Velsen

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Velsen

---

imagesize = 240px
image_caption = Aerial view of Velserbroek and IJmuiden


flag_size = 120x100px
image_shield = Velsen wapen.pngshield_size = 120x100px


mapsize = 280px
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Netherlands
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = North Holland
leader_name = P.A.G. Cammaert
leader_party = CDA
area_footnotes = (2006)
area_total_km2 = 63.03
area_land_km2 = 44.42
area_water_km2 = 18.61
population_as_of = 1 January, 2007
population_note = Source: CBS, [http://statline.cbs.nl/ Statline] .
settlement_type = Municipality
population_total = 67608
population_density_km2 = 1522
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd = 52.47
latNS = N
longd = 4.60
longEW = E
website = [http://www.velsen.nl www.velsen.nl]

Velsen (pronunciation|Nl-Velsen.ogg) is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is located on both sides of the North Sea Canal.

On the north side of the North Sea Canal, in Velsen-Noord, there is a major steel plant, Corus Strip Products IJmuiden, formerly known as "Koninklijke Hoogovens". The headquarter of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij is located in IJmuiden.

The Kennemerstrand beach on the south side of the canal is at the end of the Kennemerboulevard, which runs south of the Seaport Marina.

To the south is the beach of Bloemendaal aan Zee. In between is a nude beach.

Population centres

The municipality of Velsen consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts:
* on the north of the North Sea Canal:
** Velsen-Noord, with Corus on the west and a residential quarter on the east
* on the south of the North Sea Canal:
** Velsen-Zuid, Driehuis, IJmuiden, Santpoort-Noord, Santpoort-Zuid and Velserbroek, and the parts Oosterbroek and Buitenhuizen of the recreation area Spaarnwoude.

Transportation

In Velsen, there are the following connections across the North Sea Canal:
* A railroad tunnel between train stations Driehuis and Beverwijk.
* Road tunnels, from east to west:
** Wijker Tunnel
** Velser Tunnel next to the railroad tunnel
* A ferry [http://www.connexxion.nl/website/subpage.asp?id=1064&command=#pont_velzen] .
* A road across the lock complex

Also there is the Fast Flying Ferry to Amsterdam [http://www.connexxion.nl/website/subpage.asp?id=1102] . There used to be a railway link between IJmuiden and Amsterdam, the IJmondlijn until 1999, when it was closed.

Local government

The municipal council of Velsen consists of 33 seats, which are divided as follows:
* Velsen Lokaal - 14 seats
* CDA - 5 seats
* PvdA - 5 seats
* VVD - 5 seats
* GroenLinks - 2 seats
* ChristenUnie - 1 seat
* D66 - 1 seat

History

The ruins of a Roman naval base at Velsen are believed to be ancient Flevum, which is listed as Phleoum, Romanized to Phleum, in Ptolemy (2.10).

References

* Statistics are taken from the [http://www.sdu.nl/staatscourant/gemeentes/gem488nh.htm SDU Staatscourant]

External links

* [http://www.velsen.nl Official website]
* [http://www.plattegronden.nl/velsen/ Detailed map of Velsen, excluding Santpoort-Noord, Santpoort-Zuid and Velserbroek]
* [http://www.spaarnwoude.nl/images/plattegrond/spaarnwoude.jpgMap of Spaarnwoude]
* [http://www.ijmuidenstrand.nl Many photos of IJmuiden, includes a text page in English] (Plattegronden.nl)
* [http://www.livius.org/ga-gh/germania/flevum.html Livius.org: Velsen]