Steenwijkerland (; nds-nl, Stienwiekerlaand or ''Steenwiekerlaand'') is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in the province of

Overijssel Overijssel (, ; nds, Oaveriessel ; german: Oberyssel) is a Provinces of the Netherlands, province of the Netherlands located in the eastern part of the country. The province's name translates to "across the IJssel", from the perspective of the ...

, in the eastern

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 was called Steenwijk before 2003. The municipality forms the entire northwesterly corner of the province. This area is called "the Head of Overijssel" (in Dutch: ''de

Kop van Overijssel The Kop van Overijssel (English: ''Head of Overijssel'') is a region in the very northwestern part of the Dutch province of Overijssel. It consists of the municipality of Steenwijkerland and matches the historical region of the Land van Vollenh ...

''). It borders 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 seat of the municipality,

Steenwijk Steenwijk (; Low German: ''Steenwiek'', ''Stienwiek'' English: ''Stenwick'') is a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality of Steenwijkerland. It is the largest town of the municipality. Steenwijk received city ...

, with a population of about 17,100, is situated on the A32 motorway (

Zwolle Zwolle () is a city and municipality in the Northeastern Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Overijssel and the province's second-largest municipality after Enschede with a population of 130,592 as of 1 December 2021. Zwolle is o ...

– Meppel –

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 ...

) and has a railway station on the line connecting those same cities.

Economy

Steenwijk is the economic and administrative centre of the region. Many smaller trading and industrial enterprises are housed here, as well as a hospital and some secondary schools. Vollenhove has a shipyard, where very exclusive

yacht A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...

s are built. All over the area, partially being below

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardised g ...

, the soil is somewhat swampy. Many Steenwijkerland farmers only raise cattle. The soil is too wet to grow corn or wheat. However, the wetlands also have an advantage: many nature- or water sports-loving tourists come to the municipality.

Population centres

The larger places are printed in bold type.

Sights

* The city of Steenwijk can be visited for daily shopping, going to the market, etc. Don't expect exclusive or extremely "trendy" shops! * In Steenwijk the villa "Ramswoerthe", built in 1899 in

Jugendstil ''Jugendstil'' ("Youth Style") was an artistic movement, particularly in the decorative arts, that was influential primarily in Germany and elsewhere in Europe to a lesser extent from about 1895 until about 1910. It was the German counterpart of ...

architecture, and its park can be visited. * Blokzijl has a small

marina A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : ''marina'', "coast" or "shore") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats. A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships o ...

, surrounded by picturesque old brick houses from the 17th century, looking like miniatures of the

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...

canal houses. * Vollenhove has two remarkable old churches (15th and 17th century), the castle ruins of Toutenburg with a park, the estate Old Ruitenborgh (18th century; small hotel with a good restaurant) and several old houses, of which the former Latin School (17th century) is the most beautiful. * Giethoorn and Dwarsgracht are picturesque due to their local structure (see above); many of the old farmhouses have been transformed into "second homes" where rich Dutchmen live during their holidays. In summer, most houses of the village are lit in the evening, which enables the Tourist Board to organise romantic guided boat tours. Of course, a yacht-basin, restaurants and camping sites are there as well. * Between Kuinre and Steenwijk lies the National Park "De Weerribben", a very valuable

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...

area with bogs, swamps, small canals and meadows. It can be visited on guided tours. The entrance is in Ossenzijl. For information ask the VVV (Tourist Board) or the owner, the "Natuurmonumenten" organization (on their website, type under: Zoeken ( = Search) the name of the area). * A similar natural reserve called "De Wieden" is situated in the southern part of the municipality. An information centre is situated in St. Jansklooster near Vollenhove. "Wieden" means: wide places, wide lakes. These lakes are suitable for sailing,

windsurfing Windsurfing is a wind propelled water sport that is a combination of sailing and surfing. It is also referred to as "sailboarding" and "boardsailing", and emerged in the late 1960s from the aerospace and surf culture of California. Windsurfing ga ...

etc.

Notable people

Georg Schenck van Toutenburg Georg Schenck van Toutenburg (German - ''Georg Schenk von Tautenburg'') (1480 – 2 February 1540) was Stadhouder of Friesland (1521-1540). Later he was also Stadholder of Overijssel, Drenthe and Groningen. His son Frederick was the first ...

(1480–1540)

Stadhouder In the Low Countries, ''stadtholder'' ( nl, stadhouder ) was an office of steward, designated a medieval official and then a national leader. The ''stadtholder'' was the replacement of the duke or count of a province during the Burgundian and H ...

of Friesland (1521-1540) and

Stadholder In the Low Countries, ''stadtholder'' ( nl, stadhouder ) was an office of steward, designated a medieval official and then a national leader. The ''stadtholder'' was the replacement of the duke or count of a province during the Burgundian and H ...

of Overijssel, Drenthe and Groningen *

Frederik V Schenck van Toutenburg Frederik Schenck van Toutenburg (ca. 1503 – 25 August 1580) was the first Archbishop of Utrecht (1559–1580). Prior to Schenck's ministry as archbishop, Utrecht was a bishopric with a succession of sixty bishops. The last bishop of Utr ...

(ca.1503–1580) the first

Archbishop of Utrecht List of bishops and archbishops of the diocese and archdioceses of Utrecht. Medieval diocese from 695 to 1580 Founders of the Utrecht diocese * * * * * Bishops * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ...

1559-1580 *

Charles de Ligne, 2nd Prince of Arenberg Princely Count Charles of Arenberg, duke of Aarschot (''jure uxoris''), baron of Zevenbergen, knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece, (22 February 1550, in Vollenhove – 18 January 1616, in Enghien) was the second Princely Count of Arenberg ...

(1550–1616) a leading aristocrat, a courtier, soldier, minister and diplomat *

Hildo Krop Hildebrand Lucien (Hildo) Krop (February 26, 1884, Steenwijk, Overijssel – August 20, 1970) was a prolific Dutch sculptor and furniture designer, widely known as the city sculptor of Amsterdam, where his work is well represented. Life Krop wa ...

(1884–1970) a Dutch sculptor and furniture designer * Herman Nieweg (1932–1999) a Dutch sculptor and ceramist *

Sophie in 't Veld Sophia Helena "Sophie" in 't Veld (born 13 September 1963) is a Dutch politician of the Democrats 66 party. She was elected as a Member of the European Parliament in 2004, and reelected in 2009, 2014 and 2019. She was her party's top candidate fo ...

(born 1963) a Dutch politician and

Member of the European Parliament A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the ECSC) first met in 1952, its ...

* Dino Bouterse (born 1972) drug smuggler

Sport

* Wim de Bois (1896–1975) a former Dutch football manager and player *

Kees Kist Cornelis Kist (born 7 August 1952) is a Dutch former professional footballer and manager. He played as a striker, and most notably won the European Golden Shoe for the 1978–79 season. Club career Born in Steenwijk, Kist started his career a ...

(born 1952) a retired football striker with 472 club caps *

Marti ten Kate Martin "Marti" ten Kate (born 16 December 1958) is a retired long-distance runner from the Netherlands, who represented his native country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, where he finished in 9th place in the 10,000 metres (27: ...

(born 1958) a retired long-distance runner *

Patrick Roest Patrick Roest (; born 7 December 1995) is a Dutch professional long track speed skater who has won the World Allround Speed Skating Championships three times. He is a member of the commercial team of Team Reggeborgh. Career In Bjugn, Norway, in ...

(born 1995) a Dutch professional long track speed skater, silver 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 ...

References

External links

*
Official website
{{Authority control Kop van Overijssel Municipalities of Overijssel Municipalities of the Netherlands established in 2003