A stins is a former stronghold or villa

Villa

A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...

 in the province of Friesland

Friesland

Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...

, the 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...

. Many stinsen carry the name "state."

Stinsen used to belong to noblemen

Nobility

Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...

 or prominent citizens. Most stinsen were demolished in the 19th century, when maintenance became too expensive. Several surviving stinsen are now used as museums.

Stinsen also appear in East Frisia

East Frisia

East Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....

, and are known as borg (pl. borgen) in the province of Groningen

Groningen (province)

Groningen [] is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. In the east it borders the German state of Niedersachsen , in the south Drenthe, in the west Friesland and in the north the Wadden Sea...

.

Stinsen in Friesland

Name	Municipality	Constructed	Demolished	Image
Abbinga State	Leeuwarden	Before 1402	1859
Andringastate	Boarnsterhim Boarnsterhim Boarnsterhim is a municipality in the northern Netherlands. The Dutch name is Boornsterhem.- Population centres :Akkrum, Aldeboarn , Dearsum , Eagum , Friens, Grou , Idaerd , Jirnsum , Nes, Poppenwier , Raerd , Reduzum , Sibrandabuorren ,...	1790	1894
Crackstate	Heerenveen Heerenveen Heerenveen is a town in the Heerenveen municipality of the province of Friesland , in the north of the Netherlands.- History :The town was established in 1551 by three lords as a location for the purpose of digging peat which was used for fuel, hence the name...	1608
Dekemastate	Leeuwarderadeel Leeuwarderadeel Leeuwarderadeel is a municipality in the northern Netherlands. Its capital is Stiens.- Population centres :Bartlehiem, Britsum, Cornjum, Finkum, Hijum, Jelsum, Oude Leije, Stiens.- Bartlehiem :...
Epema State	Sneek Sneek Sneek is a city southwest of Leeuwarden and seat of the former municipality of Sneek in the province of Friesland . As for 2011 it is part of the municipality Súdwest Fryslân...	1625
Fogelsangh State	Kollumerland c.a. Kollumerland c.a. Kollumerland c.a. or fully Kollumerland en Nieuwkruisland is a municipality in the northern Netherlands, in the province of Friesland.- Population centres :...
Harsta State	Ferwerderadiel Ferwerderadiel Ferwerderadiel is a municipality in the northern Netherlands. Its official name is West Frisian. The Dutch name is Ferwerderadeel.- Population centres :...	1511
Heremastate	Skarsterlân Skarsterlân Skarsterlân is a municipality in the province of Friesland in the Netherlands. The municipality was created January 1, 1984 by merging the municipalities of Doniawerstal and Haskerland, the part of Utingeradeel consisting of the villages Akmarijp and Terkaple and the village Nieuwebrug that used...	1679
Hoytema State	Wûnseradiel Wûnseradiel Wûnseradiel is a former municipality in the Friesland province of the northern Netherlands, at the eastern end of the Afsluitdijk. The official name of the municipality is in the West Frisian language, though it is known as Wonseradeel in Dutch...	1503	1906
Jongema State	Boarnsterhim Boarnsterhim Boarnsterhim is a municipality in the northern Netherlands. The Dutch name is Boornsterhem.- Population centres :Akkrum, Aldeboarn , Dearsum , Eagum , Friens, Grou , Idaerd , Jirnsum , Nes, Poppenwier , Raerd , Reduzum , Sibrandabuorren ,...	15th century	1912
Liauckama State	Franekeradeel Franekeradeel Franekeradeel is a municipality in the northern Netherlands. It was created in 1984 by combining an earlier Franekeradeel municipality with the city of Franeker and parts of the former municipality of Barradeel...	14th century
Martenastate	Leeuwarderadeel Leeuwarderadeel Leeuwarderadeel is a municipality in the northern Netherlands. Its capital is Stiens.- Population centres :Bartlehiem, Britsum, Cornjum, Finkum, Hijum, Jelsum, Oude Leije, Stiens.- Bartlehiem :...
Oenemastate	Heerenveen Heerenveen Heerenveen is a town in the Heerenveen municipality of the province of Friesland , in the north of the Netherlands.- History :The town was established in 1551 by three lords as a location for the purpose of digging peat which was used for fuel, hence the name...	1640
Osinga State	Skarsterlân Skarsterlân Skarsterlân is a municipality in the province of Friesland in the Netherlands. The municipality was created January 1, 1984 by merging the municipalities of Doniawerstal and Haskerland, the part of Utingeradeel consisting of the villages Akmarijp and Terkaple and the village Nieuwebrug that used...
Papinga stins	Leeuwarden
Poptaslot	Menaldumadeel Menaldumadeel - Population centres :Population as of 1 January 2007:Beetgum , Beetgumermolen , Berlikum , Blessum , Boksum , Deinum , Dronrijp , Engelum , Kleaster-Anjum , Marssum , Menaldum , Schingen , Slappeterp , and Wier .- External links :*...	1640
Ropta State	Dongeradeel Dongeradeel - History :Dongeradeel was created in 1984 from a merger of the old municipalities Westdongeradeel, Oostdongeradeel, and Dokkum. The new municipality is still colloquially referred to in the plural, "de Dongeradelen".- Population centres :...	before 1297	1731
Skierstins Skierstins The Skierstins is a medieval Stienhús built c. 1300 out of brick in Feanwâlden. It is the only remaining Stienhús in Friesland and is listed as Rijksmonument, number 11700 and is rated with a very high historical value. The building is first mentioned in 1439 on a piece of parchment....	Veenwouden	c. 1300
Sjaerdemaslot Sjaerdemaslot Sjaerdemaslot was a Frisian castle, a so-called "state", in Franeker, the Netherlands. In 1446 the construction of the castle was started and the state was demolished in 1727. Famous residents include the philosopher René Descartes and Duke Albert of Saxony....	Franekeradeel Franekeradeel Franekeradeel is a municipality in the northern Netherlands. It was created in 1984 by combining an earlier Franekeradeel municipality with the city of Franeker and parts of the former municipality of Barradeel...	1446	1725
Tjaarda State	Dantumadeel Dantumadeel Dantumadiel is a municipality in the province of Friesland in the Netherlands. Dantumadiel is a rural municipality characterized by agriculture.- History :...	1242	after 1834
Unia State	Littenseradiel Littenseradiel Littenseradiel is a municipality in the northern Netherlands. In Dutch it's known as Littenseradeel.- Population centers :Baaium, Baard, Bears, Boazum, Britswert, Easterein, Easterlittens, Easterwierrum, Hidaard, Hilaard, Hinnaard, Húns, Iens, Itens, Jellum, Jorwert, Kûbaard, Leons, Lytsewierrum,...
Walta State	Wûnseradiel Wûnseradiel Wûnseradiel is a former municipality in the Friesland province of the northern Netherlands, at the eastern end of the Afsluitdijk. The official name of the municipality is in the West Frisian language, though it is known as Wonseradeel in Dutch...

External links

• Stinsen in Friesland