Grootegast

Grootegast (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɣroːtəˌɣɑst] ⓘ; Gronings: Grodegast; West Frisian: Gruttegast) is a village and former municipality in the northeastern Netherlands. It is the sister city of Kingston, Tasmania. The municipality was merged into the municipality of Westerkwartier on 1 January 2019.[3]

Grootegast
Village, former municipality
Wind mill in Sebaldeburen
Wind mill in Sebaldeburen
Flag of Grootegast
Flag
Coat of arms of Grootegast
Coat of arms
Highlighted position of Grootegast in a municipal map of Groningen
Location in Groningen
Coordinates: 53°13′N 6°17′E
Country Netherlands
Province Groningen
Municipality Westerkwartier
Area
[1]
 • Total31.27 km2 (12.07 sq mi)
Elevation
[2]
2 m (7 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Total3,350
 • Density110/km2 (280/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
9820–9823, 9860–9869
Area code0594

Geography
Municipality of Grootegast, June 2015

The former municipality contained the population centres: Doezum, Enumatil, Faan, Grootegast, Kornhorn, Lutjegast, Niekerk, Oldekerk, Opende, Sebaldeburen. In some of these villages, they still speak the West Frisian language.

History

The village originated around the year 1000 (as Majorgast) and was profiled from 1400 onwards as the counterpart of Lutjegast. The village contains a 17th-century church, the so-called Witte Kerkje ('Little White Church'). This church was restored in 1829.[4]

Grootegast was the main village of the former municipality. The name of the village refers to a gast or gaast, a higher, sandy ridge in an otherwise swampy area. Groot is Dutch for 'large'.

Dialect

The Grootegasters dialect, or Westerkwartiers, is clearly a borderline case. Linguistically, the influences of three provinces are noticeable: the dialect is a variant of Gronings, but in terms of intelligibility it is more like Drents; however, the accent and grammar sound rather Frisian, which can be explained by the fact that almost all of Lutjegast still spoke Frisian 100 years ago. Being a border village of Lutjegast, Frisian influence is still noticeable today in the number of villagers of Frisian origin and the many business and social contacts with Friesland.

Notable people

References
  1. "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021". Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  2. "Postcodetool for 9861AC". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  3. "Gemeentelijke indeling op 1 januari 2019". CBS (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  4. Formsma, W.J.; Luitjens-Dijkveld, R.A.; Pathuis, A. (1987). "De Ommelander Borgen en Steenhuizen". Round the World Publishing. ISBN 9023223144.


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