Hof van Twente
Encyclopedia
Hof van Twente is a municipality
in the eastern Netherlands
, province Overijssel
. The municipality came into being on January 1, 2001 as the result of the merger of the municipalities of Diepenheim, Goor, Markelo, Ambt Delden, and Stad Delden.
region, who ruled this area in behalf of the bishop of Utrecht, had in the late Middle Ages
his residence in Goor. In its surroundings some castles were built, among them the house of the important Heeckeren family in 1412. Goor had a small harbour along the river Regge ( which flows to the Vecht near Ommen
) , but when the Twente canal was opened in 1936, a new industrial port was built there. The factory Eternit
, that produces building materials containing asbestos
, brought Goor unwillingly into trouble. For decades, everyone in Goor was permitted to use production refuse containing asbestos in order to pave their own paths and roads. Not earlier than about 1990, it was known in Goor that especially small particles of this material can cause cancer
. In major parts of the city the soil has to be removed and either cleaned or replaced by non-polluted material.
Delden achieved its city rights in 1333. Its circle-shaped centre was surrounded by earthen walls. It came into existence thanks to the Twickel castle, situated less than one mile north of delden. This castle, that in its present form dates from the 17th century, is still inhabited by a German noble family ( Zu Castell - Rüdenhausen).
In 1886, near this castle salt
was discovered under the ground. This led to the exploration of this material, still going on in the nearby city of Hengelo
.
In Markelo, prehistoric mound
s "tumuli
", containing graves have been excavated.
, north-east of the Achterhoek
region (Prov. Gelderland
) and south-east of Rijssen-Holten
.
The small cities of Goor and Delden have some industry (asbestos-cement, metallics, plastics). Goor has a small harbour along the Twente Canal
(Zutphen - Enschede
).
The motorway A35 has a junction between Delden and Hengelo
(distance to both towns 2 km).
Agriculture and tourism (see below) are of economic importance as well.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in the eastern 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...
, province Overijssel
Overijssel
Overijssel is a province of the Netherlands in the central eastern part of the country. The region has a NUTS classification of NL21. The province's name means "Lands across river IJssel". The capital city of Overijssel is Zwolle and the largest city is Enschede...
. The municipality came into being on January 1, 2001 as the result of the merger of the municipalities of Diepenheim, Goor, Markelo, Ambt Delden, and Stad Delden.
Population centres
The more important places are printed in bold types.- Achterhoek near Markelo
- Azelo
- BenteloBenteloBentelo is a small farming village in the Dutch municipality Hof van Twente. The village had 2110 inhabitants in 2006.The village is a centre for intensive cattle farming....
(pop. about 1,500) - DeldenDeldenDelden 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...
(pop. about 7,100) - Deldenerbroek
- Deldeneresch
- DiepenheimDiepenheimDiepenheim is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Hof van Twente, about 5 km southwest of Goor.Diepenheim was a separate municipality until 2001, when it became a part of Hof van Twente....
(pop. about 2,700) - Dijkerhoek
- Elsen and Elsenerbroek, near Markelo
- GoorGoorGoor is a town about 26 km south of Almelo in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It received city rights in 1263. The population is about 13,000.Goor was a separate municipality until 2001, when it became a part of Hof van Twente....
, where the town hall is (pop. about 12,250) - HengeveldeHengeveldeHengevelde is a town in the eastern the Netherlands. It is part of the municipality Hof van Twente since 2001. Before that, it belonged to the municipality Ambt Delden....
(pop. about 2,100) - Herike near Markelo
- MarkeloMarkeloMarkelo is a town in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Hof van Twente, about west of Hengelo and south-west of Almelo. The population is about 7.000....
(pop. about 7,600) - Markelosebroek
- MarkveldeMarkveldeMarkvelde is a hamlet near Diepenheim in the municipalityHof van Twente, in the eastern Netherlands. For 2001, it amongs to the municipality of Diepenheim. It consists of a school, a community center and a number of farms ....
- Pothoek, and Stokkum, near Markelo
- Stokkumerbroek near Markelo
- Wiene
- Zeldam.
History
Goor (Dutch for: low, swampy land) achieved city rights in 1263. An important city, however, it never became. The "Drost" ( a kind of mayor) of the TwenteTwente
Twente is a non-administrative region in the eastern Netherlands. It encompasses the most urbanised and easternmost part of the province of Overijssel...
region, who ruled this area in behalf of the bishop of Utrecht, had in the late 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...
his residence in Goor. In its surroundings some castles were built, among them the house of the important Heeckeren family in 1412. Goor had a small harbour along the river Regge ( which flows to the Vecht near Ommen
Ommen
Ommen is a municipality and a Hanseatic city in the Vecht valley of the Salland region, which is at the heart of the province of Overijssel in the eastern Netherlands. Historical records first name Ommen in the early 12th century and it was officially founded as a city in 1248...
) , but when the Twente canal was opened in 1936, a new industrial port was built there. The factory Eternit
Eternit
Eternit is the registered trademark for fibre cement. This has caused fibre cement to be known under the "Eternit" brand. Though, this is not to be confused, "Eternit" is only a trademark for fibre cement....
, that produces building materials containing asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
, brought Goor unwillingly into trouble. For decades, everyone in Goor was permitted to use production refuse containing asbestos in order to pave their own paths and roads. Not earlier than about 1990, it was known in Goor that especially small particles of this material can cause cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. In major parts of the city the soil has to be removed and either cleaned or replaced by non-polluted material.
Delden achieved its city rights in 1333. Its circle-shaped centre was surrounded by earthen walls. It came into existence thanks to the Twickel castle, situated less than one mile north of delden. This castle, that in its present form dates from the 17th century, is still inhabited by a German noble family ( Zu Castell - Rüdenhausen).
In 1886, near this castle salt
Sodium chloride
Sodium chloride, also known as salt, common salt, table salt or halite, is an inorganic compound with the formula NaCl. Sodium chloride is the salt most responsible for the salinity of the ocean and of the extracellular fluid of many multicellular organisms...
was discovered under the ground. This led to the exploration of this material, still going on in the nearby city of Hengelo
Hengelo
Hengelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel. The city lies along the motorways A1/E30 and A35 and it has a station for the International Amsterdam – Hannover – Berlin service.-Traffic and transport:...
.
In Markelo, prehistoric mound
Mound
A mound is a general term for an artificial heaped pile of earth, gravel, sand, rocks, or debris. The most common use is in reference to natural earthen formation such as hills and mountains, particularly if they appear artificial. The term may also be applied to any rounded area of topographically...
s "tumuli
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
", containing graves have been excavated.
Economy
Hof van Twente is situated in the heart of the province Overijssel: south-west of AlmeloAlmelo
Almelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. The main population centres in the town are Aadorp, Almelo, Mariaparochie and Bornerbroek....
, north-east of the Achterhoek
Achterhoek
The Achterhoek is a region in the eastern part of the Netherlands, Europe.Its name is geographically appropriate because the area lies in the Eastern-most part of Gelderland, and therefore of the Netherlands, protruding into Germany...
region (Prov. Gelderland
Gelderland
Gelderland is the largest province of the Netherlands, located in the central eastern part of the country. The capital city is Arnhem. The two other major cities, Nijmegen and Apeldoorn have more inhabitants. Other major regional centers in Gelderland are Ede, Doetinchem, Zutphen, Tiel, Wijchen,...
) and south-east of Rijssen-Holten
Rijssen-Holten
Rijssen-Holten is a municipality in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel.The municipality was formed in 2001 by the joining of the municipalities of Holten and Rijssen...
.
The small cities of Goor and Delden have some industry (asbestos-cement, metallics, plastics). Goor has a small harbour along the Twente Canal
Twentekanaal
The Twentekanaal is a canal running through the Dutch provinces of Gelderland and Overijssel, connecting the three largest cities of the Twente region, Almelo, Hengelo and Enschede to the national network of rivers and canals...
(Zutphen - Enschede
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...
).
The motorway A35 has a junction between Delden and Hengelo
Hengelo
Hengelo is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands, in the province of Overijssel. The city lies along the motorways A1/E30 and A35 and it has a station for the International Amsterdam – Hannover – Berlin service.-Traffic and transport:...
(distance to both towns 2 km).
Agriculture and tourism (see below) are of economic importance as well.
Sights
- All through the Hof van Twente ("Garden of Twente") it is possible to wander around on foot or bicycle. The municipality has many small woods, old water mills, beautiful country houses and small castles with their parks and small lanes winding themselves through the countryside. Therefore, many tourists visit this rural area. They stay in small hotels, holiday resorts, on camping sites and even at farms.
- The Twickel castle near Delden can only be observed from the outside, but the major part of its parks and woods ( 60 square km) are freely accessible.
- Castle Warmelo near Diepenheim, that was built in 1315, and was afterwards devastated and rebuilt several times, is in private use as well. Princess Armgard, the mother of Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld, who was Queen Juliana's husband, lived there until her death in 1971. Its famous gardens are open to the public every summer.
- Castle Weldam, between Markelo and Goor, is inhabited by the German noble family of Zu Solms-Sonnenwalde. The beautiful gardens of this castle can be visited. Castle's forest is free accessible as well.
- In Delden you can visit the GothicGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
Saint Blasius Church (built in the 15th century). - Delden has the Dutch Salt Museum (Zoutmuseum), about salt, its history, use and mining.
External links
All information on the following websites are (predominantly) in Dutch.- Official Website (with English summary)
- Castle Twickel