Amersfoort

Amersfoort is a city and municipality in the Utrecht province of the Netherlands. It had a population of 160,902 people as of January 31, 2023. This makes it the second-largest city in the province and the fifteenth-largest in the country.

Amersfoort is an important place for trains. It has three stations: Amersfoort Centraal, Schothorst, and Vathorst. The city lies on two major railway lines that go east to west and north to south across the Netherlands.

During the 1928 Summer Olympics, Amersfoort was used for the modern pentathlon events. In 2009, the city celebrated its 750th anniversary. Today, Amersfoort remains a lively and historic place, full of charm and history.

History

Hunter gatherers set up camps in the Amersfoort region during the Mesolithic period. Archaeologists have found traces of these early settlements north of the city.

The name Amersfoort comes from a ford in the Amer River, now called the Eem. The city received its official rights in 1259. Over the centuries, Amersfoort grew and built important defenses, including two sets of city walls and gates like the Koppelpoort. The Onze-Lieve-Vrouwentoren is one of the tallest medieval church towers in the Netherlands at 98 metres and still stands today.

Amersfoort earned the nickname "Keistad" or "Boulder-city" after a famous bet in 1661, when 400 people dragged a huge boulder into the city. Though the townspeople later buried it, the boulder was rediscovered and is now a monument.

During the First World War, Amersfoort sheltered many refugees from Belgium. In the Second World War, the city was evacuated during the German invasion but later returned to normal life. Unfortunately, many of its Jewish residents were deported during this time.

Culture

Amersfoort has a lovely old center with many important buildings. You can visit places like the Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren Tower of Our Lady and the Koppelpoort, an old city gate. There are special places for culture such as the Municipal Library in Culture House Eemhuis and De WAR, a space for artists.

The city has several interesting museums. The Mondriaan House is where famous painter Piet Mondriaan was born, and you can see a copy of his Paris workshop. The Flehite museum has historic and art shows. There is also the Dutch Cavalry Museum, showing old Dutch cavalry and tanks, and Kunsthal KAdE for modern art. Amersfoort is also home to DierenPark Amersfoort zoo, which opened in 1948.

Demographics

As of 2020, Amersfoort had a population of 157,276 people. It is one of the larger cities in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. The city is a key travel hub, with several train stations that help people move around the country.

Transport

Amersfoort has many ways to get around, like buses and trains. Two companies run the buses: U-OV and Syntus. Syntus runs buses inside the town and across the whole province of Utrecht. One bus to the city of Utrecht is run by U-OV.

The city has three railway stations: Amersfoort Centraal, Amersfoort Schothorst, and Amersfoort Vathorst. All three stations have direct trains to Utrecht Centraal and Zwolle. Amersfoort Centraal and Amersfoort Schothorst also go to Den Haag Centraal, Amsterdam Centraal, and Amsterdam Zuid. Amersfoort Centraal also connects to places like Enschede, Rotterdam Centraal, Schiphol Airport, Leeuwarden, Groningen, Ede–Wageningen, and Berlin Hauptbahnhof.

Two big roads, the A1 motorway and the A28 motorway, pass near Amersfoort. The river Eem starts in Amersfoort and connects to the nearby Eemmeer (Lake Eem). The town also has a port for boats.

Local government

The city of Amersfoort has a municipal council with 39 seats. Elections for the council happen every four years. As of 2022, the seats are shared among different groups, including D66, GroenLinks, CDA, ChristenUnie, VVD, Amersfoort2014, PvdA, Partij voor de Dieren, SP, and several smaller groups. The city also has a court of first instance called a kantongerecht.

Economy

Amersfoort is a place where many large companies have their offices. Some of these companies are Royal VolkerWessels Stevin N.V., a big construction company, and FrieslandCampina, a dairy company. There are also engineering firms like Royal HaskoningDHV and the international hotel chain Golden Tulip Hospitality Group.

The city is also home to several groups that help people. These include the Christian Union, a political party, and Oikocredit, which supports poorer areas. Other groups are the Socialist Party, another political party, and the KNLTB, the Dutch national lawn-tennis association.

Notable residents

See also: People from Amersfoort

Amersfoort has been home to many famous people. Some well-known residents include Piet Mondriaan (1872–1944), a painter who helped create modern abstract art, and Johannes Heesters (1903–2011), a famous actor and singer.

Other famous people from Amersfoort are Gino Vannelli, a Canadian singer, and athletes like Marco van Ginkel, a Dutch football player, and Femke Bol, a talented runner.

Twin towns

Amersfoort used to have twin towns. It was once twinned with Liberec in the Czech Republic and Amersham in England.