Oentsjerk ( nl, Oenkerk) is a village in

Tytsjerksteradiel Tytsjerksteradiel () is a municipality in the province of Friesland in the Netherlands. It is named after the town of Tytsjerk, whose name is derived from a person named Tiete. Tiete was a daughter of Tryn, after whom the region (Trynwâlden) is n ...

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 had a population of around 1,784 in January 2017. Oentsjerk is known for its agricultural practical training centre and large elderly care facility, the two largest employers of the town.

History

The village was first mentioned in 1408 as Ontzerka, and means "church of Oene (person)". Oentsjerk developed in the middle ages on a sandy ridge. Later, it was extended along the

Leeuwarden Leeuwarden (; fy, Ljouwert, longname=yes /; Town Frisian: ''Liwwadden''; Leeuwarder dialect: ''Leewarden'') is a city and municipality in Friesland, Netherlands, with a population of 123,107 (2019). It is the provincial capital and seat of the ...

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). ...

road. The

Protestant church Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

was built in 1230 as a replacement of a 12th century predecessor. It has been enlarged and altered multiple times and restored between 1974 and 1976. Several estates were built near Oentsjerk, however only Stania State has remained. Eysinga State has become a retirement home. The ''

stins A stins (Dutch, pl. ''stinsen''; from West Frisian ''stienhûs'' utch ''steenhuis''"stone house", shortened to ''stins'', pl. ''stinzen'') is a former stronghold or villa in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. Many stinsen carry the name ...

'' Stania State was probably built in the 16th century. The current estate dates from 1843. Around 1520, it was turned into a castle-like building. In 1546, it became a property of the

van Heemstra Van Heemstra is a family that belongs to the Dutch nobility. History The family is of Frisians, Frisian origin. The genealogy of the family begins with ''Taecke Obbema Heemstra'', mentioned as a voting representative (nobleman) in Oostergo in 1 ...

family who owned it for two centuries, but let it deteriorate. In 1738, it was demolished. In 1843, a new manor house by Looxma who had made a fortune in

oil mill An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...

s. A large garden designed by is laid out. In the 1930s, it became a youth hostel, conference centre and contained an outpost of the

Fries Museum The Fries Museum (Frisian Museum) is a museum in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. It has won the Global Fine Art Award which is sometimes nicknamed the Museum-Oscar. History (1881-2012) The museum was founded on 13 April 1881 by the "''Provincial Friesch ...

. In the 1970s, it was bought by the municipality who later sold it a company as an office building. Oentsjerk was home to 441 people in 1840. In the late-20th century it became a commuter's village.

Notable buildings

* The Protestant church of Oentsjerk

Gallery

File:20210615 it wapen fan Fryslan Oentsjerk.jpg, Pub in Oentsjerk File:Huize It Amelân Oenkerk.JPG, House in Oentsjerk File:Stania State hoofdgebouw.jpg, Stania State File:PTC- Agricultural training centre - panoramio.jpg, Agricultural training centre

References

External links

{{Authority control Populated places in Friesland Tytsjerksteradiel