Wieringerwaard is a polder and a

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...

in the

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 ...

Hollands Kroon Hollands Kroon is a municipality located in the Northwest Netherlands. It was created on 1 January 2012, as a merger of four municipalities: Anna Paulowna, Niedorp, Wieringen, and Wieringermeer.Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations''Same ...

in the

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

province of North Holland. Wieringerwaard was formerly a separate municipality, until it merged with Barsingerhorn in 1970.

History

The polder was laid dry in 1610. It border, and also the border of the municipality, were the

Zuiderzee The Zuiderzee or Zuider Zee (; old spelling ''Zuyderzee'' or ''Zuyder Zee'') was a shallow bay of the North Sea in the northwest of the Netherlands, extending about 100 km (60 miles) inland and at most 50 km (30 miles) wide, with an o ...

, the dike-ditches along the outside of the

Westfriese Omringdijk The Westfriese Omringdijk (West-Frisian Circular Dyke) is a dyke system that protected the region of Westflinge, part of the historical region of West-Frisia. Westflinge is now commonly referred to as West-Frisia as the rest of historical W ...

and the Slikkerdijk of the

Zijpe Zijpe () is a former municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. In 2013, Zijpe and Harenkarspel merged into Schagen. Population centres The former municipality of Zijpe consisted of the following cities, towns, villages ...

. In 1970, Wieringerwaard became part of the municipality of Barsingerhorn, but in 1990 it was separated from this municipality and added to the municipality of Anna Paulowna. The area was already inhabited before 1610. In the two centuries before the All Saints' Flood of 1170 there were already Frisians in the area, later called West Frisians. After the many storms which raged around the 12th century the area became uninhabitable. After the area was drained in 1610 it became populated again. In the northern part of the area settlements slowly formed. Eventually, a ribbon shaped village formed between the 1621

lock Lock(s) may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainment * ''Lock ...

in the Slikkerdijk and the ditch named De Kolk. This village was named after the polder. After a new lock was constructed on the other side of De Kolk, at the Pishoek and the Waardkanaal, a settlement center arose there. This center was named Nieuwesluis. In 1742, on top of the Noorderdijk, a

windmill A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy using vanes called sails or blades, specifically to mill grain (gristmills), but the term is also extended to windpumps, wind turbines, and other applications, in some ...

was built. The settlement center which arose there was named De Molens, and five other windmills appeared around the same time and ensured the draining of the polder. More houses appeared around these mills than in the ribbon shaped village. With the construction of the church in 1812, that tendency became stronger, and "Wieringerwaard" meant the village round the mills, and the placename De Molens disappeared. In 1949, the lock in the Slikkerdijk, which had already been renewed twice, was demolished, which was a reason for the village not to be extended in that direction.

Curiosities

As well as het Witte Kerkje there are more curiosities in Wieringerwaard, such as many monumental farms. The windmill named De Hoop, which was built in 1742 and which was converted to a corn mill in 1972, is open for visitors every Saturday, weekday only on appointment. Wieringerwaard also has a

water tower A water tower is an elevated structure supporting a water tank constructed at a height sufficient to pressurize a distribution system for potable water, and to provide emergency storage for fire protection. Water towers often operate in conju ...

. Every year at the beginning of May the flower days are held. Flower mosaics made of hyacinths are to be seen in the village on these days.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Former municipalities of North Holland Populated places in North Holland Polders of North Holland Hollands Kroon