Middelburg

This is about the city in the Netherlands. For other uses, see Middelburg (disambiguation).
Middelburg
—  Municipality  —
City hall
Flag of Middelburg
Flag		 Coat of arms of Middelburg
Coat of arms
Coordinates:
Country  Netherlands
Province Zeeland
Area(2006)
 - Total 53.05 km2 (20.5 sq mi)
 - Land 48.64 km2 (18.8 sq mi)
 - Water 4.41 km2 (1.7 sq mi)
Population (1 June 2007)
 - Total 47,308
 - Density 973/km2 (2,520.1/sq mi)
  Source: CBS, Statline.
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)

Middelburg () is a municipality and a city in the south-western Netherlands and the capital of the province of Zeeland. It is situated on the peninsula of Walcheren. It has a population of about 46,600.

Contents

History of Middelburg

The city of Middelburg dates back to the early 9th century or possibly the late 8th century. The first mention of Middelburg was as one of three fortified towns (i.e., borgs) erected on Walcheren (then an island) to guard against Viking raids. In 844 a monastery was built on the site, which remained in use until the Eighty Years' War, when the northern Netherlands won their independence from Spain.

Middelburg was granted city rights in 1217. During the Middle Ages, it became an important trading centre in the trade between England and the cities of Flanders. Later, in the 17th century (the Dutch Golden Age), it was an important centre for the Dutch East India Company.

Much of the old city center was bombed on May 17, 1940 by the German Luftwaffe, to force the surrender of the Dutch armies in Zeeland. After the war, much of the centre was rebuilt as much as possible along prewar lines. The city's archives, however, were lost to the flames.

After the reconstruction, modern Middelburg has re-gained much of its historic character. There are lavish 17th and 18th century merchant houses and storehouses standing along canals, of a similar style as found in cities like Amsterdam. The old city moats are still there, as is one of the city gates, the Koepoort gate. Part of the 18th century moat and defence works however were demolished in the 19th century to make way for a Canal which crosses Walcheren from Vlissingen to Veere. The medieval abbey is used today as a museum and as the seat of the provincial government.

The painter Pieter Gaal, (1769–1819) was born, and after traveling over Europe to paint, settled and died here.

Education

In 1575, when William of Orange was about to found the first university in the Netherlands, he considered locating it in Middelburg but then chose Leiden instead. Middelburg, and with it the whole of Zeeland, remained without a university until recently. Since 2004, the Roosevelt Academy, a college affiliated to Utrecht University, has been in operation in Middelburg.

Cultural institutions

Theaters and concerthalls

Transportation

Middelburg has a railway station with intercity train connections to Vlissingen, Goes, Roosendaal, Rotterdam, The Hague, Leiden, Schiphol International Airport and Amsterdam, among others.

Sports

Middelburg has a fieldhockey club, MMHC, and four football (soccer) clubs: MZVC, Zeelandia Middelburg, Jong Ambon and FC Dauwendaele. Jong Ambon is translated Young Ambon, and consists of mostly Ambonese players. FC Dauwendaele is the main club in Dauwendaele.

Population centres

Zuid

Zuid ("South") is a neighbourhood in Middelburg. It lies adjacent to Dauwendaele. The neighbourhood consists mostly of residential building projects. The town of Oost-Souburg lies to the south, as does Vlissingen.

The West part of Zuid was built in the mid-1970s, the East part was built later, mainly in the late 1980s and early 1990s. There are significant changes in architecture between the West and East parts.

There are educational and recreational facilities available. There numerous Sports teams in positioned in the neighborhood, mainly soccer teams, but also a couple of basketball and hockey teams.[1]

Twin cities

References

  1. ↑ http://www.wijkverenigingzuid.nl/ (Dutch)

External links

Flag of Zeeland.svg    Municipalities of Zeeland

Borsele · Goes · Hulst · Kapelle · Middelburg · Noord-Beveland · Reimerswaal · Schouwen-Duiveland · Sluis · Terneuzen · Tholen · Veere · Flushing (Vlissingen)

 Zeeland position.svg
See also: Netherlands · Provinces · Municipalities
Capital cities of the Netherlands
National Capital Amsterdam
Seat of Government The Hague
See also Provinces of the Netherlands, Capital of the Netherlands and List of cities in the Netherlands by province