Heerenveen (, fry, It Hearrenfean ) is a town and municipality in the province of Friesland (Fryslân), in the Northern Netherlands. In 2021, the town had a population of 29,790 (1 January) while the municipality had a population 50,859 (1 July).

History

The town was established in 1551 by three lords as a location for the purpose of digging peat which was used for fuel, hence the name (''heer'' is "lord", ''veen'' is "peat"). Heerenveen was not one of the traditional eleven cities in Friesland (Fryslân) as it did not have so-called

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 ...

. However, it is now one of the larger municipalities of the province. The windmill ''Welgelegen'' or ''Tjepkema's Molen'' is the only survivor of seventeen which have stood in Heerenveen.

Population centres

Population as of 1 January 2018: Heerenveen (32,900), Akkrum (3406), Aldeboarn (1479), Bontebok (445), De Knipe (1470), Gersloot (280, together with Gersloot-Polder), Hoornsterzwaag (815), Jubbega (3510), Katlijk (630), Luinjeberd (450), Mildam (740), Nes (1104), Nieuwebrug (210), Nieuwehorne (1500),

Nieuweschoot Nieuweschoot ( fry, Nijskoat) is a village in Heerenveen in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 185 in January 2017. History The village was first mentioned in 1408 as Nye Schoten, and means corner of higher ...

(180), Oranjewoud (1610), Oudehorne (840), Oudeschoot (1480),

Terband Terband ( fry, Terbant) is a village in Heerenveen in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 270 in January 2017. History The village was first mentioned in 1315 as Bant, and means "near the region". In 1315, ...

(265) and

Tjalleberd Tjalleberd ( fry, Tsjalbert) is a village in Heerenveen in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 820 in January 2017. History The village was first mentioned in 1315 as Tyanlaberde, and means the village of Tjal ...

(800).

Hamlets

The hamlets are: Anneburen, Birstum, Brongergea, Easterboarn, Jinshuzen, Meskenwier, Oude Schouw (partially),

Pean The Panhellenic Union of Fighting Youths ( el, Πανελλήνιος Ένωσις Αγωνιζόμενων Νέων, ''Panellínios Énosis Agonizómenon Néon'', ΠΕΑΝ, PEAN) was a Greek Resistance organization during the Axis Occupation o ...

, Poppenhúzen, Schurega, Soarremoarre, Spitsendijk, Sythuzen, Warniahúzen en Welgelegen (partially). Heerenveen-plaats-OpenTopo.jpg, Map of the city of Heerenveen (2014) Gem-Heerenveen-OpenTopo.jpg, Topographic map of the municipality of Heerenveen

Museums

Museum Belvédère A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...

modern art Modern art includes artistic work produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the styles and philosophies of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the tradi ...

and contemporary art *

Museum Heerenveen A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...

, local history and culture

Transport

Railway station: Heerenveen

Local government

Sports

Heerenveen is famous for its sporting accomplishments and world class sports accommodations. These include the Abe Lenstra football stadium and the Thialf speed skating arena which was one of the first indoor 400m ice rinks in the world, and where annually held international events draw large crowds. Thialf is also home to the city's ice hockey team, the Heerenveen Flyers. The town's

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, SC Heerenveen, plays in the first tier and has been a steady presence in the Europa League, topped by the team's biggest achievement when they qualified for the UEFA Champions League in 2000. In 2006, the "Sportstad" (Sport City) project was completed, which included a gymnastics hall, swimming pool and an extension to the football stadium, all of which are clustered together. The Abe Lenstra stadium is unusual because its supporter capacity is larger than the number of inhabitants of the town. One of the few football venues that shares this distinction is Stade Félix Bollaert in Lens, France. Several American football venues, mostly

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

venues, also share this distinction.

Notable residents

Édouard Manet - Madame Manet ou Piano - 2

* Wilhelm Heinrich, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach (1691 in Oranjewoud – 1741) a Duke of Saxe-Eisenach * Suzanne Manet (born 'Leenhoff', 1829–1906), pianist and opera singer, wife of Édouard Manet *

Geerhardus Vos Geerhardus Johannes Vos (March 14, 1862 – August 13, 1949) was a Dutch-American Calvinist theologian and one of the most distinguished representatives of the Princeton Theology. He is sometimes called the father of Reformed Biblical Theology ...

(1862–1949), a Dutch-American Calvinist theologian of the Princeton Theology * Cissy van Marxveldt (1889 in Oranjewoud – 1948) a Dutch writer of children's books *

Albert Gillis von Baumhauer Albert Gillis von Baumhauer (Heerenveen, October 1891 – Alder, Washington, Alder, Washington (state), State of Washington, 18 March 1939) was a Dutch aviation pioneer notable for his design of the first Dutch helicopter and the related invention ...

(1891–1939) a Dutch aviation pioneer, designed the first Dutch helicopter * Eelco van Kleffens (1894–1983) a Dutch politician and diplomat *

Herman Zanstra Herman Zanstra (November 3, 1894, Schoterland – October 2, 1972, Haarlem) was a Dutch astronomer. Zanstra was born near Heerenveen in Friesland. In 1917 he graduated with an Engineer's degree in chemical engineering from the Delft Institut ...

(1894 in Schoterland – 1972) a Frisian/Dutch astronomer * Fedde Schurer (1898–1968), journalist, poet and politician and poet in the West Frisian language *

Adrianus van Kleffens Adrianus van Kleffens (14 October 1899 – 2 Augustus 1973) was a Dutch civil servant and judge. He was a judge at the European Court of Justice from 1952 to 1958. Biography Van Kleffens was born to Henricus Cato Van Kleffens and Anna de Graaf ...

(1899–1973) a judge at the

European Court of Justice The European Court of Justice (ECJ, french: Cour de Justice européenne), formally just the Court of Justice, is the supreme court of the European Union in matters of European Union law. As a part of the Court of Justice of the European Un ...

1952/1958 * Klaas Runia (1926 in Oudeschoot – 2006) a Dutch theologian, churchman and journalist * Wim Duisenberg (1935–2005), politician and President of the European Central Bank 1998/2003 *

T. S. van Albada Tjeerd Sicco van Albada (born 14 October 1936) is a Dutch astronomer and emeritus professor of Astronomy at the University of Groningen. Career Van Albada was born on 14 October 1936 in Akkrum. He obtained his PhD in mathematics and natural sc ...

(born 1936 in Akkrum) a Dutch astronomer and academic * Gretta Duisenberg (born 1942) a Dutch pro-Palestinian political activist * Jacob de Haan (born 1959), a Dutch contemporary composer known for wind music *

Tineke Postma Tineke Postma (born August 31, 1978) is a Dutch jazz saxophonist. Career At the age of eleven, Postma began playing the saxophone. She studied at the Amsterdam Conservatory between 1996 and 2003 and obtained a master's degree in music. Her teach ...

(born 1978), a Dutch saxophonist *

Jan Huitema Jan Huitema (born 5 July 1984) is a Dutch politician and Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from the Netherlands since July 2014. He is a member of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, part of Renew Europe. He was reelected in 2019 ...

(born 1984), politician and Member of the European Parliament (MEP)

Sport

* Abe Lenstra (1920–1985), a Dutch football player with 730 club caps * Foppe de Haan (born 1943), football coach and politician *

Margriet Zegers Inge Margriet Zegers-de Ruiter (born 29 April 1954) is a retired Dutch field hockey defender, who won a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles ...

(born 1954), a retired Dutch field hockey defender, team gold medallist at the

1984 Summer Olympics The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1984) were an international multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 12, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, United States. It marked the secon ...

* Franke Sloothaak (born 1958) a German show jumping Olympic champion * Nico-Jan Hoogma (born 1968) a former football defender with 517 club caps * Falko Zandstra (born 1971), a former Dutch speed skater, silver medallist at the

1992 Winter Olympics ) , nations = 64 , athletes = 1,801 (1313 men, 488 women) , events = 57 in 6 sports (12 disciplines) , opening = 8 February 1992 , closing = 23 February 1992 , opened_by = President François Mitterrand , cauldron ...

and bronze medallist the

1994 Winter Olympics The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games ( no, De 17. olympiske vinterleker; nn, Dei 17. olympiske vinterleikane) and commonly known as Lillehammer '94, was an international winter multi-sport event held fro ...

Carien Kleibeuker Carien Kleibeuker (born 12 March 1978) is a Dutch former speed skater who is specialised in the long distances, 3000 and mainly 5000 metres. She is the current holder of the Dutch record on the 10,000 metres distances, as well as the current hold ...

(born 1978) a Dutch long-distance speed skater, bronze medallist at the

2014 Winter Olympics , ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'') , nations = 88 , events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , athletes = 2,873 , opening = 7 February 2014 , closing = 23 February 2014 , opened_by = President Vladimir Putin , cauldron = , stadium = Fisht Olympic ...

* Epke Zonderland (born 1986), a gymnast and gold medallist at the

2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

Sven Kramer Sven Kramer (; born 23 April 1986) is a retired Dutch long track speed skater who has won an all time record nine World Allround Championships as well as a record ten European Allround Championships. He is the Olympic champion of the 5000 meter ...

(born 1986), long track speed skater, three time Olympic champion in the 5000 meters * Vladislav Bykanov (born 1989) an Israeli Olympic short track speed skater, lives in Heerenveen * Sanne Wevers (born 1991), an artistic gymnast, gold medallist at the

2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics ( pt, Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2016), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad ( pt, Jogos da XXXI Olimpíada) and also known as Rio 2016, was an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 20 ...

* Antoinette de Jong (born 1995) a Dutch speed skater, bronze medallist at the

2018 Winter Olympics , nations = 93 , athletes = 2,922 (1,680 men and 1,242 women) , events = 102 in 7 sports (15 disciplines) , opening = , closing = , opened_by = President Moon Jae-in , cauldron = Kim Yun-a , stadium = Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium , winte ...

Lisa Top Lisa Evelien Top (born 13 August 1996) is a Dutch artistic gymnast. A Senior National Team member since 2012, she participated in both the 2014 and 2015 World Championships as well as the 2015 European Games. Early life Top was born on 13 Aug ...

(born 1996), a Dutch artistic gymnast *

Aafke Soet Aafke Soet (born 23 November 1997) is a Dutch former professional racing cyclist, who last rode for UCI Women's Continental Team in 2021 and 2022. Before cycling, she was a speed skater who had represented the Netherlands at the 2012 Winter You ...

(born 1997), former short track speed skater, now cyclist * Yasser Seirawan (born 1960), American/Syrian chess grandmaster and champion known for his excellent books and commentary on chess games, *

Andries Noppert Andries Noppert (born 7 April 1994) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Eredivisie club Heerenveen and the Netherlands national team. Club career NAC Breda Trained through the youth ranks of Heerenveen, Noppert ma ...

(born 1994), Dutch National Team Goalkeeper World Cup 2022.

Twin cities

Heereveen's longstanding connection with

Rishon LeZion Rishon LeZion ( he, רִאשׁוֹן לְצִיּוֹן , ''lit.'' First to Zion, Arabic: راشون لتسيون) is a city in Israel, located along the central Israeli coastal plain south of Tel Aviv. It is part of the Gush Dan metropolitan ar ...

, Israel ended in 2016 after the supporting organizations shut down in both countries.

Gallery

File:Abe Lenstra Stadion 08c.JPG, Abe Lenstra Stadion, football stadium File:21169 Heerenveen Crackstate 2.jpg, Town hall File:Museumbelvedereoranjewoud.jpg, Museum Belvédère File:Heerenveen panorama 01.jpg, Heerenveen panorama

References

External links

* * * {{Authority control Municipalities of Friesland Populated places in Friesland Populated places established in 1551 1551 establishments in the Holy Roman Empire 16th-century establishments in the Netherlands