Hellevoetsluis
Encyclopedia
Hellevoetsluis (population: 30,164 in 2009) is a small city and municipality on Voorne-Putten
Island in the western Netherlands
, in the province of South Holland
. The municipality covers an area of 46.14 km² (17.81 mile²) of which 14.57 km² (5.63 mile²) is water and it includes the population centres Nieuw-Helvoet
, and Nieuwenhoorn
, both former municipalities.
Hellevoetsluis is located on the Haringvliet
with the sea, beach and dunes close by, on the extreme southern edge of the Rijnmond and Europoort
areas, close to the broad Zeeland
landscape. The name translates as "lock
at the foot of the Helle". The Helle was a small local river which disappeared over time.
Hellevoetsluis was the naval port of the Admiralty of de Maze
(Rotterdam
) and could accommodate an entire fleet within a special land-enclosed fortress
with harbour and dockyard facilities, accessible through a canal
. Thanks to its strategic situation the town grew from the beginning of the 17th century to be the homeport for the Dutch war fleet. In later years the port was fortified more and more and Hellevoetsluis therefore became a unique combination of fortified town and naval port. The Admiral
s Maarten Tromp
, Michiel de Ruyter
and Piet Heyn had their home base here and in 1688 during the Glorious Revolution
William III of Orange
's invasion fleet departed from the port.
The Kanaal door Voorne (Canal through Voorne) was built in 1830 from Hellevoetsluis to Nieuwesluis (near Heenvliet) and made Hellevoetsluis an outport of Rotterdam. It was a period when the town grew and flourished; the shipping industry provided prosperity.
In the first half of the 20th century, however, Hellevoetsluis went into decline. Ocean-going ships became too large to use the canal and the Nieuwe Waterweg
was dug, making the Canal through Voorne redundant. The naval base was relocated to Den Helder
in the 1930s, the Government shipyard
was closed, and during World War II the Germans destroyed three quarters of all buildings in 1944. They also used the canal as a base for Biber submarines.
After World War II Hellevoetsluis grew considerably. As a New Town the population doubled in the 1970s. Today 43,000 inhabitants live in modern houses with abundant green areas nearby. It is home to many commuters working in Europoort
or Rotterdam
.
close by, it is popular with water sports lovers and the Haringvliet is being used increasingly for national and international water sports events.
Every two years, the Dutch Classic Yacht Regatta is held in the harbour. A large number of classic, sharp yacht
s can be seen.
Once a month there is a festival called "Bomvrij" (translated: bomb proof) named after the bunker it's held in (Bomvrij Hospitaal). The festival is for the punk, gothic and metalhead community. Every month there is a different band and a different theme.
The National Firefighting Museum, located in what used to be the Kuiperij and Grootmagazijn on Industriehaven, contains a rich collection ranging from the most primitive fire fighting equipment from centuries ago to the highly sophisticated equipment of today. Water buckets, fire hoses, water barrels, uniforms hand and steam engines, every device that marks a point in the history of fire fighting is represented.
In the Oudheidkamer, also situated on the Industriehaven, there is a collection of items from daily life of the past two centuries. It includes items that relate to the past of Hellevoetsluis as naval port as well as agriculture-related articles.
The first dry dock
in the Netherlands dates from 1806, and it marked a revolutionary development in the history of shipbuilding and ship repair. The dry dock is still there and has become a major historical and industrial/archaeological monument.
with Torbay
, England.
Voorne-Putten
thumb|225px|right|Satellite image of the [[Rhine]]-[[Meuse river|Meuse]] [[river delta|delta]], showing the island of Voorne-Putten Voorne-Putten is an island between the North Sea, the Brielse meer and the rivers Oude Maas, Spui and Haringvliet in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands...
Island in the western 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...
, 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 46.14 km² (17.81 mile²) of which 14.57 km² (5.63 mile²) is water and it includes the population centres Nieuw-Helvoet
Nieuw-Helvoet
Nieuw-Helvoet is a former village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is now a neighbourhood in the north of the town of Hellevoetsluis.Nieuw-Helvoet was a separate municipality until 1960, when it became part of Hellevoetsluis....
, and Nieuwenhoorn
Nieuwenhoorn
Nieuwenhoorn is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is located in the municipality of Hellevoetsluis, about 3 km north of Hellevoetsluis city centre....
, both former municipalities.
Hellevoetsluis is located on the Haringvliet
Haringvliet
The Haringvliet is a large inlet of the North Sea, in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. It is an important estuary of the Rhine-Meuse delta.Near Numansdorp, the Hollands Diep splits into the Haringvliet and the Volkerak estuaries...
with the sea, beach and dunes close by, on the extreme southern edge of the Rijnmond and Europoort
Europoort
Europoort is an area of the Port of Rotterdam and the adjoining industrial area in the Netherlands. Being situated at the mouth of the rivers Rhine and Meuse with the hinterland consisting of the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and partly France, Europoort is by certain measurements the world's...
areas, close to the broad Zeeland
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
landscape. The name translates as "lock
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
at the foot of the Helle". The Helle was a small local river which disappeared over time.
History
The history of Hellevoetsluis has always been connected with water. During the time of the United ProvincesDutch 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...
Hellevoetsluis was the naval port of the Admiralty of de Maze
Admiralty of Rotterdam
The Admiralty of Rotterdam, also called the Admiralty of de Maze, was one of the five Admiralties in the Dutch Republic.-History:It was set up in 1574 during the Dutch Revolt, when William I of Orange's supporters decided to pool their naval resources at Rotterdam...
(Rotterdam
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...
) and could accommodate an entire fleet within a special land-enclosed fortress
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
with harbour and dockyard facilities, accessible through a canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
. Thanks to its strategic situation the town grew from the beginning of the 17th century to be the homeport for the Dutch war fleet. In later years the port was fortified more and more and Hellevoetsluis therefore became a unique combination of fortified town and naval port. The Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
s Maarten Tromp
Maarten Tromp
Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp was an officer and later admiral in the Dutch navy. His first name is also spelled as Maerten.-Early life:...
, Michiel de Ruyter
Michiel de Ruyter
Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter is the most famous and one of the most skilled admirals in Dutch history. De Ruyter is most famous for his role in the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the 17th century. He fought the English and French and scored several major victories against them, the best known probably...
and Piet Heyn had their home base here and in 1688 during the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
William III of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
's invasion fleet departed from the port.
The Kanaal door Voorne (Canal through Voorne) was built in 1830 from Hellevoetsluis to Nieuwesluis (near Heenvliet) and made Hellevoetsluis an outport of Rotterdam. It was a period when the town grew and flourished; the shipping industry provided prosperity.
In the first half of the 20th century, however, Hellevoetsluis went into decline. Ocean-going ships became too large to use the canal and the Nieuwe Waterweg
Nieuwe Waterweg
The Nieuwe Waterweg is a ship canal in the Netherlands from het Scheur west of the town of Maassluis to the North Sea at Hook of Holland...
was dug, making the Canal through Voorne redundant. The naval base was relocated to Den Helder
Den Helder
Den Helder is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Den Helder occupies the northernmost point of the North Holland peninsula...
in the 1930s, the Government shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
was closed, and during World War II the Germans destroyed three quarters of all buildings in 1944. They also used the canal as a base for Biber submarines.
After World War II Hellevoetsluis grew considerably. As a New Town the population doubled in the 1970s. Today 43,000 inhabitants live in modern houses with abundant green areas nearby. It is home to many commuters working in Europoort
Europoort
Europoort is an area of the Port of Rotterdam and the adjoining industrial area in the Netherlands. Being situated at the mouth of the rivers Rhine and Meuse with the hinterland consisting of the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and partly France, Europoort is by certain measurements the world's...
or Rotterdam
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...
.
Facilities
Hellevoetsluis has many shops: in addition to the various small (community) shopping centres, there is the covered shopping centre De Struytse Hoeck, which has over 120 shops and is partly built over the Canal through Voorne. Education up to secondary school level, a library, community centres, health care, modern facilities for water sport are all available. Following the construction of the Haringvliet locks, the Haringvliet is ideal water for surfing and sailing. There are also extensive mooring facilities. Close by are the beach and the dunes at Voorne, a nature reserve.Water sports
Hellevoetsluis is one of the largest water sports centres in the country. There are 2,000 mooring places, spread over five harbours. With such a broad expanse of water as the Haringvliet and the North SeaNorth Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
close by, it is popular with water sports lovers and the Haringvliet is being used increasingly for national and international water sports events.
Entertainment
The old town centre, the fortress, has many terraces that look out upon the busy harbour and plenty of bars and restaurants serving 'international' food. There are also restaurants and bars outside the fortress. A children’s farm, a sailing school, a fitness centre, tennis courts, a sauna, etc., are nearby.Events
In August the "Fortress Days" are held. A fleet of ships can also be seen and there is a large, varied fair, aeroplane demonstrations and a big firework display.Every two years, the Dutch Classic Yacht Regatta is held in the harbour. A large number of classic, sharp yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
s can be seen.
Once a month there is a festival called "Bomvrij" (translated: bomb proof) named after the bunker it's held in (Bomvrij Hospitaal). The festival is for the punk, gothic and metalhead community. Every month there is a different band and a different theme.
Museums
There are excellently preserved fortifications in the fortress. A walking tour leads to historical buildings such as the lighthouse, the Prinsehuis, Corn Mill De Hoop and a number of museums. The museum Gesigt van 't Dok situated at Oostzanddijk contains a replica of 1834 of town, fortress and naval shipyard. This replica forms the heart of an exhibition on the development of Hellevoetsluis into a modern naval port at the beginning of the previous century.The National Firefighting Museum, located in what used to be the Kuiperij and Grootmagazijn on Industriehaven, contains a rich collection ranging from the most primitive fire fighting equipment from centuries ago to the highly sophisticated equipment of today. Water buckets, fire hoses, water barrels, uniforms hand and steam engines, every device that marks a point in the history of fire fighting is represented.
In the Oudheidkamer, also situated on the Industriehaven, there is a collection of items from daily life of the past two centuries. It includes items that relate to the past of Hellevoetsluis as naval port as well as agriculture-related articles.
The first dry dock
Dry dock
A drydock is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform...
in the Netherlands dates from 1806, and it marked a revolutionary development in the history of shipbuilding and ship repair. The dry dock is still there and has become a major historical and industrial/archaeological monument.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Hellevoetsluis is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with Torbay
Torbay
Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth. Part of the ceremonial county of Devon, Torbay was made a unitary authority on 1 April 1998...
, England.