Medemblik

Medemblik
Municipality
Medemblik city centre
Flag Coat of arms
Location in North Holland
Coordinates: 52°41′N 5°2′E
Country	Netherlands
Province	North Holland
Government ^[1]
• Body	Municipal council
• Mayor	Michiel Pijl (CDA)
Area ^[2]
• Total	257.56 km² (99.44 sq mi)
• Land	121.42 km² (46.88 sq mi)
• Water	136.14 km² (52.56 sq mi)
Elevation ^[3]	0 m (0 ft)
Population (January 2021)^[4]
• Total	45,165
• Density	372/km² (960/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode	Parts of 1600 range
Area code	0227–0229
Website	www.medemblik.nl

History

Summarize

Perspective

Medemblik was a prosperous trading town, when in 1282, Floris V, Count of Holland, successfully invaded West Friesland. He built several fortresses to control the region, one of which was Kasteel Radboud in Medemblik, and awarded Medemblik city rights in 1289. After Floris V was murdered in 1296, the local Frisians besieged the castle, but in 1297 an army from Holland thwarted their efforts to starve out the inhabitants, which included Medemblik citizens.^[6]

Several more attacks took place in the following centuries. The most notorious of these happened in June 1517, when Medemblik was attacked from mainland Frisia by about 4000 pirates known as the Arumer Zwarte Hoop, led by Pier Gerlofs Donia and Wijard Jelckama. Many citizens fled to the castle, which the pirates unsuccessfully besieged. Eventually, they took out their fury on the town, which burned to the ground. After this the band continued their marauding path on land throughout present day North Holland.^[7]

After Medemblik town walls were constructed in 1572, the castle lost its role as a refuge for the citizens, which led to its partially dismantling in 1578. Over the centuries the castle fell into decay, but in 1889 it became property of the crown and was restored to be used as a courthouse, which function it served until 1934. Anticipating the German invasion, the Rijksmuseum in September 1939 chose the castle as the initial hiding place of Rembrandt's Night Watch.^[6]

On 1 January 2007 Medemblik merged with the municipalities of Noorder-Koggenland and Wognum. The new municipality was called Medemblik, even though it was the smallest of the three in population. Again, on 1 January 2011, Medemblik merged with Andijk and Wervershoof into the municipality Medemblik.

The new city hall is the former office building of the DSB Bank in Wognum.

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Tourism

Medemblik is best known in Europe for its sailing events. Medemblik also has a picturesque small innercity with many 17th and 18th century houses, two big churches, an old orphanage, a town hall and, of course, castle Radboud, which is at the edger of the innercity. The city also hosts the Medemblik steam museum, housed in a decommissioned pumping station.

Notable people

Jan Albertsz Rotius (1624 in Medemblik – 1666) a Dutch painter
A. C. Baantjer (1923 in Urk – 2010) a Dutch author of detective fiction and police officer
Jan Vriend (born 1938 in Benningbroek) a Dutch classical music composer, conductor, organist and pianist
Bep Vriend (born 1946 in Andijk) a Dutch bridge player and teacher
Willem Vogelsang (born 1956 in Medemblik) academic and reserve soldier
John Appel (born 1958 in Wognum) a Dutch documentary filmmaker ^[9]

Sport

Edith van Dijk (born 1973 in Haastrecht) a Dutch swimmer and 6-time world champion.
Yvonne Spigt (born 1988 in Wervershoof) a Dutch marathon skater and inline skater
Irene Schouten (born 1992 in Andijk) a Dutch speed skater, bronze medallist in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games

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History

Tourism

Transport

Local government

Notable people

Sport

Gallery

References

External links

Wikiwand - on