Oostzaan

Oostzaan (Dutch pronunciation: [oːstˈsaːn] ⓘ) is a municipality and a town in the Zaanstreek, Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The municipality had a population of 9,689 in 2021. Oostzaan has a total area of 16.08 km2 (6.21 sq mi) of which 4.55 km2 (1.76 sq mi) is water.

Oostzaan
Municipality
Street in Oostzaan
Street in Oostzaan
Flag of Oostzaan
Flag
Coat of arms of Oostzaan
Coat of arms
Highlighted position of Oostzaan in a municipal map of North Holland
Location in North Holland
Coordinates: 52°26′N 4°53′E
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceNorth Holland
Government
[1]
 • BodyMunicipal council
 • MayorMarvin Polak (VVD)
Area
[2]
 • Total16.08 km2 (6.21 sq mi)
 • Land11.53 km2 (4.45 sq mi)
 • Water4.55 km2 (1.76 sq mi)
Elevation
[3]
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (January 2021)[4]
 • Total9,689
 • Density840/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
1510–1511
Area code075
Websitewww.oostzaan.nl

Oostzaan—together with Westzaan and Assendelft—are considered the "mother towns" of the Zaanstreek (the region around the River Zaan), of which they are the three oldest towns. Oostzaan also played a role in the VOC and WIC shipping and shipbuilding.

In the 17th century Oostzaan had its own pirate, named Claes Compaen. Originally sailing from the Netherlands as a legal pirate captain, in the possession of pirate letters, he soon began to raid ships for his private account, from the English Channel, to the Mediterranean Sea and the African-Atlantic coast into even the Caribbean Sea. He liquidated the booty on the coast of Ireland, later in Salé and the Barbary Coast. A street in Oostzaan is named for Claes Compaen.

The town has a Reformed church with a cruciform groundplan, the Great Church (1760), which contains two ship models that recall the days when Oostzaan was an important sea-faring community. In the Oostzijderveld area of Oostzaan stands a windmill, De Windjager (The Wind Hunter).

Hamlets

Oostzaan consists of several hamlets,

  • Achterdichting (Get Behind The Seal),
  • De Heul,
  • Kerkbuurt (church neighborhood),
  • Noordeinde (North end),
  • Zuideinde (South end).

Kerkbuurt and the northern part of Zuideinde are the center of Oostzaan.

Local government

The municipal council of Oostzaan consists of 13 seats, which are divided as follows:

  • Gemeente Belangen - 3 seats
  • GroenLinks - 3 seats
  • VVD - 3 seats
  • CDA - 1 seat
  • D66 - 1 seat
  • Partij Luijendijk - 1 seat
  • PvdA - 1 seat

Economy

The poultry company Meyn Food Processing Technology is headquartered in Oostzaan.

Notable people
Jacob Cornelisz, self-portrait, 1533
  • Kerkbuurt 27, Oostzaan
    Kerkbuurt 27, Oostzaan
  • Mill Twiske at Oostzaan - panoramio
    Mill Twiske at Oostzaan - panoramio
  • Zaanse schans straote
    Zaanse schans straote
  • Church in the center of Oostzaan - panoramio
    Church in the center of Oostzaan - panoramio

References
  1. "Burgemeester" [Mayor] (in Dutch). Gemeente Oostzaan. Archived from the original on 20 March 2014. Retrieved 19 March 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 1511BD". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  4. "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
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