Lisse
Encyclopedia
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 16.11 km² (10.01 mile²) of which 0.41 km² (0.25 mile²) is water. Its population is 21864 (1 November 2006, source: CBS). Located within the municipal boundary is also the community De Engel.
History
The history of Lisse is closely related and similar to the neighboring towns of HillegomHillegom
Hillegom is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 13.48 km² of which 0.61 km² is water....
and Sassenheim
Sassenheim
Sassenheim is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.The former municipality covered an area of 6.62 km² and had a population of 14,906 in 2005...
. Based on a document from 1198 which makes official mention of the town's name, Lisse celebrated its 800-year anniversary in 1998, although there is an indication that there was already a settlement there in the 10th century.
In the Middle Ages, Lisse was a small settlement; there were only 50 houses in 1500. Because of prolonged warfare (particularly the wars of Charles the Bold
Charles I, Duke of Burgundy
Charles the Bold , baptised Charles Martin, was Duke of Burgundy from 1467 to 1477...
and the Eighty Years' War), poverty was prevalent. Its population lived from agriculture, animal husbandry
Animal husbandry
Animal husbandry is the agricultural practice of breeding and raising livestock.- History :Animal husbandry has been practiced for thousands of years, since the first domestication of animals....
, and peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
harvesting.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, Lisse was, like Hillegom
Hillegom
Hillegom is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 13.48 km² of which 0.61 km² is water....
, home to many estate
Estate (house)
An estate comprises the houses and outbuildings and supporting farmland and woods that surround the gardens and grounds of a very large property, such as a country house or mansion. It is the modern term for a manor, but lacks the latter's now abolished jurisdictional authority...
s of rich merchants and nobility. The forests and gardens of the Keukenhof
Keukenhof
Keukenhof , also known as the Garden of Europe, is situated near Lisse, Netherlands, and is the world's largest flower garden...
, Meerenburg, Wildlust, Zandvliet, Overduin en Akervoorde, Wassergeest, Grotenhof, Ter Specke, Dubbelhoven, Rosendaal, Veenenburg en Berkhout, Middelburg, Ter Beek, and Uytermeer estates all added to the town's beauty and glory.
Yet in the following centuries, every one of these estates (except Keukenhof) was removed to make way for the cultivation of bulb
Bulb
A bulb is a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf bases. The leaves often function as food storage organs during dormancy.A bulb's leaf bases, known as scales, generally do not support leaves, but contain food reserves to enable the plant to survive adverse conditions. At the center of the bulb is...
flowers. The sandy soil in Lisse's surroundings were highly suitable for its growth provided the soil was fertilized. The nearby dune
Dune
In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by wind. Dunes occur in different forms and sizes, formed by interaction with the wind. Most kinds of dunes are longer on the windward side where the sand is pushed up the dune and have a shorter "slip face" in the lee of the wind...
s were excavated and forests cut down progressively over time for more fields for the flower business. This brought employment and prosperity to this area.
Floriculture centre
In the 20th century, the bulb flower business continued to boom, resulting in the establishment of auction and trading houses, large-scale cultivators and cooperativeCooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
s. Today, Lisse exports bulbflowers in large quantities to over a hundred countries worldwide.
Located at the centre of the "Dune and Bulb Region" (Duin- en Bollenstreek
Duin- en Bollenstreek
The Duin- en Bollenstreek is a region in South Holland, The Netherlands, that features coastal dunes and the cultivation of flower bulbs. Situated at the heart of historical Holland between Leiden and Haarlem, the combination of beaches, flower fields, lakes and history makes this area attractive...
), Holland's flower-growing region, Lisse is also a major tourist attraction. During the spring when the fields around Lisse are in a colourful bloom, hundreds of thousands of local and foreign tourists visit the area. Ironically, the only remaining estate that was not removed for flower cultivation (Keukenhof
Keukenhof
Keukenhof , also known as the Garden of Europe, is situated near Lisse, Netherlands, and is the world's largest flower garden...
) became world-famous for its flower displays.
Tourism and attractions
The most popular attractions in Lisse is KeukenhofKeukenhof
Keukenhof , also known as the Garden of Europe, is situated near Lisse, Netherlands, and is the world's largest flower garden...
, open only during spring when the tulip
Tulip
The tulip is a perennial, bulbous plant with showy flowers in the genus Tulipa, which comprises 109 species and belongs to the family Liliaceae. The genus's native range extends from as far west as Southern Europe, North Africa, Anatolia, and Iran to the Northwest of China. The tulip's centre of...
s are flowering. Also each spring a flower parade
Flower parade
A flower parade is a parade in which the floats, vehicles, boats, participants, animals and other things are decorated or covered in flowers. Often there are other elements like marching bands and people in costumes...
called the Bollenstreek Bloemencorso
Bloemencorso
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...
is held through the main streets of Lisse. In August the fantasy festival Castlefest
Castlefest
Castlefest is a medieval/fantasy festival in the Netherlands, held in the first weekend of August in the gardens of Castle Keukenhof in Lisse since 2005. The festival takes part during 3 days on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with a opening concert on Thursday...
is held in the gardens of Castle Keukenhof.
Other places of interest are the museums:
- Huys Dever, a restored castle tower from the 14th century
- Castle Keukenhof, part of the Keukenhof estate but open year-round
- Museum De Zwarte Tulp (Black Tulip Museum), exhibiting the history of the Dutch' bulb-growing region
Sports
Lisse is the home of FC LisseFC Lisse
FC Lisse is a Dutch football club from Lisse which was founded in 1981. It currently plays in the Topklasse.-History:The history of FC Lisse is linked to its Catholic religion, the first version of a football club being formed in 1911 by a local Catholic priest, called Lissese Voetbal Vereniging,...
, a football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
team currently playing in the Zaterdag Topklasse
Topklasse
Topklasse is the third tier of football in the Netherlands, which had its inaugural season in 2010–11. The league is placed between the Eerste Divisie and the Hoofdklasse, the second and fourth tiers of Dutch football, respectively...
. On May 3 2008 FC Lisse
FC Lisse
FC Lisse is a Dutch football club from Lisse which was founded in 1981. It currently plays in the Topklasse.-History:The history of FC Lisse is linked to its Catholic religion, the first version of a football club being formed in 1911 by a local Catholic priest, called Lissese Voetbal Vereniging,...
sealed the championship of the 2007/2008 season in the Hoofdklasse
Hoofdklasse
The Hoofdklasse is the 2nd highest league of amateur football in the Netherlands, and the fourth tier in general.-Background:The league is divided into two sections: Saturday and Sunday. This is a result of the traditional pillarisation , the segregation of Dutch society. The Saturday-clubs are by...
A.
Notable people born in Lisse
- Joseph SmitJoseph SmitJoseph Smit was a Dutch zoological illustrator.-Background:...
(1836-1929), zoological illustrator - Jacob Veldhuyzen van ZantenJacob Veldhuyzen van ZantenJacob Louis Veldhuyzen van Zanten was a Dutch aircraft captain and flight instructor. He was the captain of the ill-fated KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 747 which was involved in the Tenerife airport disaster.-Biography:...
(1927-1977), KLM aircraft pilot and captain - Adrianus Johannes Simonis (26 November 1931), cardinal and archbishop of Utrecht
- Jenny AreanJenny AreanJenny Arean is a Dutch singer, actress and comedian. She is known for her contralto voice.-Life and career:...
(4 October 1942), singer, actress and comedian - Harry Mens (29 January 1947), real estate broker and television presenter
- Hans KroesHans KroesHans Kroes is a former freestyle and backstroke swimmer from The Netherlands, who competed for his native country at two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1984. His best individual result in Los Angeles, California was the eighth place in the 100 m backstroke .-References:*...
(3 June 1965), freestyle and backstroke swimmer - Bastiaan RagasBastiaan RagasBastiaan Johannes Ragas is a Dutch singer and actor. Born in Lisse, he was the youngest of three brothers. Ragas learnt piano and guitar at school. He also participated and traveled with the international musical group Up With People during their 1989-1990 tour...
(30 June 1971), actor and singer - Hannah Jong (Born 1967), artist
External links
- Town of Lisse official website
- Keukenhof
- Lisse Actueel
- http://www.plattegronden.nl/lisse/
- OJC Magnifiosi Lisse
- Jeugd Opbouwwerk Lisse
- Weerstation-Lisse, het actuele weer in Lisse