * Lelystad * Den Helder * Leeuwarden -Towns :* Edam... Klundert Klundert is a city in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located close to the Hollands Diep, about 3 km northwest of Zevenbergen. It received city rights in 1357.... Megen Megen or Meghem is a small city in the southern part of the Netherlands, in the province North Brabant, close to the river Maas. It is part of the Oss municipality. The number of inhabitants is approximately 1700.... Hardenberg Hardenberg is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel. The city of Hardenberg has a population of about 17,200. It received city rights in 1362 from Jan van Arkel, Bishop of Utrecht. The famous Pieterpad also passes through Hardenberg.-Cycling:There are... Stede Broec Stede Broec is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia. The name Stede Broec derives from "stede" and "broec" .- Population centres :... Rhenen Rhenen is a municipality and a city in the central Netherlands.The municipality also includes the villages of Achterberg, Remmerden, Elst and Laareind. The town lies at a geographically interesting location, namely on the southernmost part of the chain of hills known as the Utrecht Hill Ridge ,... Tholen Tholen is a municipality in the southwest of the Netherlands. The municipality of Tholen has lent its name from the town of Tholen, which is the largest population center in the municipality.... Gennep Gennep is a municipality and a city in the southeastern Netherlands.- Population centres :Aaldonk, Dam, De Looi, Diekendaal, Gennep, Heijen, Hekkens, Milsbeek, Ottersum, Smele, Ven-Zelderheide and Zelder.- The city of Gennep :... Woerden Woerden is a municipality and a city in the central Netherlands. Due to its central location between Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht, and the fact that it has excellent rail and road connections to those cities, it is a popular town for commuters who work in those cities.-Population... Hindeloopen -External links:* Museum Hindeloopen: Hindelooper schilderkunst, klederdracht, stads- en scheepvaarthistorie.*... Franeker Franeker is one of the eleven historical cities of Friesland and capital of the municipality of Franekeradeel. It is located about 20 km west of Leeuwarden on the Van Harinxma Canal. As of 1 January 2006, it had 12,996 inhabitants. The city is famous for the Eisinga Planetarium from around... Reimerswaal (city) Reimerswaal is a lost city in the Netherlands.The present-day municipality of Reimerswaal is named after this city, which was granted city rights in 1374. The city was destroyed by repeated floods, and the last citizens left in 1632. Nothing remains... Workum Workum is the largest town of Nijefurd in Friesland. It received city rights in 1374. It lies within the municipality of Nijefurd. Currently has around 4000 inhabitants.... |
Borculo Borculo is a former municipality and a village in the eastern Netherlands, in the Province of Gelderland.On January first 2005 the municipality Borculo merged with the municipalities of Eibergen, Neede and Ruurlo into the municipality of Berkelland.... 's-Heerenberg s-Heerenberg is a city on the Dutch-German border, in the Province of Gelderland, Netherlands. It is located about 5 km north of the German Emmerich, and about 12 km south of Doetinchem. It received city rights in 1379.... Ravenstein, Netherlands Ravenstein is a city and a former municipality in the South of the Netherlands, in the province of North Brabant. The former municipality covered an area of 42.68 km²... Hagestein Hagestein is a small city in the municipality of Vianen, Utrecht, Netherlands, on the Lek River, about 2 km east of Vianen. It received city rights in 1382.... Bredevoort Bredevoort or Brevoort is a small city with Town privileges of about 1600 inhabitants, located in the municipality of Aalten, Netherlands. It is situated between the towns of Aalten and Winterswijk.... Baarn Baarn is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht.-The municipality Baarn :The municipality of Baarn consists of the following towns: Baarn, Eembrugge, Lage Vuursche.- The town Baarn :... Heukelum Heukelum is a town in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of Lingewaal, and lies about 8 km northeast of Gorinchem. It received city rights in 1391.In 2001, the town of Heukelum had 1967 inhabitants... Almelo Almelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. The main population centres in the town are Aadorp, Almelo, Mariaparochie and Bornerbroek.... Buren Buren is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. It is also a county; with the Dutch Monarch still holding the title "Count of Buren".- Population centres :... Haastrecht Haastrecht is a town on the Hollandse IJssel river in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Vlist, and lies about 5 km east of Gouda.In 2001, the town of Haastrecht had 3302 inhabitants... 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.... Oss Oss is a municipality and a city in the southern Netherlands, in the province of Noord Brabant.- Population centres :-Transportation:* Railway stations: Oss, Oss West, Ravenstein- The city of Oss :... Schellinkhout Schellinkhout is a very small town located in the municipality of Drechterland, North Holland at the border of the IJsselmeer, about 3 km southeast of Hoorn in West-Frisia... Hummelo en Keppel Hummelo en Keppel is a former municipality in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It was created in 1818, when the municipalities of Hummelo and Keppel merged, and existed until 2005, when the area became a part of the new municipality of Bronckhorst.... Goes Goes is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands in Zuid-Beveland, in the province Zeeland. The city of Goes has approximately 27,000 residents.-History of Goes:... Leerdam Leerdam is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.The municipality covers an area of 34.32 km² of which 0.53 km² is water. It comprises the town of Leerdam, the rural villages Kedichem, Schoonrewoerd and Oosterwijk. The south border of the... Coevorden Coevorden is a municipality and a city in the northeastern Netherlands. During the municipal reorganisation in the province in 1998, Coevorden merged with Dalen, Sleen, Oosterhesselen and Zweeloo.- Population centers :... Purmerend Purmerend is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.The city is surrounded by polders, such as the Purmer, Beemster and the Wormer. The city became the trade center of the region but the population grew relatively slow. Only after 1960 did the population... Nijkerk Nijkerk is a municipality and a city in the middle of the Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland.- Population centres :... Abbekerk Abbekerk is a town in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Medemblik, and lies about 9 km north of Hoorn.... Hoogwoud Hoogwoud is a town in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Opmeer, and lies about northeast of Heerhugowaard.... Hem (Netherlands) Hem is a village in the municipality Drechterland, located in the north west of the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia.... Spanbroek Spanbroek is a village in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Opmeer, and lies about northwest of Hoorn.Spanbroek received city rights in 1414. It was a separate municipality until 1959, when it was merged with Opmeer.... Weert Weert is a municipality and city in the southeastern Netherlands. As of 2010, Weert had a population of 48,405. It lies on the Eindhoven–Maastricht railway line, and is also astride the Zuid-Willemsvaart canal.- Population centres :* Altweerterheide... Wognum Wognum is a former municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Wognum received city rights in 1392 but lost them in 1426... Barsingerhorn Barsingerhorn is a village in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Niedorp, and lies about north of Heerhugowaard. It received city rights in 1415.... Langedijk Langedijk is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia. Langedijk received city rights in 1415.-Population centres :... Niedorp Niedorp is a municipality in the north-western Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia... Schagen Schagen is a town and municipality in the northwestern Netherlands. It is located between Alkmaar and Den Helder, in and region of West Friesland and the province of North Holland. In 2007, Schagen had 19.078 residents. It received city rights in 1415.... Texel Texel is a municipality and an island in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is the biggest and most populated of the Frisian Islands in the Wadden Sea, and also the westernmost of this archipelago, which extends to Denmark... Terborg Terborg is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland, in the east of the Netherlands. It is located in the municipality of Oude IJsselstreek. The village lies about 7 km southeast of Doetinchem. The population is about 4600 inhabitants.... Gaasterlân-Sleat Gaasterlân-Sleat is a municipality in the northern Netherlands. Its official name is in West Frisian. The name in Dutch is Gaasterland-Sloten .- Population centres :... Zevenbergen Zevenbergen is a Dutch city which is a part of the municipality of Moerdijk. Zevenbergen is located in the northwest of the province of Noord-Brabant near Breda.-History:... Kortgene Kortgene is a village in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Noord-Beveland, and lies about 15 km northeast of Middelburg.Kortgene received city rights in 1431... Gramsbergen Gramsbergen is a small Dutch town on the Vechte, located in the municipality of Hardenberg and the province of Overijssel. The town is located on corridors of different transportation modes: The N34 , the Zwolle - Emmen railway and the Almelo - de Haandrik canal.-History:Gramsbergen and its hamlets... Valkenburg aan de Geul Valkenburg aan de Geul is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands.-History:Siege and conquest were characteristic of the history of Valkenburg. Each event is withheld, followed by subsequent restorations. This most definitely holds for the castle perched atop of a hill in the middle of the... Bolsward Bolsward is a city in Súdwest Fryslân in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. Bolsward is just short of a population of 10,000.- History :The town is founded on three artificial dwelling hills, of which the first was built some time before Christ.... Sneek Sneek is a city southwest of Leeuwarden and seat of the former municipality of Sneek in the province of Friesland . As for 2011 it is part of the municipality Súdwest Fryslân... Brouwershaven Brouwershaven is a small city on the Grevelingen in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Schouwen-Duiveland, and lies about 45 km southwest of Hellevoetsluis.Brouwershaven received city rights in 1477.... Ravenstein, Netherlands Ravenstein is a city and a former municipality in the South of the Netherlands, in the province of North Brabant. The former municipality covered an area of 42.68 km²... Bronkhorst Bronkhorst is a village in the municipality of Bronckhorst, Gelderland, the Netherlands. Technically, it is a city and with only 171 inhabitants , it is one of the smallest cities in the Netherlands .-Early history:The early history of Bronkhorst is, as is common for Dutch towns, largely unknown... Zevenaar Zevenaar is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, near the border with Germany.- Population centres :*Angerlo*Babberich*Giesbeek*Lathum*Ooy*Oud Zevenaar*Zevenaar... Sint Maartensdijk Sint-Maartensdijk is a town in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Tholen, and lies about 16 km west of Bergen op Zoom.Sint-Maartensdijk was a separate municipality until 1971, when it was merged with Tholen.... Philippine (Netherlands) Philippine is a town in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Terneuzen, and lies about 23 km southeast of Vlissingen. It is located close to the border with Belgium, 5 km southwest of the city of Terneuzen. It received city rights in 1506.Philippine has... Arnemuiden Arnemuiden is a small city of around 5000 people in the municipality of Middelburg in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands. It is located on the former island of Walcheren, about 3 km east of the city of Middelburg.It received city rights in 1574.... Terneuzen Terneuzen is a city and municipality in the southwestern Netherlands, in the province of Zeeland, in the middle of Zeelandic Flanders. With over 55,000 inhabitants, it is the most populous municipality of Zeeland.-Population centres :... Willemstad (North Brabant) Willemstad is a city in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of Moerdijk. Its population as of 2002 was 2,329.... Blokzijl Blokzijl is a city located southwest of Steenwijk in the province of Overijssel, the Netherlands.Blokzijl grew in the 1580s. During the siege of Steenwijk, the Dutch built there a fortified lock or in local dialect zijl or siel. It received city rights in 1672... Austerlitz (Netherlands) Austerlitz is a town in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is a part of the municipality of Zeist, and lies about 6 km east of Zeist.In 2001, the town of Austerlitz had 1254 inhabitants. The built-up area of the town was 0.23 km², and contained 481 residences... Assen Assen is a municipality and a city in the north eastern Netherlands, capital of the province of Drenthe. It received city rights in 1809. Assen's main claim to fame is the TT Circuit Assen the motorcycle racing circuit, where on the last Saturday in June the Dutch TT is run... Meppel Meppel is a municipality and a city in the northeast of the Netherlands, in the south-west of the province Drenthe.It developed in the 16th century as a transport and distribution inland harbour for turf... Oosterhout Oosterhout is a municipality and a city in the South of the Netherlands. At June, 2008, the city population was 54,015.-History:Oosterhout is mentioned for the first time in 1277, although archaeological excavations showed the existence of human settlements in the area in prehistoric times. The... Tilburg Tilburg is a landlocked municipality and a city in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of Noord-Brabant.Tilburg municipality also includes the villages of Berkel-Enschot and Udenhout.... Zaandam Zaandam is a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is the main city of the municipality of Zaanstad, and received city rights in 1811... Maassluis Maassluis is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 32,847 in 2004, and covers an area of 10.11 km² .It received city rights in 1811... Delfzijl Delfzijl is a municipality and city in the northeast of the Netherlands. It is situated on the left bank of the river Ems estuary, which forms the border with Germany.-Population centres:... Winschoten Winschoten is a former municipality and city in the northeast of the Netherlands.Population : 18.497; area: 22,24 km2.The origin of the name of Winschoten is not known but it has received nicknames. One of these is Molenstad . It has also been known, in living memory, as Sodom... Delfshaven Delfshaven is a borough of Rotterdam on the right bank of river Nieuwe Maas, in South Holland, the Netherlands. It was a separate municipality until 1886.The town of Delfshaven grew around the port of the city of Delft... |
See also
- Town privilegesTown privilegesTown privileges or city rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium.Judicially, a town was distinguished from the surrounding land by means of a charter from the ruling monarch that defined its privileges and laws. Common privileges were related to trading...
- History of urban centers in the Dutch Low CountriesHistory of urban centers in the Dutch Low CountriesThe development of urban centers in the Dutch Low Countries shows the process in which a region, the Dutch Low Countries, evolve from a highly rural outpost of the Roman Empire transforms into the largest urbanized area, above the Alps by the 15th century CE...
- City status in the United KingdomCity status in the United KingdomCity status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarch to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city". Nonetheless, this appellation carries its own prestige and, consequently, competitions...
- Scottish BurghBurghA burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
External links
- City Rights in the Netherlands (in Dutch)