Rijswijk
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...
. It is a suburb of 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...
(population: 47,693 in 2004) and covers an area of 14.48 km² (of which 0.43 km² is covered by water).
The municipality of Rijswijk also includes the villages 't Haantje and Sion
Sion, Netherlands
Sion is a hamlet in the Dutch municipality of Rijswijk. It is located on the border with Delft, and has a population of about 210.In 1345, the monastery Sancta Maria in Monte Sion was built in this area. It was demolished on the orders of the city of Delft in 1572, when Spanish troops approached...
.
History
Archeological excavations indicate that this area of the coastal dunes were already inhabited some 5500 years ago. The formation of the village Rijswijk took place in the 13th century, and its history was dominated by presence of mansions and estates of the nobility and affluent. Among the many country estates known to have been in Rijswijk are:
|
Huis ter Nieuwburg Huis ter Nieuwburg or Huis ter Nieuburch was a palace in Rijswijk, Holland, Dutch Republic. The symmetrical French Classicist building was probably designed by the French architect Jacques de la Vallée and was built between 1633 and 1636 for stadtholder Prince Frederick Henry.The palace with... |
Treaty of Ryswick
The Treaty of Ryswick or Ryswyck was signed on 20 September 1697 and named after Ryswick in the Dutch Republic. The treaty settled the Nine Years' War, which pitted France against the Grand Alliance of England, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire and the United Provinces.Negotiations started in May...
was signed at the Huis ter Nieuwburg
Huis ter Nieuwburg
Huis ter Nieuwburg or Huis ter Nieuburch was a palace in Rijswijk, Holland, Dutch Republic. The symmetrical French Classicist building was probably designed by the French architect Jacques de la Vallée and was built between 1633 and 1636 for stadtholder Prince Frederick Henry.The palace with...
in 1697, ending the Nine Years' War. A monument, the Needle of Rijswijk
Needle of Rijswijk
The Needle of Rijswijk is an obelisk that commemorates the Treaty of Rijswijk in Rijswijk, Netherlands.The monument is built at the location of the former palace Huis ter Nieuwburg. In this building the peace treaty was signed. The obelisk was built during the years 1792–1794, out of building...
(1792), was erected to commemorate the treaty in the Rijswijk Forest.
Until 1900 Rijswijk remained a relative small community but it became urbanized during the 20th century when it expanded rapidly. Today, Rijswijk's area has almost been completely built-up. The last major development is the new Ypenburg
Leidschenveen-Ypenburg
Leidschenveen-Ypenburg is a stadsdeel of The Hague, in the southeast . It is geographically connected to the main body of The Hague by only a narrow corridor...
neighbourhood, built on the lands of the former Ypenburg Airfield but this part of Rijswijk was annexed by The Hague in 2002. Rijswijk is part of the Haaglanden
Haaglanden
Haaglanden refers to the conurbation around The Hague in the Province of South Holland in the Netherlands. This area is prominent in the Netherlands because The Hague is the third largest city in the Netherlands and the country's seat of government.-Usage:"Haaglanden" is sometimes used to refer to...
conurbation. During the years its built-up area has grown to the point where it has effectively merged with The Hague, even though it is still a separate municipality.
Up until 2009 Rijswijk had a polytechnic college for applied sciences; TH Rijswijk (Technische Hogeschool Rijswijk). After a merger with the Haagse Hogeschool, this was moved to the campus of the TUDelft in Delft
Delft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
. The building still remains.
Economy
Rijswijk is home to:- The Biomedical Primate Research CentreBiomedical Primate Research CentreThe Biomedical Primate Research Centre is Europe's largest primate research centre. It is a scientific research institute that performs research that contributes to the identification and development of new medicines against deadly diseases...
(BPRC). - The Netherlands Patent OfficeNetherlands Patent OfficeThe Netherlands Patent Office is the patent office of the Netherlands. It is an agency of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. The agency is located in the premises of the European Patent Office , in Rijswijk, near The Hague. The Netherlands Patent Office grants patents in the...
, at the same location as the Dutch branch of the European Patent OfficeEuropean Patent OfficeThe European Patent Office is one of the two organs of the European Patent Organisation , the other being the Administrative Council. The EPO acts as executive body for the Organisation while the Administrative Council acts as its supervisory body as well as, to a limited extent, its legislative...
. - A large technology centre of the oil company ShellRoyal Dutch ShellRoyal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
, on Kessler Park. - A small part of the Dutch national Forensic Laboratory, researching clues and objects in order to aid police investigations. The main building is moved to The Hague-Ypenburg.
Recreation
Lots of parks, including the large Wilhelminapark. The Von Fisenne ParkPark
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
has a petting zoo. Sports park 'De Schilp' has an indoor swimming pool.
The largest shopping center is called 'In de Bogaard' and smaller shops are located in the old town center (Herenstraat). There is the old Schaapweimolen (windmill). The Beurshal Haaglanden
Beurshal Haaglanden
Beurshal Haaglanden is is an exhibition and convention center in the Dutch city of Rijswijk. It was founded in 1996 by Henk van der Straaten as the Darling Market, a recreation of the international market in Haymarket, near Sydney's Darling Harbour which he encountered during a trip to...
holds many fairs and events.
Notable people from Rijswijk
- Adriaen van der Kabel, painter (1630-1705)
- Hendrik TollensHendrik TollensHenricus Franciscus Caroluszoon Tollens was a Dutch poet best known for Wien Neêrlands Bloed, the national anthem of the Netherlands between 1815 and 1932....
, poet (1780-1856) - Henri ter Hall, artist and politician (1866-1944)
- Otto Kriens, painter (1873-1930)
- Johan Buziau, comedian and artist (1877-1958)
- Louis OttenLouis OttenLouis "Lou" Otten was a Dutch football player who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.He was a member of the Dutch team, which won the bronze medal in the football tournament....
, football player (1883-1946) - Teddy ScholtenTeddy ScholtenDorothea Margaretha "Teddy" Scholten was a Dutch singer from Rijswijk, close to The Hague, Netherlands....
, winner Eurovision Song Contest 1959Eurovision Song Contest 1959The Eurovision Song Contest 1959 was the fourth Eurovision Song Contest. It was held in Cannes, following the French victory the previous year....
(1926-2010) - Felix ThijssenFelix ThijssenFelix Thijssen is a Dutch author of crime novels, science fiction novels and books for children. He now lives in France. In 1999 he won the "Gouden Strop", prize for the best Dutch crime novel, for "Cleopatra"...
, writer (born 1933) - Johan van BenthemJohan van Benthem (logician)Johannes Franciscus Abraham Karel van Benthem is a University Professor of logic at the University of Amsterdam at the Institute for Logic, Language and Computation and professor of philosophy at Stanford University . He was awarded the Spinozapremie in 1996.He studied physics , philosophy...
, logician (born 1949) - Peter SlaghuisPeter SlaghuisPeter Slaghuis was a Dutch DJ, producer and remixer, whose work was mostly released under the name Hithouse ....
, DJ and musician (1961-1991) - Karin de Groot, television personality (born 1965)
- Ilja Leonard PfeijfferIlja Leonard PfeijfferIlja Leonard Pfeijffer , Dutch poet, novelist, polemicist and classical scholar, was born in Rijswijk, Netherlands, and having studied, lived and worked in Leiden, he moved permanently to Genoa, Italy, in 2008.- Biography :...
, poet (born 1968) - Odette Simons, television actress (born 1976)
- Richard KnopperRichard KnopperRichard Knopper is a Dutch footballer who plays for Haaglandia as a midfielder.-Club career:Knopper began his footballing career with Feyenoord Rotterdam but, still in his youth, moved to rivals Ajax Amsterdam, making his club debuts in November 1997, against Sparta Rotterdam.In 1999, he was voted...
, football player (born 1977) - Peter Dreijer, teacher (born 1905)
- Anish GiriAnish GiriAnish Giri is a chess prodigy. He met his final grandmaster norm at the age of 14 years, 7 months and 2 days when he beat Venezuelan GM Eduardo Iturrizaga in the C Group of the 2009 Corus Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee in the Netherlands....
, top-rated chess player (born 1994)
External links
- Official Website
- http://www.plattegronden.nl/rijswijk/