Beverwijk

Beverwijk (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌbeːvərˈʋɛik] ⓘ) is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The town is located about 20 kilometres (12 mi) northwest of Amsterdam in the Randstad metropolitan area, north of the North Sea Canal very close to the North Sea coast. A railway tunnel and two motorway tunnels cross the canal between Beverwijk and the nearby city of Haarlem on the south side of the canal.

Beverwijk
Municipality
Beverwijk as seen from the North Sea Canal
Beverwijk as seen from the North Sea Canal
Flag of Beverwijk
Flag
Coat of arms of Beverwijk
Coat of arms
Highlighted position of Beverwijk in a municipal map of North Holland
Location in North Holland
Coordinates: 52°29′N 4°39′E
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceNorth Holland
RegionAmsterdam metropolitan area
Government
[1]
 • BodyMunicipal council
 • MayorMartijn Smit (PvdA)
Area
[2]
 • Total20.09 km2 (7.76 sq mi)
 • Land18.40 km2 (7.10 sq mi)
 • Water1.69 km2 (0.65 sq mi)
Elevation
[3]
2 m (7 ft)
Population
 (January 2021)[4]
 • Total41,863
 • Density2,275/km2 (5,890/sq mi)
DemonymBeverwijker
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
1940–1949
Area code251
Websitewww.beverwijk.nl
Dutch Topographic map of Beverwijk, July 2013

Around 1640, a town called Beverwyck was founded in the Dutch colony of New Netherland. That town's modern name is Albany, New York.

Population centres

The municipality of Beverwijk consists of two cores, Beverwijk proper and Wijk aan Zee, 5 km (3.1 mi) to the west, right on the coast.

History
Engraving from 1601 by Jan Saenredam of a beached whale on the coast near Beverwijk

The name Beverwijk comes from Bedevaartswijk, meaning "pilgrimage neighbourhood". The town formed at the Saint Agatha Church which was a pilgrimage location in the Middle Ages. Allegedly Agatha of Sicily appeared there in the 9th century to a virgin from Velsen who was fleeing from the Count of Kennemerland.

In 1276, Beverwijk was granted market rights by Floris V, and in 1298 it was granted city rights by John I, both Counts of Holland.

During the 17th century, wealthy merchants from Amsterdam built their estates, such as Huize Akerendam, Huize Westerhout, and Huize Scheijbeeck, in the scenic dunes surrounding Beverwijk.

Prior to the reclamation of the IJ Bay, the narrowest point in the North Holland peninsula was at Beverwijk. Therefore, a defensive line was built there in 1800 following the Battle of Castricum in 1799.

In 1944, during the Second World War, the Germans conducted a house-to-house raid in Beverwijk and Velsen-Noord, seizing nearly 500 persons as hostages to force the murderers of three collaborators to surrender themselves. In all, 63 of them never returned.

Around 1977, the first furniture stores opened along the Parallel Road, forming the first "furniture boulevard" in the Netherlands. By 1981, 10 businesses had been established there. South of the furniture boulevard, the Bazaar was introduced in 1980.

On March 23, 1997, Beverwijk was the location of a clash of two football firms. Supporters of the Dutch football team AFC Ajax met with Feyenoord supporters in what has come to be known as the "Battle of Beverwijk". During this incident, one Ajax supporter was beaten to death.

Since 1997, Special Needs Judo Foundation has organised its annual OBG (Open Beverwijk G-judo) tournament in Sporthal De Walvis, featuring over 1000 special needs judoka from all over the world. The tournament takes place every year in April.

Local government

The municipal council of Beverwijk consists of 27 seats, which are divided as follows:

  • Samen Beverwijk - 4 seats
  • VVD - 4 seats
  • D66 - 4 seats
  • Vrij Beverwijk - 3 seats
  • GroenLinks - 3 seats
  • PvdA - 2 seats
  • CDA - 2 seats
  • On's Beverwijk - 2 seats
  • Forum voor Democratie - 1 seat
  • Fractie Kocak - 1 seat
  • Motie Mendes - 1 seat

Notable residents
Wil Velders-Vlasblom, 1970
Astrid Joosten, 2010
Ans Dekker, 1974
Laurien Hoos, 2007

Sport

Transport
  • Beverwijk, church: de Grote Kerk
    Beverwijk, church: de Grote Kerk
  • Museumkennemerland
    Museumkennemerland
  • Inundatiekanaal van de Pijp naar de inundatiesluis in de Sint Aagtendijk - Beverwijk
    Inundatiekanaal van de Pijp naar de inundatiesluis in de Sint Aagtendijk - Beverwijk
  • Relweg 57, Wijk aan Zee
    Relweg 57, Wijk aan Zee

See also
  • Museum Kennemerland, Beverwijk

References
  1. "College van B en W" [Board of mayor and aldermen] (in Dutch). Gemeente Beverwijk. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  2. "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2020" [Key figures for neighbourhoods 2020]. StatLine (in Dutch). CBS. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  3. "Postcodetool for 1948LC". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
  4. "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  5. IMDb Database retrieved 25 January 2020
  6. IMDb Database retrieved 25 January 2020
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