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Soest (Netherlands)
Encyclopedia
Soest is a municipality
and a town in the central Netherlands
, in the province of Utrecht
. It is located about 6 km west of Amersfoort
.
, and prehistoric
burial mounds in the Soesterduinen point to early habitation in this area.
Medieval agricultural activity is still visible as there is much farmland within Soest. The biggest area is in the center of the town, on a hill, and are called 'de Engh'. A small street is het Kerkpad (literally, the Church Path). The Soesterduinen, in the South, sand dunes, are worth visiting.
Upon visiting Soest, numerous churches depict the Calvinist/Catholic tradition of the region. Christengemeente Soest, Wilhelmina Kerk Soest, Gereformeerde Kerk Vrijgemaakt, Emmakerk and the Evangelische Kerk Soest are the main churches within the town of Soest.
Currently some 50,000 inhabitants live in Soest, consisting mainly of commuters.
Soest can be reached by train from Utrecht
(every half hour, xx:05 and xx:35) and Baarn
(xx:23 and xx:53); all trains stop at the three stations. The station of
Soestduinen
situated on the railroad between Utrecht
and Amersfoort
was closed in 1998, after being in use for 135 years.
The stations that can be reached directly from Soest are:
Soest has a number of bus stops and three bus lines, all of which leave from the bus station at Soest Zuid exactly at the half hour. Line 21 and 22 are local buses that do not leave Soest. Line 70 and 74, however, travel both directions to Amersfoort
and Hilversum
, and also includes Leusden
.
with:
Soest
, Germany
, since 3 June 2004
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...
and a town in the central 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 Utrecht
Utrecht (province)
Utrecht is the smallest province of the Netherlands in terms of area, and is located in the centre of the country. It is bordered by the Eemmeer in the north, Gelderland in the east, the river Rhine in the south, South Holland in the west, and North Holland in the northwest...
. It is located about 6 km west of Amersfoort
Amersfoort
Amersfoort is a municipality and the second largest city of the province of Utrecht in central Netherlands. The city is growing quickly but has a well-preserved and protected medieval centre. Amersfoort is one of the largest railway junctions in the country, because of its location on two of the...
.
The town of Soest
The oldest documents mentioning Soest (then written as Zoys) date from 1029. Its oldest church (the Oude Kerk, meaning Old Church), which is still in use today, dates from the fifteenth century. Traces of earlier habitation are found though. The area of "Hees", now at the outskirts of Soest may date in to the Early Middle AgesMiddle 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...
, and prehistoric
Prehistory
Prehistory is the span of time before recorded history. Prehistory can refer to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it refers to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing...
burial mounds in the Soesterduinen point to early habitation in this area.
Medieval agricultural activity is still visible as there is much farmland within Soest. The biggest area is in the center of the town, on a hill, and are called 'de Engh'. A small street is het Kerkpad (literally, the Church Path). The Soesterduinen, in the South, sand dunes, are worth visiting.
Upon visiting Soest, numerous churches depict the Calvinist/Catholic tradition of the region. Christengemeente Soest, Wilhelmina Kerk Soest, Gereformeerde Kerk Vrijgemaakt, Emmakerk and the Evangelische Kerk Soest are the main churches within the town of Soest.
Currently some 50,000 inhabitants live in Soest, consisting mainly of commuters.
Transport
Soest has three railway stations:- SoestdijkSoestdijk railway stationSoestdijk is a railway station located in Soestdijk, the Netherlands. The station was opened on 27 June 1898 on the single track Den Dolder–Baarn railway.-Train service:The following train services call at Soestdijk:...
- Soest
- Soest ZuidSoest Zuid railway stationSoest Zuid is a railway station located in Soest, the Netherlands. The station was opened on the 27th June 1898 on the single track Stichtse lijn and is located on an embankment...
Soest can be reached by train from Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
(every half hour, xx:05 and xx:35) and Baarn
Baarn
Baarn is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht.-The municipality Baarn :The municipality of Baarn consists of the following towns: Baarn, Eembrugge, Lage Vuursche.- The town Baarn :...
(xx:23 and xx:53); all trains stop at the three stations. The station of
Soestduinen
Soestduinen railway station
Soestduinen was a railway station in the village of Soestduinen, near Amersfoort, the Netherlands.-History:The station is on the Centraalspoorweg, the station was also sometimes called Soesterberg. The station opened on the 20th August 1863. The station closed on 24 May 1998. This was due to not...
situated on the railroad between Utrecht
Utrecht Centraal railway station
Utrecht Centraal is the central railway station for the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands. It is the largest railway station in the Netherlands in terms of size, with fourteen platforms With Utrecht being located centrally in the Netherlands, Utrecht Centraal is also the largest station in terms...
and Amersfoort
Amersfoort railway station
Amersfoort railway station is the main railway station in Amersfoort, Utrecht, the Netherlands. The station is an important link between the central part of the Netherlands and the north and east of the country.-History:...
was closed in 1998, after being in use for 135 years.
The stations that can be reached directly from Soest are:
- BaarnBaarn railway stationBaarn is a railway station on the Amsterdam–Zutphen railway and the Den Dolder–Baarn railway. It is located in Baarn, the Netherlands. The station is operated by the Nederlandse Spoorwegen . The station was opened on 10 June 1874....
- Den DolderDen Dolder railway stationDen Dolder is a railway station located in Den Dolder, the Netherlands. The station is located on the Utrecht–Kampen railway and the Den Dolder–Baarn railway. It was opened in 1895...
- BilthovenBilthoven railway stationBilthoven is a railway station located in Bilthoven, the Netherlands. The station is located on the Utrecht–Kampen railway between Utrecht and Amersfoort, and was opened on 20 August 1863...
- Utrecht OvervechtUtrecht Overvecht railway stationUtrecht Overvecht is a suburb railway station located in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The station opened in 1968 and is on the Utrecht–Kampen railway...
- Utrecht CentraalUtrecht Centraal railway stationUtrecht Centraal is the central railway station for the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands. It is the largest railway station in the Netherlands in terms of size, with fourteen platforms With Utrecht being located centrally in the Netherlands, Utrecht Centraal is also the largest station in terms...
Soest has a number of bus stops and three bus lines, all of which leave from the bus station at Soest Zuid exactly at the half hour. Line 21 and 22 are local buses that do not leave Soest. Line 70 and 74, however, travel both directions to Amersfoort
Amersfoort
Amersfoort is a municipality and the second largest city of the province of Utrecht in central Netherlands. The city is growing quickly but has a well-preserved and protected medieval centre. Amersfoort is one of the largest railway junctions in the country, because of its location on two of the...
and Hilversum
Hilversum
is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Located in the region called "'t Gooi", it is the largest town in that area. It is surrounded by heathland, woods, meadows, lakes, and smaller villages...
, and also includes Leusden
Leusden
Leusden is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. It is located about 3 kilometres southeast of Amersfoort....
.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Soest, Netherlands 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:
Soest
Soest, Germany
Soest is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Soest district. After Lippstadt, a neighbouring town, Soest is the second biggest town in its district.-Geography:...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, since 3 June 2004
External links
- Official Website (in Dutch)
- Welkom in Soest (in Dutch)
- Welcome to Soest (in English)
- Map
- History of transportation in Soest by Nico Spilt.
- Christengemeente Soest
- Wilhelmina church Soest
- Gereformeerde Kerk Vrijgemaakt
- Kerkplein Soest (in Dutch)
- Artishock Soest