Vijfheerenlanden

Vijfheerenlanden is an area in the province South Holland in the Netherlands. While it is in South Holland, the area does border on three other Dutch provinces: Utrecht in the north, Gelderland to the east, and Noord Brabant to the south. On its western border is the Alblasserwaard, another area in South Holland.

The largest city of Vijfheerenlanden is Vianen, which is a major node in the Dutch network of roads and rivers. The second largest city is Leerdam.

The borders of north and south of the area are formed by rivers, de Lek in the north, the Waal the south, the east border is formed by the line Haaften - Rhenoy - Everdingen, and the west border is formed by the line Ameide - Meerkerk - Arkel

The area thanks its name to the Heren van Arkel, van Ter Leede, van Hagestein, van Everdingen, Dike builders from Haaften, and the Brederodes from Vianen, who together, in 1284, took measures to protect the area against the threath of water from the Geldersche Betuwe. The most eastern village in Vijfheerenlanden is Haaften, which was the village that was threatened the most by the water, and the villagers there started to heighten the dikes.