Aldtsjerk ( nl, Oudkerk) is a village on the main road from

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). ...

. It is part of

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 ...

municipality,

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 ...

and had around 615 inhabitants as of January 2018. Its annual festivities include the ''Doarpsfeest'', including a parade, held in the summer. Local landmarks include the ''Heemstra State'', former residence of the aristocratic Sminia family. The village's main road, the ''van Sminiaweg'' is about 1.5 km long and named after the Sminia family. The village also houses a former baker who was quite famous for his ''Oranjekoek'' and ''Suikerbrood'', but who retired in 2000 when the

euro The euro ( symbol: €; code: EUR) is the official currency of 19 out of the member states of the European Union (EU). This group of states is known as the eurozone or, officially, the euro area, and includes about 340 million citizens . ...

was introduced. Local shopping facilities are scarce: the nearest grocery market is located in

Oentsjerk Oentsjerk ( nl, Oenkerk) is a village in Tytsjerksteradiel in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 1,784 in January 2017. Oentsjerk is known for its agricultural practical training centre and large elderly care ...

, about three kilometers outside town limits. The most notable shop of the town is a bike dealership and a store called ''Bram en Jannie's'', which stands not actually in the village itself, but halfway between Aldtjserk and Oentsjerk. In the center of the village is located the Aldtsjerk church, which was built in 12th century and gives the village its name ("Old Church"). Near the village is the ''Aldtsjerkster mar'', a small lake which is an important point on the Elfstedentocht. In Dutch, the village is called Oudkerk ("Old Church"); Aldtsjerk is its West Frisian name. It was one of the first Frisian towns to be generally listed under its West Frisian, rather than its Dutch name. The Ouderkerkermolen is a preserved windmill in Aldtsjerk.

Notable buildings

* The

Protestant church of Aldtsjerk The Protestant church of Aldtsjerk or Saint Paul's churchAlle middeleeuwse kerken: van Harlingen tot Wilhelmshaven, P Karstkarel, p. 31 is a religious building in Aldtsjerk, Netherlands, one of the numerous medieval churches in Friesland. It is a ...

* The Ouderkerkermolen

Gallery

File:Aldtsjerk, eardere pastorij, Van Sminiawei.jpg, Former clergy house File:Aldtsjerk, brêge oer de Moark.jpg, Draw bridge File:Aldtsjerk, doarpsplein.jpg, Village square File:Eysingapad. Oudkerk.JPG, Houses in Aldtsjerk

References

External links

{{Authority control Populated places in Friesland Tytsjerksteradiel