Rijswijk

Rijswijk
Municipality
Towpath (Jaagpad)

Flag
Coat of arms
Highlighted position of Rijswijk in a municipal map of South Holland
Location in South Holland
Coordinates: 52°2′N 4°19′E / 52.033°N 4.317°E / 52.033; 4.317Coordinates: 52°2′N 4°19′E / 52.033°N 4.317°E / 52.033; 4.317
Country Netherlands
Province South Holland
Government[1]
 • Body Municipal council
 • Mayor Michel Bezuijen (VVD)
Area[2]
 • Total 14.49 km2 (5.59 sq mi)
 • Land 14.05 km2 (5.42 sq mi)
 • Water 0.44 km2 (0.17 sq mi)
Elevation[3] 0 m (0 ft)
Population (February 2017)[4]
 • Total 47,674
 • Density 3,393/km2 (8,790/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Rijswijker
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postcode 2280–2289
Area code 070
Website www.rijswijk.nl
Rijswijk, church (de Oude Kerk) in the street

Rijswijk [ˈrɛisʋɛik] (formerly known as Ryswick in English) is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. (population: 47,674 in 2017) and covers an area of 14.49 km2 (5.59 sq mi) of which 0.44 km2 (0.17 sq mi) is covered by water.

The municipality of Rijswijk also includes the villages 't Haantje and Sion.

History

Rijswijk in 1867.
Dutch Topographic map of Rijswijk, June 2015

Archeological excavations indicate that this area of the coastal dunes was already inhabited some 5500 years ago. The formation of the village Rijswijk took place in the 13th century, and its history was dominated by presence of mansions and estates of the nobility and affluent. Among the many country estates known to have been in Rijswijk are:

  • Arentsburg
  • Burchvliet
  • Cromvliet
  • Den Burgh
  • De Voorde
  • Drievliet
  • 's-Gravenmade
  • Haag- en Delftzicht
  • Hilvoorde
  • Hoekenburg
  • Hofrust
  • Hoornwijk
  • Huis te Werve
  • Huis ter Nieuwburg
  • Oversteen
  • Overvoorde
  • Schoonoord
  • Sion
  • Steenvoorde
  • Te Blotinghe
  • Tollenshuis
  • Vredenoord
  • Welgelegen
  • Zuidhoorn

The Treaty of Ryswick was signed at the Huis ter Nieuwburg in 1697, ending the Nine Years' War. A monument, the Needle of Rijswijk (1792), was erected to commemorate the treaty in the Rijswijk Forest.

Until 1900 Rijswijk remained a relative small community but it became urbanized during the 20th century when it expanded rapidly. Today, Rijswijk's area has almost been completely built-up. The last major development is the new Ypenburg neighbourhood, built on the lands of the former Ypenburg Airfield but this part of Rijswijk was annexed by The Hague in 2002. Rijswijk is part of the Haaglanden conurbation. During the years its built-up area has grown to the point where it has effectively merged with The Hague, even though it is still a separate municipality.

Up until 2009 Rijswijk had a polytechnic college for applied sciences; TH Rijswijk (Technische Hogeschool Rijswijk). After a merger with the Haagse Hogeschool, this was moved to the campus of the TUDelft in Delft. The building still remains.

Transportation

Economy

Rijswijk is home to:

Recreation

The largest shopping center is called 'In de Bogaard' and smaller shops are located in the old town center (Herenstraat). There is the old Schaapweimolen (windmill). De Broodfabriek holds many fairs and events.

Notable residents

References

  1. ↑ "Burgemeester" [Mayor] (in Dutch). Gemeente Rijswijk. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
  2. ↑ "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten" [Key figures for neighbourhoods]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  3. ↑ "Postcodetool for 2284DP". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
  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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