Vlaardingen

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Vlaardingen
nickname = "Haringstad" (Herring town)

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flag_size = 120x100px
image_shield = Wapenvlaardingen1a.jpg
shield_size = 120x100px


mapsize = 280px
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Netherlands
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = South Holland
area_footnotes = (2006)
area_total_km2 = 26.71
area_land_km2 = 23.76
area_water_km2 = 2.95
population_as_of = 1 January, 2007
population_note = Source: CBS, [http://statline.cbs.nl/ Statline] .
settlement_type = Municipality
population_total = 75134
population_density_km2 = 3001
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd = 51.91
latNS = N
longd = 4.34
longEW = E
website = [http://www.vlaardingen.nl www.vlaardingen.nl]

Vlaardingen (Pronunciation|Nl-Vlaardingen.ogg) is a town in South Holland in the Netherlands. It is located on the north bank of the Nieuwe Maas/Nieuwe Waterweg river at the confluence with the Oude Maas. On the east the town is separated from Schiedam by a motorway. Other places nearby are Maassluis to the west and Schipluiden and Delft to the north. The municipality administers an area of 26.71 km², of which 23.81 km² is land, with 71,938 residents (in May 2006).

The "Vlaardings Loggerfestival" is held on the first Saturday of June. The festival used to be called "Haring en Bierfeest" (translation: herring and beer festival), but in 2003 the mayor decided to rename it.

The centre of the city is on the west side of the old harbour, which isa widened section of the canal (Vlaardingse vaart) which runs from Vlaardingento the northwest. Some historical buildings in the centre are the Grote Kerk (Big Church), the old city hall, the Waag (Weight Bridge), the Visbank (Fish Auction) and the Oude Lijnbaan (literally the Old Line Road, where in the past ropes were made).The Grote Kerk was probably established between 1156 and 1164 and has been expanded, damaged and rebuilt over the centuries. To the north of the old harbour is the old windmill, which is still in operation and sells ground cereals. The harbour itself now seems to be occupied mainly by recreational and antique boats. Near the harbour is a fishing museum.

A Unilever research centre is located in Vlaardingen. There are still some ship repair business(es) in east Vlaardingen beside the Nieuwe Maas River.

History

The area around Vlaardingen was already settled by about 2900BC to 2600BC. In 1990, a skeleton dated at about 1300 BC was dug up at the periphery of Vlaardingen; some human nuclear DNA was identified, the oldest found anywhere in the Netherlands. Between roughly 250 AD and 700 AD the region was uninhabited, like much of the west of the Netherlands. In 726 or 727 the area is again mentioned as "Marsum", where a little church was founded around which Vlaardingen formed.

In 1018 Vlaardingen was a stronghold of Dirk III, who levied an illegal toll on ships on the Meuse river. An army sent by German Emperor Henry II in order to stop the practice was defeated by Dirk III in the Battle of Vlaardingen. In 1047, his successor Dirk IV repelled another such attack.

The flood disaster of December 21, 1163 ended the growth of Vlaardingen. The Counts of Holland moved away and its development stagnated.

In 1273 Vlaardingen was granted city rights by Floris V, Count of Holland.

In 1574, during the Eighty Years War of Dutch independence, a group of Watergeuzen burnt down Vlaardingen as commanded by William of Orange to prevent the Spanish from capturing the city. Vlaardingen later became a shipbuilding area and a significant harbour for the herring fishing industry. The fishing boats ceased to useVlaardingen in the years after World War II.

In 1855 the former municipality of Zouteveen was merged into the municipality Vlaardingerambacht which in turn was merged with Vlaardingen by the Germans in 1941.

Vlaardingen consists of 8 districts/neighbourhoods:1. Vlaardingen centrum 2. Westwijk 3. Vettenoordse polder (includes industry)4. Vlaardingen oost5. Ambacht/Babberspolder6. Holy Zuid7. Holy Noord8. Broekpolder

Politics

Mayor: mr. T.P.J. Bruinsma (PvdA)

Seats in the city council after the municipal elections in March 2006:

* Labour Party (PvdA), 12 seats
* Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), 5 seats
* Socialist Party (SP), 4 seats
* People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), 4 seats
* Vlaardingen Ahead 2000/Livable Vlaardingen (VV2000/LV), 3 seats
* Groenlinks (GL), 3 seats
* Christian Union/Political Reformed Party (CU/SGP), 2 seats
* General Union for the Elderly (AOV)), 1 seat
* City Interests Vlaardingen (SBV), 1 seats

Coalition: PvdA+CDA+GroenLinks (12+5+3=20).

Aldermen:
* Anny Attema (PvdA),
* Hans Versluijs (PvdA)
* Peter van der Zwan (CDA)
* Jan Robberecht (Groenlinks)

* City secretary: Cees Kruyt

Notable people

* Bassie en Adriaan, actors in a children's tv-show
* Edith Bos, Judoka
* Wouter Bos, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance during Balkenende IV Government
* Wilma van Hofwegen, swimmer
* Mark Huizinga, gold medal winner on the olympics - judo
* Karen Mulder, topmodel
* Martijn LeNoble, bassplayer
* Ted van de Parre, World's Strongest Man (1992)
* Roel Pieper, internet businessman, Professor of Electronic Commerce, former director at Philips
* Winston Post, actor, model
* Remi Poppe, politician, member of the Socialist Party (SP)
* Denise van Rijswijk, married to Winston Post, member of the dance-act Vengaboys
* Harald Wapenaar, professional football player for sparta Rotterdam

External links

*Alles over de historie van vlaardingen -- http://www.vlaardingen.tk
*Gemeente Vlaardingen -- http://www.vlaardingen.nl
*http://www.sdu.nl/staatscourant/gem/gem494zh.htm
* [http://www.plattegronden.nl/vlaardingen Detailed Cito-plan map]