Franeker

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Franeker

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skylinesize = 200px


mapsize = 200px

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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = flagicon|Netherlands Netherlands
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = flagicon|Friesland Friesland
population_as_of = 1 January, 2006
settlement_type = City
population_total = 12,996
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2

Franeker ( _fr. Frjentsjer) is one of the eleven cities of Friesland and capital of the municipality of Franekeradeel. It is located about 20 km west of Leeuwarden on the "Van Harinxma Canal". As of 1 January 2006, it had 12,996 inhabitants. The city is most famous for the Eise Eisinga Planetarium.

History

Franeker was founded around 800 as a Carolingian stronghold. The name probably derives from "Froon-acker", meaning "country of the king"; the oldest street in the city is still called Froonacker. Beginning around the 11th century, Franeker developed into the administrative center Westergoa.

Franeker received city rights in 1374. In the 15th century, Albert, Duke of Saxony established himself in Franeker. The city appeared for a time to be growing into the primary city of Friesland, but was eventually overshadowed in this role by Leeuwarden.

During the period of the Dutch Revolt, the town sided early on with William I.

From 1585 to 1811, the city housed the University of Franeker, which was the second university in the Netherlands. It was closed shortly after the incorporation of the Kingdom of Holland into the French Empire. A successor institution, the "Rijksatheneum", was founded in 1815, but in 1847 it, too, closed.

The Krystkongres (Christmas Congress), usually held in Franeker, is the annual convention for Frisian students living in Dutch student towns.

Culture

The city contains two major museums, the Eise Eisinga Planetarium and the Museum Martena. The Planetarium is an orrery built by a local wool carder to explain a conjunction of the planets and to help mitigate local fears of what would happen during the planets' alignment. Built in Eisinga's own living room, it is one of the oldest operating orreries in the world. [ Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium [http://www.planetarium-friesland.nl/engels.html] ] The Museum Martena, opened in 2006, is housed in a manor house built in 1498 and is devoted to the history of the city and the region.

Railways

Franeker has a station on the NS line between Leeuwarden and Harlingen. It also had a station on the North Friesland Railway which was the terminus of a branch from Tzummarum. The line opened in October 1903 and closed in October 1933. The station building survives.

Sports

Since 1852 Franeker is the home of the PC, the most important tournament in Frisian handball.

Being one of the Frisian cities, Franeker is also on the route of the convert|200|km|mi "Elfstedentocht" (Eleven-cities Tour), an endurance skating event held at irregular intervals depending on weather conditions.

Famous People from Franeker

*Eise Eisinga
*François Hemsterhuis
*Jan Hendrik Oort
*Anna Maria van Schurman

References

External links

* [http://www.franekeradeel.nl/ Municipality of Franekeradeel] (in Dutch, with English page)
* [http://www.planetarium-friesland.nl/engels.html Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium]
* [http://www.museummartena.nl/ Museum Martena] (in Dutch)