Leek, Netherlands

Leek
Municipality

Nienoord castle

Flag
Coat of arms
Highlighted position of Leek in a municipal map of Groningen
Location in Groningen
Coordinates: 53°10′N 6°23′E / 53.167°N 6.383°E / 53.167; 6.383Coordinates: 53°10′N 6°23′E / 53.167°N 6.383°E / 53.167; 6.383
Country Netherlands
Province Groningen
Government[1]
 • Body Municipal council
 • Mayor Berend Hoekstra (VVD)
Area[2]
 • Total 64.28 km2 (24.82 sq mi)
 • Land 63.33 km2 (24.45 sq mi)
 • Water 0.95 km2 (0.37 sq mi)
Elevation[3] 2 m (7 ft)
Population (February 2017)[4]
 • Total 19,626
 • Density 310/km2 (800/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Leker
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postcode 9350–9359, 9810–9819, 9827–9829
Area code 050, 0594
Website leek.nl
Duch topographic map of the municipality of Leek, Groningen, as per June 2015

Leek (Dutch pronunciation: [leːk]; Gronings: De Laik; West Frisian: 'De Like') is a municipality and a village in the Groningen province in the northeastern Netherlands, bordering on the Drenthe and Fryslân provinces.

The village is approximately 20 km west of Groningen (city) on the A7 (E22) highway.

The village grew around a fortification that was constructed here during the Eighty Years' War with Spain. The name 'Leek' was derived from a brook, the "Leke". The town is sometimes also called "De Leek". In Dutch the people from Leek are called "Leeksters".

Every year around pentecost there is a fair (Pinkstermarkt), drawing thousands of people from the area.

Near the village is a shallow lake, called "Het Leekstermeer" (also called Zulthemeer), with recreational facilities. Actually, the lake is in another municipality and in another province.

Attractions in the Leek Municipality

Nienoord before its destruction in 1850
Church of Midwolde
Church of Tolbert
Tomb monument of Carel Hieronymus van In, and Knyphuizen

The main attraction in the village is the "Nienoord" estate. The estate was founded in 1508. After a destroying fire a new manor-house was built in 1887. The gardens and the shell grotto were restored.

The National Carriage Museum is located in this manor-house. In 1958 the National Carriage Museum rented the house and gardens. The National Carriage Museum presents an overall view of the various types of carriages and sleighs from the 18th to the 20th century. The 250 coaches in the museum’s collection were used by farmers, the common man, noblemen and royalty.

In the estate is situated a recreation park (Family-park Nienoord) with model railways in several scales, including live steam.

In Tolbert and Midwolde are churches from the 12th century. The churches are built in the Romano-Gothic style. Typical for this style are the walls and gables of brick that are richly decorated with recesses and patterns of bricks.

In the Church of Midwolda is a tomb monument sculpted by Rombout Verhulst. Rombout Verhulst also decorated the tomb of Michiel de Ruyter in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam.

Population centres

Enumatil, Leek, Lettelbert, Midwolde, Oostwold, Tolbert and Zevenhuizen.

References

  1. ↑ "Het college van burgemeester en wethouders" [The board of mayor and aldermen] (in Dutch). Gemeente Leek. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten" [Key figures for neighbourhoods]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  3. ↑ "Postcodetool for 9351BJ". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  4. ↑ "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 7 April 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
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