Dantumadiel

Dantumadeel Dantumadiel
—  Municipality  —
De Grote Molen, Broeksterwoude, build in 1887
Flag Coat of arms
Coordinates: 53°17′N 5°59′E / 53.283°N 5.983°E / 53.283; 5.983
Country	Netherlands
Province	Friesland
Capital	Damwâld
Mayor	A. Aalberts
Area(2006)
- Total	87.49 km2 (33.8 sq mi)
- Land	85.78 km2 (33.1 sq mi)
- Water	1.72 km2 (0.7 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2008)
- Total	19,399
- Density	227/km2 (587.9/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)

Dantumadiel (West Frisian, official since January 1, 2009, Dutch: Dantumadeel ( pronunciation (help·info))) is a municipality in the province of Friesland (Fryslân) in the Netherlands. Dantumadiel is a rural municipality characterized by agriculture.

History

The first time Dantumadiel is mentioned was in a document from 1242. In that time Dantumadiel, or Donthmadeil as it was then known, was a part of the Winninghe district, the northern part of Oostergo. The grietenij (municipality) Dantumadeel was led by a grietman (mayor) who was holding office in Rinsumageast and Dantumawoude. The Dutch Municipalities Act of 1851 (Dutch: Gemeentewet van 1851) abolished the grietenijen, which automatically became gemeenten (municipalities) headed by a mayor.[1]

Population centres

The Dantumadiel municipality has a total of 19,399 inhabitants (January 1, 2008), who live in in ten different towns (listed below).

Frisian Name[1]	Dutch Name	Residents[2]
Damwâld	Damwoude	5,568
De Westereen	Zwaagwesteinde	5,175
Feanwâlden *	Veenwouden	3,714
Broeksterwâld	Broeksterwoude	1,236
Rinsumageast	Rinsumageest	1,131
Wâlterswâld	Wouterswoude	1,079
Driezum	Driesum	966
De Falom	De Valom	271
Readtsjerk	Roodkerk	207
Sibrandahûs	Sijbrandahuis	52

Source: Website Dantumadiel municipality

* Including Feanwâldsterwâl (Veenwoudsterwal)

Main sights

• Damwâld (Dantumawâld and Moarrewâld) and Rinsumageast, are home to medieval churches.
• The villages Broeksterwâld (Grote Molen and De Broekmolen) Rinsumageast and Readtsjerk are home to mills.
• The Skierstins a medieval fortified house in Feanwâlden.

Medieval church of Rinsumageest

The Skierstins

Persons born in Dantumadiel

• Piet Jongeling (1909–1985), journalist, politician and children's books writer
• Theun de Vries (1907–2005), writer
• Tineke Huizinga (1960), politician
• Syb van der Ploeg (1966), musician and composer

Politics

The Dantumadiel municipal government consists of a municipal council, board of aldermen and the mayor. Arie Aalberts (CDA) is the mayor of Dantumadiel since September 2004.

References

1. ^ "Definitieve lijst Frysktalige straatnamen". http://www.dantumadeel.nl/Mediaitem/Definitieve-lijst-Frysktalige-straatnamen.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-01. 
2. ^ "Gemeente Dantumadiel - Dorpen". http://www.dantumadeel.nl/Over-Dantumadiel/Dorpen.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-01. 

External links

• Official Website

Coordinates: 53°17′N 5°59′E / 53.283°N 5.983°E / 53.283; 5.983