Gorinchem
Encyclopedia
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 (8.49 mile²) of which 3.03 km² (1.17 mile²) is water. It had a population of 34,623 in 2004.
The municipality of Gorinchem also includes the population centre of Dalem
.
at the Merwede
. "Goriks Heem" is first mentioned in a document from 1224 in which Floris IV
granted people from Gorinchem exemption of toll payments throughout Holland.
Somewhere between 1247 and 1267, Gorinchem became property of the Lords of Arkel
. At the end of the 13th century earthen mounts reinforced with palisade
s were built around the settlement to protect it from domination by the neighboring counties of Holland and Gelre. Half a century later real city walls were built complete with 7 gates
and 23 watchtower
s. Otto van Arkel granted it city rights
on 11 November 1322.
Jan van Arkel had a dispute with Albert I
, brother of Willem V of Holland
, leading to war and subsequently to the annexation of Gorinchem to Holland in 1417. This resulted in increased trade and Gorinchem grew to be the eighth city of Holland.
On 9 July 1572, the Watergeuzen (Dutch rebels against Spanish rule) conquered the city and captured 19 catholic priests and monks because they refused to renounce their faith. These priests and monks were brought to Brielle
where they were hanged and were from then on known as the Martyrs of Gorkum
.
In the 16th century the city walls were so deteriorated that they were replaced with new fortifications and eleven bastion
s, which still are almost completely intact. The new walls were rounded off in 1609 and were placed farther from the town centre, making the city twice as large. In 1673 Gorinchem became part of the old Dutch Water Line
.
The city walls had four city gates: the Arkel Gate in the north, the Dalem Gate in the east, the Water Gate in the south (where the ferry to Woudrichem was), and the Kansel Gate in the west. Of these four gates only the Dalem Gate remains. The others were removed in the 19th century to make way for vehicular traffic. A portion of the Water Gate was preserved in the gardens of the Rijksmuseum
in Amsterdam.
In the 18th century, the economy went into decline. After the French domination, the retreating French troops took station in the bastion fortress of Gorinchem. After a three month siege they capitulated but the city was heavily damaged.
During the Industrial Revolution, Gorinchem recovered. Increased shipping led to new canals being dug and a railway connection to the city. Its population quickly rose, filling the innercity and new neighbourhoods had to be built outside the city walls.
At the beginning of the 20th century, expansion took place in the Lingewijk and West neighbourhoods. After World War II, expansion started in the north-western portion of the municipality which was completed in the 1970s. This was followed by developments in the east of the neighbourhoods Wijdschild and Laag Dalem. In 1986, the town Dalem was added to the municipality.
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 South Holland
South Holland
South Holland is a province situated on the North Sea in the western part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is The Hague and its largest city is Rotterdam.South Holland is one of the most densely populated and industrialised areas in the world...
. The municipality covers an area of 21.99 km² (8.49 mile²) of which 3.03 km² (1.17 mile²) is water. It had a population of 34,623 in 2004.
The municipality of Gorinchem also includes the population centre of Dalem
Dalem
Dalem may refer to:* Dalem * Dalem, Moselle, a commune of the Moselle department in France* Dalem , a royal title on Bali....
.
History
It is assumed that Gorinchem was founded circa the year 1000 by fishermen and farmers on the raised land near the mouth of the river LingeLinge
Linge is a river in the Betuwe that is over 100 km long, which makes it one of the longest rivers that flow entirely within the Netherlands.It starts near the village Doornenburg near the German border. A legend tells us that if there will be no more pigs grazing at the castle of Doornenburg, the...
at the Merwede
Merwede
The Merwede is the name of several interconnected stretches of river in The Netherlands, all part of the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta. The Meuse river joins the Waal at Woudrichem to form the Boven Merwede...
. "Goriks Heem" is first mentioned in a document from 1224 in which Floris IV
Floris IV, Count of Holland
Floris IV , Count of Holland from 1222 to 1234. He was a son of William I of Holland and Adelaide of Geldern....
granted people from Gorinchem exemption of toll payments throughout Holland.
Somewhere between 1247 and 1267, Gorinchem became property of the Lords of Arkel
Land van Arkel
The Land van Arkel was a fief of the Counts of Holland, and was managed by the Lords of Arkel until 1412. The territory was bordered by the river Merwede on the south, and the river Linge on the east. The northern border might have reached as far as Everdingen, and the western border to the river...
. At the end of the 13th century earthen mounts reinforced with palisade
Palisade
A palisade is a steel or wooden fence or wall of variable height, usually used as a defensive structure.- Typical construction :Typical construction consisted of small or mid sized tree trunks aligned vertically, with no spacing in between. The trunks were sharpened or pointed at the top, and were...
s were built around the settlement to protect it from domination by the neighboring counties of Holland and Gelre. Half a century later real city walls were built complete with 7 gates
City gate
A city gate is a gate which is, or was, set within a city wall. Other terms include port.-Uses:City gates were traditionally built to provide a point of controlled access to and departure from a walled city for people, vehicles, goods and animals...
and 23 watchtower
Watchtower
A watchtower is a type of fortification used in many parts of the world. It differs from a regular tower in that its primary use is military, and from a turret in that it is usually a freestanding structure. Its main purpose is to provide a high, safe place from which a sentinel or guard may...
s. Otto van Arkel granted it city rights
City rights in the Netherlands
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....
on 11 November 1322.
Jan van Arkel had a dispute with Albert I
Albert I, Duke of Bavaria
Duke Albert I or Albrecht KG was a feudal ruler of the counties of Holland, Hainaut, and Zeeland in the Low Countries...
, brother of Willem V of Holland
William I, Duke of Bavaria
William I, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing , was the second son of the emperor Louis IV the Bavarian from his second wife Margaret of Holland and Hainaut...
, leading to war and subsequently to the annexation of Gorinchem to Holland in 1417. This resulted in increased trade and Gorinchem grew to be the eighth city of Holland.
On 9 July 1572, the Watergeuzen (Dutch rebels against Spanish rule) conquered the city and captured 19 catholic priests and monks because they refused to renounce their faith. These priests and monks were brought to Brielle
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...
where they were hanged and were from then on known as the Martyrs of Gorkum
Martyrs of Gorkum
The Martyrs of Gorkum were a group of 19 Dutch Catholic clergy and friars who suffered martyrdom in the sixteenth century for their faith in the town of Gorinchem .-Events:...
.
In the 16th century the city walls were so deteriorated that they were replaced with new fortifications and eleven bastion
Bastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
s, which still are almost completely intact. The new walls were rounded off in 1609 and were placed farther from the town centre, making the city twice as large. In 1673 Gorinchem became part of the old Dutch Water Line
Dutch Water Line
The Dutch Water Line was a series of water based defences conceived by Maurice of Nassau in the early 17th century, and realised by his half brother Frederick Henry...
.
The city walls had four city gates: the Arkel Gate in the north, the Dalem Gate in the east, the Water Gate in the south (where the ferry to Woudrichem was), and the Kansel Gate in the west. Of these four gates only the Dalem Gate remains. The others were removed in the 19th century to make way for vehicular traffic. A portion of the Water Gate was preserved in the gardens of the Rijksmuseum
Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum Amsterdam or simply Rijksmuseum is a Dutch national museum in Amsterdam, located on the Museumplein. The museum is dedicated to arts, crafts, and history. It has a large collection of paintings from the Dutch Golden Age and a substantial collection of Asian art...
in Amsterdam.
In the 18th century, the economy went into decline. After the French domination, the retreating French troops took station in the bastion fortress of Gorinchem. After a three month siege they capitulated but the city was heavily damaged.
During the Industrial Revolution, Gorinchem recovered. Increased shipping led to new canals being dug and a railway connection to the city. Its population quickly rose, filling the innercity and new neighbourhoods had to be built outside the city walls.
At the beginning of the 20th century, expansion took place in the Lingewijk and West neighbourhoods. After World War II, expansion started in the north-western portion of the municipality which was completed in the 1970s. This was followed by developments in the east of the neighbourhoods Wijdschild and Laag Dalem. In 1986, the town Dalem was added to the municipality.
Famous people from Gorinchem
- Henry of GorkumHenry of GorkumHenry of Gorkum was a Dutch theologian known for his commentaries on St. Thomas Aquinas and his defense of Thomism.-Life and career:...
, theologian - The Martyrs of GorkumMartyrs of GorkumThe Martyrs of Gorkum were a group of 19 Dutch Catholic clergy and friars who suffered martyrdom in the sixteenth century for their faith in the town of Gorinchem .-Events:...
, hanged 1572. - Willem Hessels van EstWillem Hessels van EstWillem Hessels van Est was a Flemish commentator on the Pauline epistles.-Biography:He was born at Gorcum, Holland....
, theologian - Abraham BloemaertAbraham BloemaertAbraham Bloemaert was a Dutch painter and printmaker in etching and engraving. He was one of the "Haarlem Mannerists" from about 1585, but in the new century altered his style to fit new Baroque trends...
, painter - Jan van der HeydenJan van der HeydenJan van der Heyden was a Dutch Baroque-era painter, draughtsman, printmaker, a mennonite and inventor who significantly contributed to contemporary firefighting. He improved the fire hose in 1672, with his brother Nicolaes, who was a hydraulic engineer...
, painter and inventor - Hendrik Hamel, seafarer and writer
- Dirk Rafelsz CamphuysenDirk Rafelsz CamphuysenDirk Rafelsz Camphuysen was a Dutch painter, poet and theologian.-Biography:According to Houbraken, he was the son of a respected surgeon at Gorcum. His mother was a mennonite whose father Hans van Mazeik was beheaded for his beliefs. His mother died when young Dirk was eight, and his father...
, theologian, poet, painter - Nikos VertisNikos VertisNikolaos Vertis is a popular Greek singer who was born in Gorinchem, Netherlands. To date, he has released five studio albums along with one CD single, and two special edition CD/DVD albums.-Early life:...
, Greek singer - Dinand WoesthoffDinand WoesthoffMarco Frank Ferdinand "Dinand" Woesthoff is a Dutch singer of Indo heritage.He is the lead singer of the Dutch band Kane...
, musician - Ruud BroodRuud BroodRuud Brood is a Dutch former football player, who was the head coach of Heracles Almelo.He previously coached Helmond Sport and the second team of NAC Breda. As a player he served Feyenoord Rotterdam , RKC Waalwijk , FC Den Bosch , Willem II Tilburg and NAC Breda .-References:*...
, football coach - Marco van HoogdalemMarco van HoogdalemMarco van Hoogdalem is a retired Dutch football player who had the most success playing for FC Schalke 04 in Germany.-Honours:* UEFA Cup winner: 1997.* DFB-Pokal winner: 2001, 2002.* DFB-Pokal finalist: 2005....
, football player - Anton MussertAnton MussertAnton Adriaan Mussert was one of the founders of the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands and its de jure leader. As such, he was the most prominent national socialist in the Netherlands before and during the Second World War...
, leader National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands (NSB) - Hugo de Groot, jurist, philosopher, theologian, Christian apologist, playwright and poet