West-Terschelling ( fry, West-Skylge) is the largest village on

Terschelling Terschelling (; fry, Skylge; Terschelling dialect: ''Schylge'') is a municipality and an island in the northern Netherlands, one of the West Frisian Islands. It is situated between the islands of Vlieland and Ameland. Wadden Islanders are k ...

in the province

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 2,602 in January 2017. The skyline of the village is dominated by the

Brandaris The Brandaris is a lighthouse on the Dutch Wadden Sea island Terschelling, in Friesland. It is the oldest lighthouse in the Netherlands, listed as a Rijksmonument, number 35032 and rated with a very high historical value. History The firs ...

lighthouse, the village had also been named Sint Brandariusparochie, Sint-Brandariuskerke and just Brandaris in earlier centuries.

History

The town was partially burned on the order of

Sir Robert Holmes Sir Robert Holmes ( – 18 November 1692) was an English Admiral of the Restoration Navy. He participated in the second and third Anglo-Dutch Wars, both of which he is, by some, credited with having started. He was made Governor of the Is ...

in 1666, during the

Second Anglo-Dutch War The Second Anglo-Dutch War or the Second Dutch War (4 March 1665 – 31 July 1667; nl, Tweede Engelse Oorlog "Second English War") was a conflict between Kingdom of England, England and the Dutch Republic partly for control over the seas a ...

, in an event referred to as "

Holmes's Bonfire Holmes's Bonfire was a raid on the Vlie estuary in the Netherlands, executed by the English Fleet during the Second Anglo-Dutch War on 19 and 20 August 1666 New Style (9 and 10 August Old Style). The attack, named after the commander of the land ...

". A pub was named after the Oka 18, a ship that sank near

Formerum Formerum ( fry, Formearum) is a village on Terschelling in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 211 in January 2017.Willem Barentsz Willem Barentsz (; – 20 June 1597), anglicized as William Barents or Barentz, was a Dutch Republic, Dutch navigator, cartographer, and Arctic explorer. Barentsz went on three expeditions to the far north in search for a Northern Sea Route, N ...

't Behouden Huys t Behouden Huys or Het Behouden Huis is a museum in West-Terschelling West-Terschelling ( fry, West-Skylge) is the largest village on Terschelling in the province Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 2,602 in January 2017. ...

Gallery

File:Brandaris vuurtoren Terschelling 01.jpg, Brandaris lighthouse Image:West-Terschelling,_dorpszicht_foto3_2008-08-02_16.52.JPG, West-Terschelling, view facing the town (from far distance) Image:West-Terschelling, dorpszicht foto3 2008-08-03 10.39.JPG, West-Terschelling, view facing the town (from the port) Image:Holmesbonfire.jpg, Image of the burning of the town by the English Navy File:Hervormde kerk in West-Terschelling -01.jpg, West Church

Sources

*Municipality guide Terschelling 2005-2006

References

Populated places in Friesland Terschelling {{Friesland-geo-stub