Wassenaar
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Wassenaar | |
Country | Netherlands |
---|---|
Province | South Holland |
Area (2006) | |
- Municipality | 62.50 km² (24.1 sq mi) |
- Land | 50.85 km² (19.6 sq mi) |
- Water | 11.65 km² (4.5 sq mi) |
Population (1 January 2007) | |
- Municipality | 25,651 |
- Density | 504/km² (1,305.4/sq mi) |
Source: CBS, Statline. | |
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
- Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
Note: parts of this article have been translated from the Dutch version of this page.
Wassenaar (population: 25,423 as of June 1, 2005) is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 62.50 km² (of which 11.65 km² is covered by water). Inhabitants of Wassenaar are called Wassenaarders.
Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, his wife Máxima Zorreguieta and their daughters Amalia and Alexia live in villa Eikenhorst at the estate De Horsten. The theme park Duinrell and the race track Duindigt, the only remaining grass race track in the Netherlands, are here as well. At the town's center lies a Romanesque church that largely dates from the 12th century; Princess Alexia was baptized here.
The American World War II and Korean War general Haywood Hansell, who helped plan the Allied bombing offensive against both Germany and Japan, lived here in retirement from 1957 to 1966. The Canadian and South Korean ambassador's residences are located here, and today there is in general a large expatriate community of diplomats and businesspeople, both because of its proximity to the international organisations in The Hague and because the American School of the Hague is located here and the The British School in the Netherlands is located in nearby Voorschoten.
[edit] Notable people from Wassenaar
- Theo van Gogh (1957-2004), filmmaker, director, and columnist
- Thom Hoffman (b. 1957), actor and photographer
- Nico van der Voet (b. 1944), water polo player