Wormer
Encyclopedia
Wormer is a town in the Dutch
province of North Holland
. It is a part of the municipality of Wormerland
, and lies about 13 km northwest of Amsterdam
.
In 2006, the town of Wormer had 12566 inhabitants. The built-up area of the town is 16.88 km² (of which water: 4.19 km²).
The town is situated in the Zaan
district, on the eastern side of the river Zaan, across from Wormerveer. The town is surrounded by the nature area Wormer- en Jisperveld
.
The village of Oostknollendam
, the polder
Schaalsmeer (reclaimed in 1631), the polder Enge Wormer (reclaimed in 1634) and a part of the Markerpolder also historically belong to the area of Wormer.
Wormer was a separate municipality until 1991, when it became a part of the new municipality of Wormerland.
The inhabitants of Wormer repulsed several attacks of the Frisians
and West Frisians in 1280. Floris V, Count of Holland
rewarded this with an exemption from paying toll in Holland, an important privilege at that time.
Important skirmishes between Spanish troops and the Geuzen
took place in Wormer during the Eighty Years' War. At Whitsunday
(Pentecost
) 30 May 1574, 1400 Spanish soldiers tried to capture Wormer and Jisp
. They were crushingly defeated by a combined force of locals, Geuzen and filibusters, bringing an end to the Spanish tyranny in the Waterland
area.
In the following century Wormer became very prosperous from the production of beschuit (rusk
). At least 130 bakeries in the town were once supplying the countless ships of the Dutch East India Company. Other important industrial activities in the town during this period were the production of starch and the processing of whale blubber. At least 66 windmills were once built in Wormer, but nowadays only one windmill (de Koker) has been preserved.
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 Wormerland
Wormerland
Wormerland is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland.- Population centres :The municipality of Wormerland consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: Jisp, Neck, Oostknollendam, Spijkerboor, Wijdewormer, Wormer.It borders the municipalities...
, and lies about 13 km northwest of Amsterdam
Amsterdam
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...
.
In 2006, the town of Wormer had 12566 inhabitants. The built-up area of the town is 16.88 km² (of which water: 4.19 km²).
The town is situated in the Zaan
Zaan
The Zaan is a small river in the province of North-Holland in The Netherlands and the name of the district through which it runs. The river was originally a side arm of the IJ bay and travels 10 kilometers through the municipality of Zaanstad north of Amsterdam, from West-Knollendam in the north...
district, on the eastern side of the river Zaan, across from Wormerveer. The town is surrounded by the nature area Wormer- en Jisperveld
Wormer- en Jisperveld
The Wormer- en Jisperveld is a nature area, covering 18 km² , situated between the towns De Rijp, Purmerend en Wormerveer...
.
The village of Oostknollendam
Oostknollendam
Oostknollendam is a town in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Wormerland, and lies about 10 km east of IJmond.In 2001, the town of Oostknollendam had 308 inhabitants...
, the polder
Polder
A polder is a low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments known as dikes, that forms an artificial hydrological entity, meaning it has no connection with outside water other than through manually-operated devices...
Schaalsmeer (reclaimed in 1631), the polder Enge Wormer (reclaimed in 1634) and a part of the Markerpolder also historically belong to the area of Wormer.
Wormer was a separate municipality until 1991, when it became a part of the new municipality of Wormerland.
History
Founded by the Wijnodians and mentioned already in 963 in a list of the abbey of Egmond as Weremere, Wormer is one of the oldest towns in the Zaanstreek.The inhabitants of Wormer repulsed several attacks of the Frisians
Frisians
The Frisians are a Germanic ethnic group native to the coastal parts of the Netherlands and Germany. They are concentrated in the Dutch provinces of Friesland and Groningen and, in Germany, East Frisia and North Frisia, that was a part of Denmark until 1864. They inhabit an area known as Frisia...
and West Frisians in 1280. Floris V, Count of Holland
Floris V, Count of Holland
Count Floris V of Holland and Zeeland , "der Keerlen God" , is one of the most important figures of the first, native dynasty of Holland . His life was documented in detail in the Rijmkroniek by Melis Stoke, his chronicler...
rewarded this with an exemption from paying toll in Holland, an important privilege at that time.
Important skirmishes between Spanish troops and 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...
took place in Wormer during the Eighty Years' War. At Whitsunday
Whitsunday
Whitsunday may be:Days:* The Sunday of the feast of Whitsun or Pentecost in the Christian liturgical year, observed 7 weeks after Easter* One of the Scottish quarter days, always falling on 15 MayPlaces:* The Electoral district of Whitsunday...
(Pentecost
Pentecost
Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus...
) 30 May 1574, 1400 Spanish soldiers tried to capture Wormer and Jisp
Jisp
Jisp can refer to:* Jisp, North Holland, a town in the Dutch province of North Holland* JISP , an abbreviation for Jabber IconSet Packages...
. They were crushingly defeated by a combined force of locals, Geuzen and filibusters, bringing an end to the Spanish tyranny in the Waterland
Waterland
Waterland is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is located north of Amsterdam, on the borders of the IJsselmeer.-Population centres :...
area.
In the following century Wormer became very prosperous from the production of beschuit (rusk
Rusk
A rusk is a hard, dry biscuit or a twice-baked bread. It is sometimes used as a baby teething food. In the United Kingdom, the name also refers to a wheat-based food additive.- Germany :The zwieback A rusk is a hard, dry biscuit or a twice-baked bread. It is sometimes used as a baby teething food....
). At least 130 bakeries in the town were once supplying the countless ships of the Dutch East India Company. Other important industrial activities in the town during this period were the production of starch and the processing of whale blubber. At least 66 windmills were once built in Wormer, but nowadays only one windmill (de Koker) has been preserved.
Famous (former) residents of Wormer
- Kris Anderson 1986 Son of PJ World Champion Wormer
- Thijs AlThijs AlThijs Joris Al is a Dutch cyclist specializing in competitive mountain biking and cyclo-cross. Al rode his first mountain bike race in 1995....
mountainbiker/cyclo-crossCyclo-crossCyclo-cross is a form of bicycle racing. Races typically take place in the autumn and winter , and consists of many laps of a short course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and...
racer. - George Baker (Hans Bouwens, 1944) singer and songwriter of the George Baker Selection.
- Martinus Duncanus (Maarten Donc, 1505 - †1590), writer and lecturer.
- Rop GonggrijpRop GonggrijpRobbert Valentijn Gonggrijp is a Dutch hacker and one of the founders of XS4ALL.- Biography :While growing up in Wormer in the Dutch Zaanstreek area, he became known as a teenage hacker and appeared as one of the main characters in Jan Jacobs's book "Kraken en Computers" which...
(1968), Hacker, Internet pioneer - Tim Klijn (1979), Dutch diskjockey at Radio 538Radio 538Radio 538 is a Dutch commercial radio station aimed at young people. It has a broad format which includes Top 40, dance, R&B and recent hits...
- Robin Koenders canoer
- Pieter Jan Leeuwerink (1962), Dutch international volleyball player († 2004)
- G.W. Sok vocalist of anarcho-punk band The Ex
- Henk Sprenger (1919), Dutch cartoonist († 2005)
- Jan Jansz Struys adventurer/explorer 1631 - 1694
- Terrie guitarist of anarcho-punk band The Ex
- Thorwald VenebergThorwald VenebergThorwald Veneberg is a Dutch professional road bicycle racer. He rode for UCI ProTeam Rabobank between 2001 and 2007.- Major achievements :20022005- External links :*...
professional road bicycle racer. - Michiel Wijnands (1990) champion of pigeon cage cleaning.
- Piet de Wit (1946) track bicycle racer, worldchampion stayering in 1966 and 1967.
- Ferry Heijne vocalist of band De KiftDe KiftDe Kift is a Dutch musical ensemble that was formed in 1988. Their music might be best classified as fanfare with influences of rock and punk. The band is closely connected to and befriended with The Ex with whom they did several projects together....
External links
- Website of the municipality of Wormerland
- Website de Wormerlander
- Windmill de Koker
- Zaanserfgoed Map of the former municipality, around 1868.
- Wormersgroen
- Weremere
- Shopping centre Wormer