Alkmaar () is a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, located in the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...

North Holland North Holland ( nl, Noord-Holland, ) is a province of the Netherlands in the northwestern part of the country. It is located on the North Sea, north of South Holland and Utrecht, and west of Friesland and Flevoland. In November 2019, it had a ...

, about 30 km north of

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...

. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination. The municipality has a population of 109,896 as of 2021.

History

The earliest mention of the name Alkmaar is in a 10th-century document. As the village grew into a town, it was granted

city rights Town privileges or borough rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium. The city law customary in Central Europe probably dates back to Italian models, which in turn were oriented towards the tradition ...

in 1254. The oldest part of Alkmaar lies on an ancient sand bank a couple meters above the surrounding region; it afforded some protection from

inundation A flood is an overflow of water ( or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are an area of study of the discipline hydrolog ...

during

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...

times. Its vicinage consists of some of the oldest

polders A polder () is a low-lying tract of land that forms an artificial hydrological entity, enclosed by embankments known as dikes. The three types of polder are: # Land reclaimed from a body of water, such as a lake or the seabed # Flood plains s ...

in existence. Older spellings include Alckmar. On June 24, 1572, after the

Geuzen Geuzen (; ; french: Les Gueux) was a name assumed by the confederacy of Calvinist Dutch nobles, who from 1566 opposed Spanish rule in the Netherlands. The most successful group of them operated at sea, and so were called Watergeuzen (; ; frenc ...

captured the town, five

Franciscans , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...

from Alkmaar were taken to

Enkhuizen Enkhuizen () is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia. History Enkhuizen, like Hoorn and Amsterdam, was one of the harbor-towns of the VOC, from where overseas trade wi ...

and hanged (

martyrs of Alkmaar The Martyrs of Alkmaar ( nl, Martelaren van Alkmaar) were a group of 5 Dutch Catholic clerics, secular and religious, who were hanged on 24 June 1572 in the town of Alkmaar by militant Dutch Calvinists during the 16th-century religious wars— ...

Siege of Alkmaar

In 1573 the city underwent a

siege A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition warfare, attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity con ...

by Spanish forces under the leadership of Don Fadrique, son of the

Duke of Alva Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...

. The citizens sent urgent messages for help to the

Prince of Orange Prince of Orange (or Princess of Orange if the holder is female) is a title originally associated with the sovereign Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France and subsequently held by sovereigns in the Netherlands. The title ...

; he responded by promising to open the floodgates of the dykes and flood the region if the need arose, which despite the protestations of the peasantry, fearful for their harvest, he proceeded to do. Some of his dispatches fell into the hands of Don Fadrique, and, with the waters beginning to rise, the Spaniards raised the siege and fled. It was a turning point in the

Eighty Years War The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt ( nl, Nederlandse Opstand) ( c.1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish government. The causes of the war included the Refo ...

and gave rise to the expression ''Bij Alkmaar begint de victorie'' ("Victory begins at Alkmaar"). The event is still celebrated every year in Alkmaar on 8 October, the day the siege ended.

Since the French Revolutionary Wars

In 1799, during the

French Revolutionary Wars The French Revolutionary Wars (french: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802 and resulting from the French Revolution. They pitted French First Republic, France against Ki ...

, an Anglo-Russian expeditionary force captured the city but was ultimately defeated in the

Battle of Castricum The Battle of Castricum (October 6, 1799) saw a Franco-Dutch force defeat an Anglo-Russian force near Castricum, Netherlands. The battle was fought during the War of the Second Coalition against Revolutionary France between French and Dutch forc ...

. After that battle, on 18 October 1799, the two opposing sides held the

Convention of Alkmaar The Convention of Alkmaar was a 18 October 1799 agreement concluded between the commanders of the expeditionary forces of Great Britain and Russia on the one hand, and of those of the First French Republic and the Batavian Republic on the other, i ...

which met to determine the fate of the defeated Anglo-Russian force. The French victory was commemorated on the

Arc de Triomphe The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile (, , ; ) is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, France, standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle, formerly named Place de l'Étoile—the ''étoile'' ...

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

as "Alkmaer". The

North Holland Canal The Noordhollandsch Kanaal ("Great North Holland Canal") is a canal originally meant for ocean-going ships. It is located in North Holland, Netherlands. The canal was of great significance in Dutch history. Location The canal is about 75 ki ...

, opened in 1824, was dug through Alkmaar. In 1865 and 1867 the railways between Alkmaar and Den Helder and between Alkmaar and Haarlem were built respectively. In the second half of the 20th century, Alkmaar expanded quickly with development of new neighbourhoods. On 1 October 1972, the town of Oudorp and the southern portions of Koedijk and Sint Pancras were added to the municipality of Alkmaar.

Administrative divisions

The municipality of Alkmaar historically consists of the following cities, towns, villages and districts: Alkmaar, Bergermeer, Daalmeer, De Hoef, De Horn, De Nollen, Het Rak, Huiswaard,

Koedijk Koedijk is a village in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is now a part of Alkmaar and of Dijk en Waard, but before 1972 those two parts were a separate municipality first mentioned in the 14th century. Koedijk is most famous f ...

(southeastern part), Overdie,

Oudorp Oudorp () is a neighbourhood of Alkmaar and former village in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is located about east of the city centre. The village has been annexed by Alkmaar since 1972. History The village was first mentioned in the ...

and Omval. On 1 January 2015 the municipalities of

Graft-De Rijp Graft-De Rijp () is a former municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Since 2015 it has been a part of Alkmaar. It is twinned with Chalfont St Giles in England. Population centres The municipality of Graft-De Rijp co ...

and

Schermer Schermer () is a former municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The name came from "''skir mere''", which means "bright lake" (ref. Groenedijk, 2000). Since 2015 it has been a part of Alkmaar. The municipality of Sche ...

were merged into Alkmaar. The historical village of

De Rijp De Rijp is a village and former island in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Alkmaar, and lies about 10 km northwest of Purmerend, between the Schermer and the Beemster polders. Before the poldering of ...

is thus since a part of Alkmaar. These once separate villages are now all linked together by the suburban sprawl of buildings that arose between the late 1970s and early 1990s. During this time, the population of Alkmaar almost doubled.

Local government

The municipal council of Alkmaar consists of 39 seats, which are divided as follows after the 2018 elections: * PvdA – 4 seats * OPA – 6 seats * CDA – 4 seats *

VVD The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy ( nl, Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie ; VVD) is a Conservative liberalism, conservative-liberalRudy Andeweg, Andeweg, R. and G. Irwin ''Politics and Governance in the Netherlands'', Basingsto ...

– 6 seats *

GroenLinks GroenLinks (, ) is a green political party in the Netherlands. It was formed on 1 March 1989 from the merger of four left-wing parties: the Communist Party of the Netherlands, the Pacifist Socialist Party, the Political Party of Radicals and t ...

– 6 seats * Leefbaar Alkmaar – 2 seats * D66 – 4 seats * BAS – 2 seats * Senior's Party of Alkmaar (Senioren Partij Alkmaar) – 2 seats *

ChristenUnie The Christian Union ( nl, ChristenUnie, CU) is a Christian-democratic political party in the Netherlands. The CU is a centrist party, maintaining more progressive stances on economic, immigration and environmental issues while holding more sociall ...

- 1 seat *

Partij voor de Dieren The Party for the Animals ( nl, Partij voor de Dieren; PvdD) is a political party in the Netherlands. Among its main goals are animal rights and animal welfare. Since 2019, the PvdD's political leader is Esther Ouwehand. With 3.8% of the votes ...

- 2 seats

Transport

North gable of the Beer Museum in Alkmaar

The A9 motorway runs from

to Alkmaar, then continues on to

Den Helder Den Helder () is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Den Helder occupies the northernmost point of the North Holland peninsula. It is home to the country's main naval base. From here the Royal TESO fe ...

as the N9. There are direct trains to

Hoorn Hoorn () is a city and municipality in the northwest of the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is the largest town and the traditional capital of the region of West Friesland. Hoorn is located on the Markermeer, 20 kilometers ( ...

Zaandam Zaandam () is a city in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is the main city of the municipality of Zaanstad, and received City rights in the Netherlands, city rights in 1811. It is located on the river Za ...

Utrecht Utrecht ( , , ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city and a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, pro ...

, Ede,

Arnhem Arnhem ( or ; german: Arnheim; South Guelderish: ''Èrnem'') is a city and municipality situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands about 55 km south east of Utrecht. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland, located on both banks of ...

Nijmegen Nijmegen (;; Spanish and it, Nimega. Nijmeegs: ''Nimwèège'' ) is the largest city in the Dutch province of Gelderland and tenth largest of the Netherlands as a whole, located on the Waal river close to the German border. It is about 6 ...

's-Hertogenbosch s-Hertogenbosch (), colloquially known as Den Bosch (), is a city and municipality in the Netherlands with a population of 157,486. It is the capital of the province of North Brabant and its fourth largest by population. The city is south of th ...

Eindhoven Eindhoven () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of North Brabant of which it is its largest. With a population of 238,326 on 1 January 2022,Maastricht Maastricht ( , , ; li, Mestreech ; french: Maestricht ; es, Mastrique ) is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. It is the capital and largest city of the province of Limburg. Maastricht is located on both sides of the ...

and

Haarlem Haarlem (; predecessor of ''Harlem'' in English) is a city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland. Haarlem is situated at the northern edge of the Randstad, one of the most populated metropoli ...

. For exact details see

Alkmaar railway station Alkmaar railway station serves the town of Alkmaar, Netherlands. It is located approximately northwest of Amsterdam. The station opened on 20 December 1865 and is located on the Den Helder–Amsterdam railway. The train services are operated by N ...

. Alkmaar has two railway stations: *

Alkmaar Alkmaar () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland, about 30 km north of Amsterdam. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination. The ...

* Alkmaar Noord The waterway

Noordhollandsch Kanaal The Noordhollandsch Kanaal ("Great North Holland Canal") is a canal originally meant for ocean-going ships. It is located in North Holland, Netherlands. The canal was of great significance in Dutch history. Location The canal is about 75 ki ...

, which opened in 1824, runs through Alkmaar. . it can be crossed (among other ways) using two of the five operating vlotbruggen, Koedijkervlotbrug and Rekervlotbrug.

Main sights

Alkmaar has many medieval buildings that are still intact, most notably the tall tower of the Grote or Sint-Laurenskerk, where many people from Alkmaar hold wedding ceremonies. The other main attraction, especially in the summer months, is Alkmaar's cheese market at the Waagplein, one of the country's most popular tourist attractions. The cheese market traditionally takes place from the first Friday in April through the first Friday in September. Every Friday morning (10:00–12:30) the Waagplein is the backdrop for this traditional cheese market. After the old-fashioned way of the hand clap, traders and carriers will weigh the cheeses. It is one of only four traditional

Dutch cheese markets Dutch cheese farmers traditionally take their cheeses to the town's market square to sell them. Teams (''vemen'') of official guild cheese-porters (''kaasdragers''), identified by differently coloured straw hats associated with their ''forward ...

still in existence. The traditional fare of this cheese market is those cheeses made in the local area, as opposed to the well-known brands of Dutch cheeses, including the Edam and

Gouda cheese Gouda (, , ; nl, Goudse kaas, "cheese from Gouda, South Holland, Gouda") is a sweet, creamy, yellow cow's milk cheese originating from the Netherlands. It is one of the most popular cheeses worldwide. The name is used today as a Generic tradema ...

s. It is not actually possible to buy cheese at the market itself, which is really only a demonstration of how this merchants' market operated in times gone by. However, the demonstration, which takes place in front of the medieval weighing house, is surrounded by many specialized stalls where it is possible to buy all kinds of cheese (and non-cheese) related products. The

Waag A weighhouse or weighing house is a public building at or within which goods are weighed. Most of these buildings were built before 1800, prior to the establishment of international standards for weights, and were often a large and representative ...

is also home to the local tourist office and a cheese museum. Alkmaar has 399 registered

rijksmonument A rijksmonument (, ) is a national heritage site of the Netherlands, listed by the agency Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed (RCE) acting for the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. At the end of February 2015, the Netherlands ...

s, of which most are situated along the city's old canals. Alkmaar has two large theatres and a big cinema (which was originally two cinemas). A

red light district A red-light district or pleasure district is a part of an urban area where a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, and adult theaters, are found. In most cases, red-light districts are partic ...

is situated at the Achterdam, and Alkmaar has a nightlife scene as well which takes place in the pubs in front of the cheesemarket. Every year, at the end of May Alkmaar hosts the four-day event Alkmaar Pride, which has a canal pride parade on Saturday.

Museums

* Beatles Museum – dedicated to

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

, as

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

's first guitar was made in Alkmaar * Holland Cheese Museum – located in the historic

weigh house A weighhouse or weighing house is a public building at or within which goods are weighed. Most of these buildings were built before 1800, prior to the establishment of international standards for weights, and were often a large and representative ...

* National Beer Museum "De Boom" * Op ArtMuseum * City Museum Alkmaar – for history of the city

Sports

Alkmaar is home to the professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

team AZ (Alkmaar Zaanstreek). In 2006, the club moved to a new 17,000 capacity stadium, the DSB Stadion, now named the

AFAS Stadion AFAS Stadion is a stadium in Alkmaar, Netherlands. It is used for football matches and is the home stadium of AZ Alkmaar. The stadium is able to hold 19.478 people and bears the name of a Dutch software company. Due to UEFA's sponsorship regulatio ...

. In 2008–2009, AZ won the

Eredivisie The Eredivisie (; ''"Honour Division"'' or ''"Premier Division"'') is the highest level of professional football in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956, two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is c ...

, the Dutch football league. It was the second league title for the club after the Eredivisie in 1980/81 with only one league defeat. Notable coaches include former

FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly referred to as Barcelona and colloquially known as Barça (), is a professional football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish football. Founded ...

coach

Ronald Koeman Ronald Koeman (; born 21 March 1963) is a Dutch professional football manager and former player. He is the younger brother of his former international teammate Erwin Koeman and the son of former Dutch international Martin Koeman. Koeman was cap ...

, and

Netherlands national football team The Netherlands national football team ( nl, Nederlands voetbalelftal or simply ''Het Nederlands elftal'') has represented the Netherlands in international men's football matches since 1905. The men's national team is controlled by the Royal Du ...

coach

Louis van Gaal Aloysius Paulus Maria "Louis" van Gaal (; born 8 August 1951) is a Dutch former football player and manager. At club level, he served as manager of Ajax, Barcelona, AZ Alkmaar, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, as well as having three spel ...

. The city also has a

velodrome A velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes feature steeply banked oval tracks, consisting of two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights. The straights transition to the circular turn through a moderate Track tran ...

where the Dutch national

track cycling Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using purpose-designed track bicycles. History Track cycling has been around since at least 1870. When track cycling was in its infancy, it wa ...

championships are held every year. The city hosted the

2019 European Road Championships The 2019 European Road Cycling Championships was the 25th running of the European Road Cycling Championships, that took place from 7 to 11 August 2019 in Alkmaar, the Netherlands. The event consisted of a total of 6 road races and 7 time trials, ...

Notable residents

Public thinking & Public Service

Isaac Dorislaus Isaac Dorislaus (1595 in Alkmaar, Holland – 2 May 1649 at The Hague, Holland) was a Dutch Calvinist historian and lawyer who was an important official in Oliver Cromwell's period of rule. He came to England as a historian. His lectures were see ...

(1595–1649) a Dutch Calvinist historian and lawyer * Jan Janse de Weltevree (1595 in De Rijp – ??) a Dutch sailor, the first Dutchman to visit

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

Cornelis van der Lijn Cornelis van der Lijn (1608 – 27 July 1679) was Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1646 until 1650. Early career Van der Lijn was born in Alkmaar, possibly in 1608. He went, in 1627, as assistant ( nl, assistent) to Batavia, Dutch E ...

(1608-1679)

Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies The governor-general of the Dutch East Indies ( nl, gouverneur-generaal van Nederlands Indië) represented Dutch rule in the Dutch East Indies between 1610 and Dutch recognition of the independence of Indonesia in 1949. Occupied by Japanese fo ...

1646-1650 and elected Mayor of Alkmaar in 1668 * Bernard Nieuwentyt (1654 in West-Graftdijk – 1718) a Dutch philosopher, mathematician, physician and magistrate * Anna Smitshuizen (1751–1775) the victim of a

cause célèbre A cause célèbre (,''Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged'', 12th Edition, 2014. S.v. "cause célèbre". Retrieved November 30, 2018 from https://www.thefreedictionary.com/cause+c%c3%a9l%c3%a8bre ,''Random House Kernerman Webs ...

murder * Kees Boeke (1884–1966) a Dutch reformist educator, Quaker missionary and pacifist *

Nicolette Bruining Nicolette Adriana Bruining (27 August 1886 – 12 April 1963) was a Dutch theologian and founding president of the Liberal Protestant Radio Broadcasting Corporation ( nl, Vrijzinnig Protestantse Radio Omroep) (VPRO). She was also a teacher and ...

(1886–1963) a Dutch theologian, teacher and humanitarian in WWII *

Geertruida Wijsmuller-Meijer Geertruida Wijsmuller-Meijer (21 April 1896, in Alkmaar – 30 August 1978, in Amsterdam) was a Dutch Dutch resistance, resistance fighter who brought Jews, Jewish children and adults into safety before and during the World War II, Second World Wa ...

(1896–1978) a resistance fighter, saved Jewish children *

Cornelis Berkhouwer Cornelis "Cees" Berkhouwer (, 19 March 1919, Alkmaar – 5 October 1992, Alkmaar) was a Dutch politician. He was a Member of the European Parliament between 1964 and 1984, for the Dutch People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, which sat as pa ...

(1919-1992) politician,

President of the European Parliament President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

1973-1975 *

Rudi Vis Rudolf Jan Vis (4 April 1941 – 30 May 2010) was a Dutch-born British Labour politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Finchley and Golders Green from 1997 to 2010. Early life Vis was born in 1941 in the town of Alkmaar, in th ...

(1941–2010) British Labour politician, MP 1997 to 2010 *

Jaap Pop Jacobus Johannes Hermanus (Jaap) Pop (born 23 June 1941, Alphen aan den Rijn) is a former Dutch politician. Pop is a member of the Labour Party. Early life Pop was born as one of three sons in 1941 in Alphen aan den Rijn. His father is Herm ...

(born 1941) a former Dutch politician, Mayor of Alkmaar 1988-1995 *

Sybilla Dekker Sybilla Maria Dekker (born 23 March 1942) is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and businesswoman. She was granted the honorary title of Minister of State on 22 June 2018. A member of the People's Pa ...

(born 1942) a retired Dutch politician and businesswoman *

Ronald Bandell Ronald Johan Gottlieb Bandell (24 August 1946 – 16 November 2015) was a Dutch civil servant and politician of the Political Party of Radicals (PPR) and later the Labour Party (PvdA). Bandell was born in Gouda. He was mayor of Moordrecht (1977 ...

(1946–2015) a Dutch civil servant, politician and Mayor of Alkmaar 1995-2000 *

Jos Punt Jozef Marianus "Jos" Punt (born 10 January 1946) was the Roman Catholic bishop of Haarlem-Amsterdam in the Netherlands from 2001 to 2020. Early life Joseph Marianus Punt was born on 10 January 1946 in Alkmaar, North Holland, Netherlands. In his ...

(born 1946) bishop in the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

Patrick Cammaert Major General Patrick Cammaert (, born April 11, 1950, Nijmegen) is a retired

(born 1950) a retired Dutch general and commander of UN peacekeeping missions

The Arts

Bosboom-Toussaint August Falise Kennemerstraatweg Alkmaar

Maria Tesselschade Roemers Visscher Maria Tesselschade Roemers Visscher, also called Maria Tesselschade Roemersdochter Visscher or Tesselschade (25 March 1594 – 20 June 1649) was a Dutch poet and glass engraver. Life Tesselschade was born in Amsterdam, the youngest of thre ...

(1594-1649),

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...

and engraver * Pieter van Schaeyenborgh (1600-1657), painter known for pictures of fish; worked in Alkmaar from 1635 * brothers

Caesar van Everdingen Cesar Pietersz, or Cesar Boetius van Everdingen (1616/17 – buried 13 October 1678), older brother of Allart van Everdingen and Jan van Everdingen, was a Dutch Golden Age portrait and history painter. Biography He was born in Alkmaar and edu ...

(1616/7-1678) &

Allaert van Everdingen Allaert van Everdingen (, bapt. 18 June 16218 November 1675 (buried)), was a Dutch Golden Age painter and printmaker in etching and mezzotint. Biography Van Everdingen was born at Alkmaar, the son of a government clerk. He and his older b ...

(1621–1675)

Dutch Golden Age The Dutch Golden Age ( nl, Gouden Eeuw ) was a period in the history of the Netherlands, roughly spanning the era from 1588 (the birth of the Dutch Republic) to 1672 (the Rampjaar, "Disaster Year"), in which Dutch trade, science, and Dutch art, ...

painters *

Emanuel de Witte Emanuel de Witte (1617–1692) was a Dutch perspective painter. In contrast to Pieter Jansz Saenredam, who emphasized architectural accuracy, De Witte was more concerned with the atmosphere of his interiors. Though few in number, de Witte als ...

(1617-1692) a Dutch perspective painter of genre paintings *

Willem de Fesch Willem de Fesch (, 1687, Alkmaar – 3 January 1761) was a virtuoso Dutch violone player and composer. The pupil of Karel Rosier, who was a Vice- Kapellmeister at Bonn, de Fesch later married his daughter, Maria Anna Rosier. De Fesch was ...

(1687–1761) a virtuoso Dutch

violone The term violone (; literally "large viol" in Italian, " -one" being the augmentative suffix) can refer to several distinct large, bowed musical instruments which belong to either the viol or violin family. The violone is sometimes a fretted i ...

player and composer * Geertruida Bosboom-Toussaint (1812–1886) a Dutch novelist * Cécile de Jong van Beek en Donk (1866–1944) a Dutch feminist writer * Dirk Smorenberg (1883–1960) a Dutch

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...

painter *

Jan Wils Jan Wils (22 February 1891 – 11 February 1972) was a Dutch architect. He was born in Alkmaar and died in Voorburg. Wils was one of the founding members of the De Stijl movement, which also included artists as Piet Mondrian, Theo van Doesburg ...

(1891–1972) a Dutch architect and founding member of the

De Stijl ''De Stijl'' (; ), Dutch for "The Style", also known as Neoplasticism, was a Dutch art movement founded in 1917 in Leiden. De Stijl consisted of artists and architects. In a more narrow sense, the term ''De Stijl'' is used to refer to a body o ...

movement * Jan Gerrit van Gelder (1903–1980) a Dutch art historian * Ans Wortel (1929–1996) a Dutch painter, poet and writer *

Rudi Carrell Rudi Carrell (born Rudolf Wijbrand Kesselaar; 19 December 1934 – 7 July 2006) was a Dutch entertainer. Along with famous entertainers such as Johannes Heesters and Linda de Mol, he was one of the most successful Dutch personalities active in ...

(1934-2006) entertainer, hosted his own TV show *

Dan van der Vat Daniel Francis Jeroen van der Vat (28 October 1939 – 9 May 2019) was a journalist, writer and military historian, with a focus on naval history. Born in Alkmaar, North Holland, Van der Vat grew up in the German- occupied Netherlands. He attended ...

(1939-2019) a journalist, writer and military historian * Angela Groothuizen (born 1959) a Dutch singer, artist and TV personality *

Karin Bloemen Karin Bloemen is a Dutch actress and singer. She has appeared in several films and television shows in the Netherlands. Since 1983 Bloemen is a singer and cabaret artist who is very extrovert and likes to draw attention to herself with her str ...

(born 1960) is a Dutch actress and singer * Lorena Kloosterboer (born 1962) a Dutch-Argentine artist who paints using

trompe-l'œil ''Trompe-l'œil'' ( , ; ) is an artistic term for the highly realistic optical illusion of three-dimensional space and objects on a two-dimensional surface. ''Trompe l'oeil'', which is most often associated with painting, tricks the viewer into ...

Joost Zwagerman Johannes Jacobus Willebrordus "Joost" Zwagerman (18 November 1963 – 8 September 2015) was a Dutch writer, poet and essayist. Among his teachers was the novelist Oek de Jong. Early life and education Johannes Jacobus Willebrordus Zwagerm ...

(1963–2015) a Dutch writer, poet and essayist *

Marco Borsato Marco Roberto Borsato (; born 21 December 1966) is a Dutch singer. Born in Alkmaar, North Holland, he started performing in Italian before switching to Dutch in 1994. He has consistently been one of the most successful and biggest grossing artist ...

(born 1966) a Dutch singer * Edwin Brienen (born 1971) a Dutch film director, actor, producer and journalist *

Hellen van Meene Hellen van Meene (born 28 September 1972) is a Dutch photographer known especially for her portraits. For her portraits, she most often approaches girls on the street. She chooses her subject matter by finding girls who "could be said to have � ...

(born 1972) a Dutch photographer known for her portraits *

(born 1966) nederpop *

Tom Six Tom Six (born 29 August 1973) is a Dutch filmmaker, writer, and actor. He is best known for his trilogy of body horror films; '' The Human Centipede (First Sequence)'', ''The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence),'' and ''The Human Centipede 3 (Fi ...

(born 1973) a Dutch horror filmmaker, writer and actor * Roderick Teerink (born 1976) a Dutch-Argentine actor and music producer IMDb Database
retrieved 13 April 2021 *

Melissa Venema Melissa Venema (born April 12, 1995, in Alkmaar) is a Dutch trumpeter. Life Melissa started playing Recorder (musical instrument), recorder at age 6 and moved to trumpet by age 8. When she was 10, she auditioned successfully at the Conservatoriu ...

(born 1995) a Dutch trumpet player

Science & Business

Petrus Forestus Pieter van Foreest, also called Petrus Forestus (Alkmaar, 1521 – Alkmaar, 1597), was one of the most prominent physicians of the Dutch Republic. He was known as the "Dutch Hippocrates". Life Petrus Forestus was the son of Jorden van Foreest ...

(1521–1597) a prominent

physician A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

of the

Dutch Republic The United Provinces of the Netherlands, also known as the (Seven) United Provinces, officially as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands (Dutch: ''Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden''), and commonly referred to in historiography ...

* Adriaan Anthonisz (1527–1607) a mathematician, surveyor, cartographer, military engineer and

burgomaster Burgomaster (alternatively spelled burgermeister, literally "master of the town, master of the borough, master of the fortress, master of the citizens") is the English form of various terms in or derived from Germanic languages for the chief m ...

of Alkmaar *

Willem Blaeu Willem Janszoon Blaeu (; 157121 October 1638), also abbreviated to Willem Jansz. Blaeu, was a Dutch cartographer, atlas maker and publisher. Along with his son Johannes Blaeu, Willem is considered one of the notable figures of the Netherlandis ...

(1571–1638) a Dutch cartographer, atlas maker and publisher *

Adriaan Metius Adriaan Adriaanszoon, called Metius, (9 December 1571 – 6 September 1635), was a Dutch geometer and astronomer born in Alkmaar. The name "Metius" comes from the Dutch word ''meten'' ("measuring"), and therefore means something like "measurer" o ...

(1571–1635) a Dutch

geometer A geometer is a mathematician whose area of study is geometry. Some notable geometers and their main fields of work, chronologically listed, are: 1000 BCE to 1 BCE * Baudhayana (fl. c. 800 BC) – Euclidean geometry, geometric algebra * ...

and

astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, g ...

Cornelis Drebbel Cornelis Jacobszoon Drebbel ( ) (1572 – 7 November 1633) was a Dutch engineer and inventor. He was the builder of the first operational submarine in 1620 and an innovator who contributed to the development of measurement and control systems, op ...

(1572-1633) a Dutch engineer, in 1620 built the first navigable submarine *

Jan Leeghwater Jan Adriaenszoon Leeghwater (born Jan Adriaenszoon; November 1575 – January 1650) was a Dutch millwright and hydraulic engineer. Biography Leeghwater was born as Jan Adriaanszoon. Only later did he adopt the name Leeghwater, from ''l ...

(1575 in De Rijp – 1650) a Dutch architect, mill builder and hydraulic engineer *

Joan Blaeu Joan Blaeu (; 23 September 1596 – 21 December 1673) was a Dutch cartographer born in Alkmaar, the son of cartographer Willem Blaeu. Life In 1620, Blaeu became a doctor of law but he joined the work of his father. In 1635, they published ...

(1598-1673) a Dutch cartographer *

Adriaan Reland Adriaan Reland (also known as ''Adriaen Reeland/Reelant'', ''Hadrianus Relandus'') (17 July 1676, De Rijp, North Holland5 February 1718, UtrechtJohn Gorton, ''A General Biographical Dictionary'', 1838, Whittaker & Co.) was a noted Dutch Oriental ...

(1676 in De Rijp – 1718) a Dutch Orientalist scholar and cartographer *

Hendrik Willem Bakhuis Roozeboom H. W. Bakhuis Roozeboom (, October 24, 1854 – February 8, 1907) was a Dutch chemist who studied phase behaviour in physical chemistry. Education and career Bakhuis Roozeboom (originally "Bakhuys Roozeboom") was born in Alkmaar in the Netherl ...

(1854–1907) a Dutch chemist who studied

phase behaviour Polymorphism in biophysics is the ability of lipids to aggregate in a variety of ways, giving rise to structures of different shapes, known as "phases". This can be in the form of sphere of lipid molecules (micelles), pairs of layers that face on ...

physical chemistry Physical chemistry is the study of macroscopic and microscopic phenomena in chemical systems in terms of the principles, practices, and concepts of physics such as motion, energy, force, time, thermodynamics, quantum chemistry, statistical mecha ...

Alfred Peet Alfred H. Peet (March 10, 1920 – August 29, 2007) was a Dutch-American entrepreneur and the founder of Peet's Coffee & Tea in Berkeley, California, in 1966. Peet is widely credited with starting the specialty coffee revolution in the US. Am ...

(1920-2007) founder of American coffee retailer

Peet's Coffee & Tea Peet's Coffee is a San Francisco Bay Area-based specialty coffee roaster and retailer owned by JAB Holding Company via JDE Peet's. Founded in 1966 by Alfred Peet in Berkeley, California, Peet's introduced the United States to its darker roasted ...

* Jacob Gelt Dekker (1948 in Oterleek– 2019) a Dutch businessman, philanthropist and writer * Marije Costerus Dutch scuba diver, UX professional and soccer enthusiast

Sport

Harm Ottenbros Harm Ottenbros (27 June 1943 – 4 May 2022) was a Dutch road bicycle racer who raced as a professional from 1967 to 1976. His sporting career began with DTS Zaandam. Ottenbros is best remembered for capturing the gold medal and rainbow jersey ...

(born 1943) a former Dutch road bicycle racer, 1969 world champion *

Dick Quax Theodorus Jacobus Leonardus "Dick" Quax (1 January 1948 – 28 May 2018) was a Dutch-born New Zealand runner, one-time world record holder in the 5000 metres, and local-body politician. Quax stood for Parliament for the ACT Party in 1999 and 2 ...

(1948–2018) a Dutch-born New Zealand long-distance runner *

Hans Nijman Johannes Petrus "Hans" Nijman (September 23, 1959 – November 5, 2014) was a Dutch former professional mixed martial artist and professional wrestler. He competed in the heavyweight division. He was a RINGS Holland veteran and fought for m ...

(1959–2014) a Dutch former mixed martial artist and professional wrestler * Richard Goulooze (born 1967) a Dutch former professional footballer with 351 club caps *

Michel Vonk Michel Vonk (born 28 October 1968) is a Dutch football manager and former professional footballer As a player, he was a defender from 1986 to 2001, notably playing in the Premier League for Manchester City. He also played in England for Oldham A ...

(born 1968) a Dutch former professional footballer with 342 club caps *

Jakko Jan Leeuwangh Jakko Jan Leeuwangh (born 9 September 1972) is a former speed skater from the Netherlands. He finished fourth in the 1998 Olympic 1000 m event. In January 2000 he broke the 1500 m world record in Calgary, Canada, holding the record until it was br ...

(born 1972) a former speed skater * Macha van der Vaart (born 1972) a Dutch field hockey player, team bronze and silver medallist at the

2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...

and

2004 Summer Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad ( el, Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, ) and also known as Athens 2004 ( el, Αθήνα 2004), ...

Steven de Jongh Steven de Jongh (born 25 November 1973 in Alkmaar) is a Dutch former road bicycle racer. Biography De Jongh made his professional debut in 1995 at TVM team where he stayed until 1999. From 2000 to 2005 he was part of , while he made the move t ...

(born 1973) a Dutch former road bicycle racer * brothers Yuri Cornelisse (born 1975) & Tim Cornelisse (born 1978) Dutch retired footballers with 371 and 445 club caps *

Jochem Verberne Joachim Hermanus Jacobus Verberne (born 19 January 1978 in Alkmaar, North Holland) is a former rower from the Netherlands. He won a silver medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Oly ...

(born 1978) rower, team silver medallist in the

2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 (Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from 1 ...

Maarten van der Weijden Maarten van der Weijden (born 31 March 1981) is a Dutch long distance and marathon swimmer born in Alkmaar., beijing2008.cn In 2019 Van der Weijden swam the Elfstedentocht for charity. He raised more than €6.1 million. Swimming career Van d ...

(born 1981) a Dutch long distance and marathon swimmer;

Dutch Sportsman of the year The Dutch Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year are chosen annually by Dutch athletes from a shortlist compiled by sports journalists. The elections are organized by the Dutch Olympic Committee. All the winners receive a Jaap Eden Award to rememb ...

2008 *

Theo Bos Theo Bos (born 22 August 1983) is a Dutch former professional road and track cyclist. An Olympic silver medalist and five-time world champion, he is the brother of Olympic medalist in speed skating Jan Bos. On 29 November 2021, he announced hi ...

(born 1983) a Dutch road and track cyclist * Wesley Harms (born 1984) a Dutch professional darts player * Gago Drago (born 1985) an Armenian-Dutch welterweight kickboxer * Dewi Claire Schreefel (born 1985) a Dutch female professional golfer on the LPGA Tour * Aleister Black, Tom Büdgen (born 1985) a Dutch professional wrestler who previously worked in WWE, currently signed to All Elite Wrestling under the ring name Malakai Black * Yvonne Hak (born 1986) a Dutch middle-distance runner, won gold at the 2010 European Athletics Championships * Nycke Groot (born 1988) a Dutch handball player, 141 caps with the Netherlands women's national handball team, women's national team * Joyce Sombroek (born 1990) a Dutch field hockey goalkeeper, team gold and silver medallist at the 2012 Summer Olympics, 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics * Indy Dontje (born 1992) a Dutch racing driver

Twin towns—sister cities

Alkmaar is Twin towns and sister cities, twinned with:

Gallery

File:Rechtestraat, De Rijp, Netherlands - panoramio (23).jpg, De Rijp File:Alkmaar, toren van het stadhuis RM7282 foto5 2014-12-26 11.41.jpg, Townhall tower File:Kennemerstraatweg 118-126, Alkmaar.jpg, ''Kennemerstraatweg'' File:Alkmaar, de Mient bij het Biermuseum RM7221 foto3 2014-12-26 11.24.jpg, ''De Mient'' near the Biermuseum File:De Rijp Panorama 2.JPG, ''Grote Dam'' File:Alkmaar, straatzicht De Laat met de voormalige Domuskerk foto7 2014-12-26 11.52.jpg, View to a street: ''De Laat'' with its former church File:Cheesemuseum in the Alkmaar Waagbuilding 1582 - panoramio.jpg, Weighing house (''Waag'') and cheese museum

References

Literature

External links

* * *
Alkmaar's official Web site
{{Authority control Alkmaar, Cities in the Netherlands Municipalities of North Holland Populated places in North Holland