Weesp
Encyclopedia
Weesp ʋeːsp is a town and a municipality
in the Netherlands
, in the province of North Holland
. It has a population of 17,533 (2010).
Weesp lies next to the rivers de Vecht
and Smal Weesp and also next to the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal
. It is in an area called the "Vechtstreek
". It is only 3 km from the end of the Amsterdam metro, but the wide Amsterdam-Rhine Canal
keeps it geographically separate. The town is surrounded by open grassland.
chocolate. Before cocoa production, the local economy has been based on beer breweries, jenever
distilleries, production of Weesper porcelain, and trade, due to its location on a branch point of waterways. In the 21st century, the economy is very diverse. There were large facilities of Solvay Pharmaceuticals, until February of 2010 when Abbott Laboratories
of North Chicago, IL, USA acquired Solvay Pharmaceuticals. Now, there are 3 Abbott sites - a chemical manufacturing site, a biological manufacturing site, and an administration The local specialty is the Weesper Mop cookie, which is based on mashed almond.
and fortification
s that are part of the Defense line of Amsterdam
and the Dutch Water Line
. These structures have never been attacked, though. The scenic river Vecht
and the small roads that line it attract yachters and cyclists. The Naardermeer area, the first nature reserve
in the Netherlands, is at 15 minutes cycling distance from Weesp.
the region around Weesp was an uninhabited peat bog
. Weesp was granted city rights in 1355 and celebrated its 650th anniversary as a town in 2005.
From the late Middle Ages, the river Vecht was a defensive line for the County of Holland and it remained a military defensive line until the Second World War
. Weesp was strongly fortified, more than its size would justify - for most of its history it had a few thousand inhabitants.
The defensive lines consisted of inundation zones, which would be flooded in wartime. Behind them were fortified towns, forts, barracks and other military structures. The most comprehensive was the Defence Line of Amsterdam (Stelling van Amsterdam
), a circular inundation zone around Amsterdam, a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
.
After the Second World War, new housing was built in the west and an industrial zone with a harbour at the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal was constructed. In the 1970s a suburb was built on the south. Another suburb was built in the north which recently expanded with plans for further expansion
More historical, recreational and tourist information on }
-Amersfoort
and Schiphol Airport-Almere
lines, which bundle up just before Weesp and diverge right after. Weesp therefore benefits from 16 departures per hour, serving many destinations including Amsterdam Central Station, Schiphol Airport, Amersfoort
, and Utrecht
4 times per hour.
Weesp also has a bus connection to Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA railway station
.
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...
in 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...
, in the 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 has a population of 17,533 (2010).
Weesp lies next to the rivers de Vecht
Vecht (Utrecht)
thumb|right|[[Satellite]] [[image]] of the surroundings of [[Utrecht |Utrecht]] showing river Vecht and the [[Amsterdam-Rhine Canal]] .220px|thumb|right|Location of river Vecht ....
and Smal Weesp and also next to the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal
Amsterdam-Rhine Canal
The Amsterdam–Rhine Canal or Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal is a canal in the Netherlands that was built to connect the port city of Amsterdam to the main shipping artery of the Rhine...
. It is in an area called the "Vechtstreek
Vechtstreek
The Vechtstreek is a region in the Dutch provinces of Utrecht and North Holland along the Vecht River between the towns of Utrecht and Amsterdam...
". It is only 3 km from the end of the Amsterdam metro, but the wide Amsterdam-Rhine Canal
Amsterdam-Rhine Canal
The Amsterdam–Rhine Canal or Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal is a canal in the Netherlands that was built to connect the port city of Amsterdam to the main shipping artery of the Rhine...
keeps it geographically separate. The town is surrounded by open grassland.
Economy
The most famed product of Weesp is Van HoutenCoenraad Johannes van Houten
Coenraad Johannes van Houten was a Dutch chemist and chocolate maker known for the treatment of cocoa mass with alkaline salts to remove the bitter taste and make cocoa solids more water-soluble; the resulting product is still called "Dutch process" chocolate...
chocolate. Before cocoa production, the local economy has been based on beer breweries, jenever
Jenever
Jenever , is the juniper-flavored and strongly alcoholic traditional liquor of the Netherlands and Belgium, from which gin evolved...
distilleries, production of Weesper porcelain, and trade, due to its location on a branch point of waterways. In the 21st century, the economy is very diverse. There were large facilities of Solvay Pharmaceuticals, until February of 2010 when Abbott Laboratories
Abbott Laboratories
Abbott Laboratories is an American-based global, diversified pharmaceuticals and health care products company. It has 90,000 employees and operates in over 130 countries. The company headquarters are in Abbott Park, North Chicago, Illinois. The company was founded by Chicago physician, Dr....
of North Chicago, IL, USA acquired Solvay Pharmaceuticals. Now, there are 3 Abbott sites - a chemical manufacturing site, a biological manufacturing site, and an administration The local specialty is the Weesper Mop cookie, which is based on mashed almond.
- See also Porcelain manufacturing companies in Europe
Tourism
Weesp is a popular stop for tourists. It has a protected historical center with canals and many buildings dating from the seveneenth and eighteenth century. Weesp has three full-size historical windmills. It features a bastionBastion
A bastion, or a bulwark, is a structure projecting outward from the main enclosure of a fortification, situated in both corners of a straight wall , facilitating active defence against assaulting troops...
and fortification
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
s that are part of the Defense line of Amsterdam
Stelling van Amsterdam
The UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Defence Line of Amsterdam is a 135 km long ring of fortifications around Amsterdam, consisting of 42 forts located between 10 to 15 kilometers the centre, and lowlands that can easily be flooded in time of war...
and the Dutch Water Line
Dutch Water Line
The Dutch Water Line was a series of water based defences conceived by Maurice of Nassau in the early 17th century, and realised by his half brother Frederick Henry...
. These structures have never been attacked, though. The scenic river Vecht
Vecht (Utrecht)
thumb|right|[[Satellite]] [[image]] of the surroundings of [[Utrecht |Utrecht]] showing river Vecht and the [[Amsterdam-Rhine Canal]] .220px|thumb|right|Location of river Vecht ....
and the small roads that line it attract yachters and cyclists. The Naardermeer area, the first nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
in the Netherlands, is at 15 minutes cycling distance from Weesp.
History
Until 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...
the region around Weesp was an uninhabited peat bog
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
. Weesp was granted city rights in 1355 and celebrated its 650th anniversary as a town in 2005.
From the late Middle Ages, the river Vecht was a defensive line for the County of Holland and it remained a military defensive line until the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Weesp was strongly fortified, more than its size would justify - for most of its history it had a few thousand inhabitants.
The defensive lines consisted of inundation zones, which would be flooded in wartime. Behind them were fortified towns, forts, barracks and other military structures. The most comprehensive was the Defence Line of Amsterdam (Stelling van Amsterdam
Stelling van Amsterdam
The UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Defence Line of Amsterdam is a 135 km long ring of fortifications around Amsterdam, consisting of 42 forts located between 10 to 15 kilometers the centre, and lowlands that can easily be flooded in time of war...
), a circular inundation zone around Amsterdam, a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.
After the Second World War, new housing was built in the west and an industrial zone with a harbour at the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal was constructed. In the 1970s a suburb was built on the south. Another suburb was built in the north which recently expanded with plans for further expansion
More historical, recreational and tourist information on }
Population centers
The municipality of Weesp consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: De Horn, Uitermeer, Weesp.Local government
The municipal council of Weesp consists of 17 seats, which are divided as follows:- D66Democrats 66Democrats 66 is a progressive and social-liberal political party in the Netherlands. D66 was formed in 1966 by a group of politically unaligned, young intellectuals, led by journalist Hans van Mierlo. The party's main objective was to democratise the political system; it proposed to create an...
- 3 seats* - CDAChristian Democratic AppealThe Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
- 3 seats* - VVD - 3 seats*
- WSP - 3 seats
- PvdALabour Party (Netherlands)The Labour Party , is a social-democratic political party in the Netherlands. Since the 2003 Dutch General Election, the PvdA has been the second largest political party in the Netherlands. The PvdA was a coalition member in the fourth Balkenende cabinet following 22 February 2007...
- 2 seats - GroenLinks - 2 seats
- DEP - 1 seat
Transportation
Weesp has one railway station, Weesp. It serves as a transfer station for passengers on local trains on the AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
-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 Schiphol Airport-Almere
Almere
Almere is a planned city and municipality in the province of Flevoland, the Netherlands, bordering Lelystad and Zeewolde. The municipality of Almere comprises the districts Almere Stad, Almere Haven, Almere Buiten, Almere Hout, Almere Poort and Almere Pampus .Almere is the youngest city in the...
lines, which bundle up just before Weesp and diverge right after. Weesp therefore benefits from 16 departures per hour, serving many destinations including Amsterdam Central Station, Schiphol Airport, 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 Utrecht
Utrecht
Utrecht is a city in the Netherlands.The name may also refer to:* Utrecht , of which Utrecht is the capital* Utrecht , including the city of Utrecht* Bishopric of Utrecht* Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Utrecht...
4 times per hour.
Weesp also has a bus connection to Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA railway station
Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA railway station
Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA is a railway station in the Bijlmermeer neighbourhood of the Amsterdam Zuidoost stadsdeel of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The station has five platforms and eight tracks; two for the Amsterdam Metro and six train tracks, along with a bus station.-History:Originally opened...
.