Gerkesklooster ( fry, Gerkeskleaster) is a village in Achtkarspelen in the province of

Friesland Friesland (, ; official fry, Fryslân ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia, is a province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen, northwest of Drenthe and Overijssel, north of ...

, 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 ...

. It forms, together with Stroobos, the double village Gerkesklooster-Stroobos. The double village had a population of around 1144 in 2017, with 812 in Gerkesklooster and 332 in Stroobos.

History

The village was first mentioned in 1240 as "in Wigarathorpe1", and in 1393, it was called Gherkescloester, meaning "monastery of Gerke". In 1240, Gerke Harkema founded monastery Jeruzalem in the village. In 1580, during the

Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

, the monastery was demolished except for the brewery which was turned into a church. The current serves as the Protestant church, and has been extensively modified. After a sluice was built in the canal from

Dokkum Dokkum is a Dutch fortified city in the municipality of Noardeast-Fryslân in the province of Friesland. It has 12,669 inhabitants (February 8, 2020). The fortifications of Dokkum are well preserved and are known as the ''bolwerken'' (bulwarks). ...

to Groningen, a second settlement developed called Stroobos. There is an American wind mill from 1923 near the village which serves as a pumping station to remove excess water from the '' polder''. In 1840, Gerkesklooster was home to 342 people. The settlement of Stroobos used to be divided between Friesland and Groningen. In 1993, the entire village was transferred to Friesland.

Gallery

File:Huisjes bij de kerk. Gerkesklooster..JPG, Houses of Gerkesklooster File:Gerkeskleaster, Herfoarme Tsjerke, putto.jpg, Marble statue near the Dutch Reformed Church File:Friesche Vaart, Kalkoven - Gerkesklooster - 20077450 - RCE.jpg, Lime kiln near the canal File:Jacobus Stellingwerff - Gezicht op het Gerkesklooster ofwel Klooster Jeruzalem te Gerkesklooster in Achtkarspelen, 1722.jpg, Drawing of monastery Jeruzalem (1722)

References

{{Authority control Achtkarspelen Populated places in Friesland