Sloterdijk (Amsterdam)
Encyclopedia
Sloterdijk is a village in the Dutch
province of North Holland
. It is a part of the municipality of Amsterdam
, and lies about 3 km northwest of the city centre. Sloterdijk is also the name of the borough of Amsterdam in which the village is located.
Nearby is the site of Amsterdam Sloterdijk
railway station.
the Spaarndammerdijk was laid along the south bank of this inlet. In this vicinity at the same time, a dam on the Slochter (or Slooter) river was built, the Slooterdam. Trade grew in the vicinity, and in 1465 a weigh house (or waag) was established.
A church was built in about 1479; however, it was destroyed in 1573 by the Geuzen
, a group of nobles rebelling against Spanish control of Holland, following the siege
of Haarlem
. In the 17th century the Petruskerk (St. Peter’s Church) was built, which stands to this day.
in 1631 brought new prosperity to the village, and a toll was placed along the towpath.
Industry grew around Sloterdijk in the 19th century. On 20 September 1839, the first train to operate in The Netherlands traveled from Sloterdijk to Haarlem. The new rail line between Amsterdam and Haarlem ran parallel to the Haarlemmertrekvaart, but for half a century the line passed through without stopping.
From 1882, steam-powered tram, and later horse-drawn trams ran to Amsterdam along the Haarlemmerweg. This was the last horse-tram in Amsterdam, and it was electrified in 1916. An electric tram from Amsterdam to Haarlem and Zandvoort
ran from 1904 to 1957.
The 1956 station was moved to the northwest in 1985, along a new rail spur to Zaandam
that had opened in 1983.Tram service also moved to the new station in 1985. The station was expanded to two levels in 1986 when the Schiphol line was opened, and in 1997 the Amsterdam Metro
came to Sloterdijk. Since the 1960s, three new business areas have been laid out in the vicinity of the old village.
When Amsterdam was divided into boroughs, Sloterdijk became part of the new borough of Bos en Lommer
. The business districts fell under the jurisdiction of Westpoort
.
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 of North Holland
North Holland
North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...
. It is a part of the municipality of Amsterdam
Amsterdam (municipality)
The Government of Amsterdam is the government of the municipality and city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Most of the inhabitants live in the city of Amsterdam, but the municipality also covers a number of small villages, and other parts of the local government, such as the Waterschap or the...
, and lies about 3 km northwest of the city centre. Sloterdijk is also the name of the borough of Amsterdam in which the village is located.
Nearby is the site of Amsterdam Sloterdijk
Amsterdam Sloterdijk
Amsterdam Sloterdijk is a major railway junction situated to the west of Amsterdam Centraal station. It is at a rail-rail crossing with an additional chord...
railway station.
Early history
To protect the area around Sloten from the as-yet undrained IJIJ (bay)
The IJ is a river, formerly a bay, in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is known for being Amsterdam's waterfront. The name derives from the generic Germanic term for "water" and is similar to other Aa/Ee names for bodies of water. In Dutch, the name consists of the digraph ij, which is...
the Spaarndammerdijk was laid along the south bank of this inlet. In this vicinity at the same time, a dam on the Slochter (or Slooter) river was built, the Slooterdam. Trade grew in the vicinity, and in 1465 a weigh house (or waag) was established.
A church was built in about 1479; however, it was destroyed in 1573 by the Geuzen
Geuzen
Geuzen was a name assumed by the confederacy of Calvinist Dutch nobles and other malcontents, who from 1566 opposed Spanish rule in the Netherlands. The most successful group of them operated at sea, and so were called Watergeuzen...
, a group of nobles rebelling against Spanish control of Holland, following the siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
of Haarlem
Haarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
. In the 17th century the Petruskerk (St. Peter’s Church) was built, which stands to this day.
Rail and tram lines
The construction of the HaarlemmertrekvaartHaarlemmertrekvaart
The Haarlemmertrekvaart is a canal between Amsterdam and Haarlem in the province of North Holland, the Netherlands. It was dug in 1631, making it the oldest tow-canal in Holland...
in 1631 brought new prosperity to the village, and a toll was placed along the towpath.
Industry grew around Sloterdijk in the 19th century. On 20 September 1839, the first train to operate in The Netherlands traveled from Sloterdijk to Haarlem. The new rail line between Amsterdam and Haarlem ran parallel to the Haarlemmertrekvaart, but for half a century the line passed through without stopping.
From 1882, steam-powered tram, and later horse-drawn trams ran to Amsterdam along the Haarlemmerweg. This was the last horse-tram in Amsterdam, and it was electrified in 1916. An electric tram from Amsterdam to Haarlem and Zandvoort
Zandvoort
Zandvoort is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.Zandvoort is one of the major beach resorts of the Netherlands; it has a long sandy beach, bordered by coastal dunes...
ran from 1904 to 1957.
New stations and new growth
The construction of the new Sloterdijk railway station in 1956 should have meant the end of the village. Earlier, in 1860, much of the town was destroyed in a great fire, but had been rebuilt. The construction of the Coentunnel and a new business district almost led to the destruction of the entire village, but the Petruskerk and a few housese were spared in order to preserve the town’s history.The 1956 station was moved to the northwest in 1985, along a new rail spur to Zaandam
Zaandam
Zaandam is a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is the main city of the municipality of Zaanstad, and received city rights in 1811...
that had opened in 1983.Tram service also moved to the new station in 1985. The station was expanded to two levels in 1986 when the Schiphol line was opened, and in 1997 the Amsterdam Metro
Amsterdam Metro
The Amsterdam Metro is a mixed rapid transit and light rail system in Amsterdam, and its surrounding municipalities Amstelveen, Diemen, and Ouder-Amstel in the Netherlands. The network is owned by the city of Amsterdam and operated by the Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf, the company that also operates...
came to Sloterdijk. Since the 1960s, three new business areas have been laid out in the vicinity of the old village.
When Amsterdam was divided into boroughs, Sloterdijk became part of the new borough of Bos en Lommer
Bos en Lommer
Bos en Lommer is a neighborhood of Amsterdam, Netherlands.Situated in the west of Amsterdam, the offers easy access to both the exit way and public transport. Most of the buildings are four-storey high apartment blocks, with relatively low rents...
. The business districts fell under the jurisdiction of Westpoort
Westpoort
The Westpoort is the main harbour and industrial area of the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands and is located in the north-western part of the city. It is divided in industrial areas Teleport, Sloterdijk areas I, II and II, De Heining and the harbour area...
.