Dordrecht
This article is about the Dutch city of Dordrecht. There is also Dordrecht, South Africa. |
Satellite image of part of the Rhine-Meuse delta, showing the Island of Dordrecht and the eponymous city (7) |
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Ltspkr.png |
Dordrecht (population 119,649 (
2004)) , or in English:
Dort, is a city in the
Dutch province of
South Holland, the third largest city of the province. The city can be found at the place
het Drierivierenpunt (three river junction) where the
Beneden Merwede river splits into the
Noord and
Oude Maas rivers. At this junction, Dordrecht is facing the cities of
Papendrecht and
Zwijndrecht. Later on the
Dordtsche Kil river connects the Oude Maas river to the Hollands Diep.
The name Dordrecht comes from
Thuredrith, an inhabitable spot near the river Thure. Some documentation speaks of a river actually called Thuredrith.
The municipality covers the Dordrecht Island, on the northwest of which the city is located.
Dordrecht has
ship building, wood,chemical and
metal industry, and a minor sea harbour.
During
Carnaval, Dordrecht is called
Ooi- en Ramsgat (Ewe's and Ram's hole), and its inhabitants are
Schapenkoppen (Sheepheads). Throughout the year, tourists can buy sheep related souvenirs. This name originates from an old folk story about tax evasion. Import of meat or beef cattle was taxed in the 17th century. Two men dressed a sheep they bought outside the city walls to make it look like a man. The sheep was uncovered because it bleated as the three men (two men and one sheep) passed through the city wall gate.
Inhabitants of Dordrecht are
Dordtenaren (singular:
Dordtenaar). Dordrecht is informally called
Dordt.
Places of interest:
* river quay and Groothoofds Gate
* Onze lieve vrouwe Kerk (
Our lady's Church) or Grote Kerk (
Big Church) with uncompleted
tower*
canals
*
merchant houses
Public transport *Part of
HTM is SVD, the city bus company of Dordrecht, also serving
Werkendam, and also operating the Kop van 't Land ferry on the way.
*Fast
Ferry:
**
Rotterdam Willemskade -
Krimpen aan den IJssel Stormpolder -
Ridderkerk De Schans -
Alblasserdam Kade - Dordrecht Merwekade.
*Waterbus:
**Dordrecht Hooikade -
Zwijndrecht Veerplein - Dordrecht Merwekade -
Papendrecht Veerdam - Papendrecht Oosteind - Hollandse
Biesbosch -
Sliedrecht Middeldiep
|
The Grote Kerk and one of the many canals |
Dordrecht received
city rights in
1220, making it the oldest city in present-day
Holland. On 17th April
1421, the
Saint Elisabeth flood drowned large parts of southern Holland, causing Dordrecht to become an island. Over one hundred thousand people died in the flood. Its strategic position made it an important market city (starting in
1299), where
wine,
wood and
cereals were traded.
In
1572, representants of all cities from Holland gathered in Dordrecht to declare their independence of
Spain and acknowledge
William of Orange as the leader of the fledgling Dutch state. In 1618/1619, an important religious meeting took place, called the
synod of Dordrecht, deciding between two main factions in the Dutch reformed church, and planning for the
Statenvertaling, the first Dutch
Bible translation. In the 18th century, the importance of Dordrecht started to diminish, and
Rotterdam became the main city in the region.
*http://dordrechtinbeeld.fotopic.net/
*http://www.dordrecht.nl
*http://www.dordt.nl
*http://www.sdu.nl/staatscourant/gem/gem127zh.htm
*
Map*http://www.fastferry.nl/
*http://www.waterbus.nl/ -
map*http://www.geerts.com/dordrecht/dordrecht-history.htm
