Hellendoorn

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Hellendoorn


mapsize = 280px
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Netherlands
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = Overijssel
area_footnotes = (2006)
area_total_km2 = 139.03
area_land_km2 = 138.15
area_water_km2 = 0.87
population_as_of = 1 January, 2007
population_note = Source: CBS, [http://statline.cbs.nl/ Statline] .
settlement_type = Municipality
population_total = 36052
population_density_km2 = 261
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2

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Population centres

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There is an amusement park near the town of Hellendoorn called "Avonturenpark Hellendoorn". Their slogan is "Come by if you dare!".

Geography

The central part of the municipality consists of a hilly and sparsly populated area that extends West into the municipality of Rijssen-Holten. The highest point lies at about 70 m above sea level and is part of the Noetselerberg. A large chunk of the area is covered by forest, but there are also heathlands. This scenery is now part of the National Park Sallandse Heuvelrug.

Originally part of the region of Salland, Hellendoorn is now administatively considered part of Twente; a fact reflected in the inclusion of Hellendoorn in the Region of Twente ("Kaderwetgebied Regio Twente") as defined by the Dutch government.

History

The municipality of Hellendoorn is the only place in the Netherlands where gold mining took place.

The Germans operated a V2 launching platform near the town of Hellendoorn during World War II, harassing the city of London.

On March, 22nd 1945, Nijverdal was severely bombed by allied bombers who were going after the German Reichskommissar of Austrian origine Arthur Seyss-Inquart. Seyss-Inquart was fleeing the advancing Allied forces and had set up his temporary headquarters in the Reformed School in Nijverdal, but had already left town at the time of the bombing. Over 70 people were killed, mainly at de Grotestraat.

A small part of the film A Bridge Too Far was filmed near Hellendoorn.

In 1955, part of the municipality of Wierden was annexed (Eversberg, Konijnenbelt, Slettenhaar and Lochter) which is the only part of the municipality located on originally Twente soil. In the late 70's the quarter of 'het Lochter' arose here.

Born in Hellendoorn

*Herman Ponsteen (born 1953), Dutch track cyclist who won silver at the 1976 Summer Olympics

External links

* [http://www.hellendoorn.nl Official website]

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