Deventer (;

Sallands Sallaans ( nl, Sallands; Low Saxon: ''Sallaands'') is a collective term for the Westphalian dialects of the region Salland, in the province of Overijssel, as well as in minor parts of Gelderland and Drenthe in the Eastern Netherlands. In the ...

: ) is a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

and

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

Salland Salland (Low Saxon: ''Sallaand'') is a historical dominion in the west and north of the present Dutch province of Overijssel. Nowadays Salland is usually used to indicate a region corresponding to the part of the former dominion more or less to th ...

historical region of the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

of Overijssel,

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 ...

. In 2020, Deventer had a population of 100,913. The city is largely situated on the east bank of the river

IJssel The IJssel (; nds-nl, Iessel(t) ) is a Dutch distributary of the river Rhine that flows northward and ultimately discharges into the IJsselmeer (before the 1932 completion of the Afsluitdijk known as the Zuiderzee), a North Sea natural harbour. ...

, but it also has a small part of its territory on the west bank. In 2005 the municipality of

Bathmen Bathmen is a village and former municipality in the east of the Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , ...

(with a population of about 5,000 people) was merged with Deventer as part of a national effort to reduce bureaucracy in the country. Deventer is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands. The place is already mentioned in 9th-century sources of the Diocese of Utrecht. In a charter from 877 AD mentions seven hooves in ''Daventre portu'' (the Deventer harbor). In 952 AD, Deventer is mentioned as a city in a gift certificate from King Otto I. After the place had acquired more and more rights and privileges over time, it received the municipal lands from

Emperor Henry V Henry V (german: Heinrich V.; probably 11 August 1081 or 1086 – 23 May 1125, in Utrecht) was King of Germany (from 1099 to 1125) and Holy Roman Emperor (from 1111 to 1125), as the fourth and last ruler of the Salian dynasty. He was made co-ru ...

in 1123. This is considered by historians to be the moment of Deventer obtaining the city rights by the inhabitants. The city has the oldest stone house, the oldest walking park and with the Athenaeum library also the oldest scientific library in the Netherlands.

History

Foundation and development in the Middle Ages

Deventer was probably founded around 768 AD by the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

missionary A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...

Lebuinus Lebuinus (also known as ''Lebuin'', ''Lebwin'' or ''Liafwin ') is the Apostle of the Frisians and patron of Deventer (born in England of Anglo-Saxon parents, date unknown; died at Deventer c. 775). Life Lebuinus was a monk in Wilfrid's monastery ...

, who built a wooden church on the east bank of the river

. In January 772 AD the sack and burning of this church by a Saxon expedition was the cause for the first punitive war waged by Charlemagne to the Saxons, in which, in retribution, the Irminsul (the Saxon sacred tree, probably near modern

Paderborn Paderborn (; Westphalian: ''Patterbuorn'', also ''Paterboärn'') is a city in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader and ''Born'', an old German term for t ...

) was destroyed. This was not the first human settlement at the location; between 1981 and 2006, remains of a late

Roman Iron Age The archaeology of Northern Europe studies the prehistory of Scandinavia and the adjacent North European Plain, roughly corresponding to the territories of modern Sweden, Norway, Denmark, northern Germany, Poland and the Netherlands. The regi ...

settlement (dated to c.300 AD) were excavated at Colmschate, 4 km east of the current city Bergkerk Deventer vanuit Bergstraat

The village of Deventer, already important because of a trading road crossing the river

, was looted and burnt down by the

Vikings Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and ...

in 882. It was immediately rebuilt and fortified with an earthen wall (in the street ''Stenen Wal'' remains of this wall have been excavated and restored). Deventer received city rights in 956, after which fortifications were built or replaced by stone walls around the city for defense. Between 1000 and 1500, Deventer grew to be a flourishing trade city because of its harbour on the river IJssel, which was capable of accommodating large ships. The city eventually joined the Hanseatic League. One of the commodities it traded in, dried haddock and cod from Norway, gave the citizens the nickname they carry to this day: "Deventer Stokvis" In the 15th century, Deventer had a common mint, where coins for the three IJssel cities Deventer,

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 ...

, and Kampen were made. Deventer is the birthplace of

Geert Groote Gerard Groote (October 1340 – 20 August 1384), otherwise ''Gerrit'' or ''Gerhard Groet'', in Latin ''Gerardus Magnus'', was a Dutch Catholic deacon, who was a popular preacher and the founder of the Brethren of the Common Life. He was a key fi ...

and home to his

Brethren of the Common Life The Brethren of the Common Life (Latin: Fratres Vitae Communis, FVC) was a Roman Catholic pietist religious community founded in the Netherlands in the 14th century by Gerard Groote, formerly a successful and worldly educator who had had a religio ...

, a school of religious thought that influenced

Thomas a Kempis Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

and

Erasmus Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (; ; English: Erasmus of Rotterdam or Erasmus;''Erasmus'' was his baptismal name, given after St. Erasmus of Formiae. ''Desiderius'' was an adopted additional name, which he used from 1496. The ''Roterodamus'' w ...

in later times. Together with Haarlem it was among the first cities to have printing presses, dating back to as early as 1477. From around 1300, it also housed a Latin School, which became internationally renowned, and remained in service in changing forms until 1971. Its most well-known student was the scholar

Desiderius Erasmus Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (; ; English: Erasmus of Rotterdam or Erasmus;''Erasmus'' was his baptismal name, given after St. Erasmus of Formiae. ''Desiderius'' was an adopted additional name, which he used from 1496. The ''Roterodamus'' wa ...

, who was born in 1466 and attended the school from 1475 to 1484.

16th–18th centuries

Between 1500 and 1800, the volume of water flowing through the IJssel decreased, decreasing the importance of Deventer's harbour. The competition with trade centres in

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...

, as well as the

religious war A religious war or a war of religion, sometimes also known as a holy war ( la, sanctum bellum), is a war which is primarily caused or justified by differences in religion. In the modern period, there are frequent debates over the extent to wh ...

between 1568 and 1648, brought a decline in the city's economy. In the 18th century, the

iron Iron () is a chemical element with Symbol (chemistry), symbol Fe (from la, Wikt:ferrum, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 element, group 8 of the periodic table. It is, Abundanc ...

industry came to Deventer. East of the town, so-called "oer", riversand containing iron, was found as early as 900. From this material, ore was produced and brought to town. The main road of the villages Okkenbroek, Lettele and Schalkhaar is still named Oerdijk (Ore Dyke).

Modern times

In the 19th century, Deventer became an industrial town. Bicycles (Burgers), carpets (Koninklijke Deventer Tapijtfabriek), tins and cans for food and drinks (Thomassen & Drijver), cigars (Horst & Maas en Bijdendijk & Ten Hove), foundry and heavy machinery (Nering Bögel), and textiles (Ankersmit) were produced until the mid to late 20th century. Some of these industries are still thriving today, such as beds and accessories (Auping) and publishing (

Wolters Kluwer Wolters Kluwer N.V. () is a Dutch information services company. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands (Global) and Philadelphia, United States (corporate). Wolters Kluwer in its current form was founded in 1987 with a m ...

, now headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn) The city's trade and industry is still of some importance. The city is host to a factory producing

central heating A central heating system provides warmth to a number of spaces within a building from one main source of heat. It is a component of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (short: HVAC) systems, which can both cool and warm interior spaces. ...

systems, as well as

, a global information services and publishing company. The Deventer honey cake (Bussink Deventer Koek), produced in Deventer for over 500 years, is still manufactured locally and sold all over the Netherlands and beyond.

World War II

Shooting of a scene from A bridge too far

Deventer has seen few military engagements throughout its long history, although it was a garrison city of the Dutch cavalry. The IJssel bridge area and harbour were bombed heavily during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. The city centre has been largely spared, but many Allied bombs, meant to shell the IJssel railway bridge, came down on buildings in the city centre. The Deventer railway bridge was considered strategically important, being a part of the main railway connection between Amsterdam and the German city of Osnabrück, leading from there to either Berlin, Hamburg or Bremen. The railway bridge, constructed of steel, was difficult to hit. Many bombs were bounced down into the river or its banks, exploding in the areas around the bridge or failing to explode at all. The three heaviest of about 15 attacks were on October 28, 1944, causing 35 mortalities, on December 15, 1944, killing 33 people, and on February 6, 1945, causing the death of 61 people. In the aftermath of this last bombardment, the German occupying forces committed a war crime. The German army used a

cool warehouse A cool warehouse or cold storage warehouse is a warehouse where perishable goods are stored and refrigerated. Products stored can be, amongst other things, food, especially meat, other agricultural products, pharmaceutical drugs, other chemical ...

in Deventer for its military food supplies. In the city centre, the

retirement home A retirement home – sometimes called an old people's home or old age home, although ''old people's home'' can also refer to a nursing home – is a multi-residence housing facility intended for the elderly. Typically, each person or couple in ...

of the ''United Foundations'', originally dating back as far as the 13th century, caught fire by the shellings, as well as the army food warehouse. The Germans allowed local fire fighters only to extinguish the fire in the cool warehouse. The retirement home burnt down as good as totally. Over twenty of the elderly living there perished in the flames. The female Jewish poet and writer Etty Hillesum lived in Deventer during the war before being deported to Auschwitz. In Schalkhaar, a village only 2 km northeast of the city centre, barracks were used by the German occupying forces to train Nazi policemen. The compound is now a centre for asylum seekers. In a forested area between Lettele and Okkenbroek, about 10 kilometres east of Deventer, the Germans operated a

V-1 flying bomb The V-1 flying bomb (german: Vergeltungswaffe 1 "Vengeance Weapon 1") was an early cruise missile. Its official Ministry of Aviation (Nazi Germany), Reich Aviation Ministry () designation was Fi 103. It was also known to the Allies as the buz ...

launching ramp. It was used from December, 1944, until March, 1945. Some of the 400 V-1 missiles launched there hit already liberated Belgium, including the city of Antwerp, killing many people. A war monument in the village of Lettele consists of concrete blocks from this launching site, that is a war monument itself as well. Deventer has been somewhat popular with the film industry. During the production of the 1977 film '' A Bridge Too Far'', all of the scenes taking place in nearby

Arnhem Arnhem ( or ; german: Arnheim; South Guelderish: ''Èrnem'') is a city and municipality situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands about 55 km south east of Utrecht. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland, located on both ban ...

were filmed in Deventer - as Arnhem itself had lost its historic centre. By the end of the 1950s, the buildings had reached the boundaries of the municipality. In 1960, for further expansion, the part of the municipality of Diepenveen was annexed that now covers the Keizerslanden, Borgele and Platvoet districts, all three realized in the 1960s; all together roughly the area up to (west of) the Zandwetering. After a plan to expand the city across the IJssel, the so-called Double City Plan, was deemed unfeasible at the end of the 1960s, Deventer turned its attention to the east again: in 1974 part of Diepenveen was once again annexed. On January 1, 1999, the municipality of Diepenveen was dissolved and added to Deventer. The same happened with the municipality of Bathmen on 1 January 2005.

Demographics

Deventer has 101.378 Inhabitants on 1 July 2021.

Inhabitants by nationality

* 77,37% is Dutch * 9,23% western migration background * 13,4% non western migration background

Geography

Associated hamlets at second level Linde Deventer NL

The population centres in the municipality are: * Deventer ''(see below)'' ** Snippeling ''(a small community about 2 km east of the city centre)'' ** De Worp, the quarter west of the IJssel river * Colmschate ''(Deventer suburb quarters surrounding eponymous village 4 km east of the city centre, ice skating hall, small railway station)'' ** De Bannink ** Oxe * Diepenveen, a village 4 km to the north, surrounded by forest ** Molenbelt ** Rande ** Tjoene * Lettele, in a forest area ** Linde ** Oude Molen (''old mill'') ** Zandbelt * Okkenbroek * Schalkhaar ''(former centre of Diepenveen municipality including Lettele and Okkenbroek until 1999)'' ** Averlo ** Frieswijk *

''(independent municipality until 2005)'' ** Apenhuizen **Dortherhoek **Loo **Pieriksmars **Zuidloo

Climate

Deventer is in the northern hemisphere. Summer here starts at the end of June and ends in September. Deventer experiences an oceanic climate (

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

''Cfb'') similar to almost all of the

Water

The Deventer settlement was founded on a river dune on the

. This river has played a major role for the city over the centuries, because of the trade that this waterway brought with it. In 1241 the city had received the Katentol on long lease from the Elten stift. This toll, which is named after the Katerveer under

, had to be paid in the Deventer toll house near the Zandpoort, and generated a lot of money in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

. The IJssel has also caused many problems over the centuries, because it often overflowed its banks. Nowadays Deventer has a flood defence, but the Welle ('wal', the name of the street over the quay) is still regularly under water during high water. Dike breaches of the IJssel have created many gullies in and around the city , such as the Douwelerkolk and the Klinkenbeltskolk. In addition to the IJssel, Deventer has a large number of waters. The

Schipbeek The Schipbeek is a tributary of the IJssel in the Netherlands and a continuation of the Buurserbeek. It flows into the IJssel near Deventer. The real source of the Schipbeek is in Germany - in western Northrhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Wes ...

is a brook partly dug on behalf of the city that rises in

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

and flows into the IJssel near Deventer. In the past, the stream was navigable, so that wood and Bentheimer sandstone could be brought in, among other things. Another waterway that was built for shipping and which flows into the IJssel in Deventer is a branch of the Overijssels canal, through which Deventer was connected to a large system of canals through Overijssel. It was dug in the mid-19th century and opened in 1858.

Culture

Sights

* The Grote Kerkhof square (Grand Churchyard) * The Saint Lebuïnuskerk (St. Lebuin's Church) in

Gothic style Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths ** Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken ...

, with ceiling paintings and an organ. Its tower can be climbed in summer. * The City Hall with a façade built in 1693 in Dutch Baroque style * The Brink (market square) with houses, shops, and cafes dating from 1575 to 1900. The market square is also the centre of Deventer nightlife. Alongside this square there is the Bussink "Koekhuisje", where the honey-cake Deventer Koek is been sold. Markets take place every Friday (including one on Good Friday, following a medieval tradition) and Saturday. * The Waag (Weighing-house) on the edge of the Brink square, built in 1550 and restored in 2003. The Deventer City Museum is housed inside the Waag. The Museum's collections include industrial and trading history, paintings by

Gerard Terborch Gerard ter Borch (; December 1617 – 8 December 1681), also known as Gerard Terburg (), was a Dutch genre painter who lived in the Dutch Golden Age. He influenced fellow Dutch painters Gabriel Metsu, Gerrit Dou, Eglon van der Neer and Johanne ...

and

Han van Meegeren Henricus Antonius "Han" van Meegeren (; 10 October 1889 – 30 December 1947) was a Dutch painter and portraitist, considered one of the most ingenious art forgers of the 20th century. Van Meegeren became a national hero after World War II when ...

, silver objects, and prehistoric findings).

Thea Beckman Theodora Beckmann (née Petie; 23 July 1923 – 5 May 2004), better known by her pen name Thea Beckman, was a Dutch author of children's books. Biography At a young age, Beckman knew she wanted to be a writer. As a teenager, she would write num ...

's novel ''Het wonder van Frieswijck'' ("The Frieswijck Miracle") features the Waag. ** On the outer wall of the Waag hung until 2016 a large kettle that is over 500 years old, said to have been used for a

public execution A public execution is a form of capital punishment which "members of the general public may voluntarily attend." This definition excludes the presence of only a small number of witnesses called upon to assure executive accountability. The purpose ...

in the late

; a man who had produced counterfeit coins was cooked to death in it. According to local tradition, there are holes in the kettle shot by footmen of

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

's army around 1809. In 2017 the kettle has been placed inside the building, at the entrance of the museum. * The Speelgoedmuseum (

Toy A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and pet ...

Museum) behind the Waag, housed in an old house in the city called ''De Drie Haringen'' ('The Three Herrings') * The

Great Synagogue of Deventer The Great Synagogue of Deventer ( nl, Grote Synagoge van Deventer) is a synagogue in Deventer, Netherlands. History 19th century This temple was built in 1892 by J.A. Mulock Houwer. It is a Neo-Renaissance building with Moorish influences. ...

in Neo-Renaissance style with Moorish influences * The medieval Bergkerk (Mountain Church), on top of a small hill (old river dune), now a place for expositions and concerts. * The old streets around the Bergkerk, known as Bergkwartier (Mountain Quarter) situated on and around the old river dune. * The Broederenkerk (Friars church) in Gothic and neo-Gothic style * The Stadsarchief en Athenaeumbibliotheek (City Archive and Athenaeum Library), the oldest scientific library of the Netherlands (founded in 1560). * De Proosdij in the Sandrasteeg is the oldest stone house of the Netherlands still in use. The earliest parts dating back to around 1130. File:Lebuinuskerk2011a.JPG, St. Lebuinus Church File:Stadhuis Deventer voorgevel.jpg, Deventer City Hall File:Voorgevel van de voormalige synagoge te Deventer; in de geveltop staan de Tien Geboden in het Hebreeuws - Deventer - 20337911 - RCE.jpg,

File:Bergkerk Deventer, now in use as an art exhibition center - panoramio.jpg, St. Nicholas Church File:Interieur, aanzicht orgel, orgelnummer 337 - Deventer - 20369286 - RCE.jpg, Interior of Broederenkerk File:Klooster 3 Deventer.jpg, City Archives and Athenaeum Library File:Schouwburg Deventer.JPG, Theater of Deventer File:Molen Bolwerksmolen (1).jpg, The 19th-century Bolwerksmolen

Sports

Deventer is the home of professional Football club Go Ahead Eagles, who are housed in stadium

De Adelaarshorst De Adelaarshorst ( nl, ' The Eagle's Nest' or 'the Eyrie' , ) is a multi-use stadium in Deventer, Netherlands. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Go Ahead Eagles. The stadium is able to hold 10,400 people ...

. De Adelaarshorst is situated in a 1930s neighbourhood and one of the oldest stadiums still in use today. The club was founded in 1902 as Be Quick, although the name was soon changed to Go Ahead at the request of the

Dutch Football Association The Royal Dutch Football Association (, ; KNVB ) is the governing body of football in the Netherlands. It organises the main Dutch football leagues (Eredivisie and Eerste Divisie), the amateur leagues, the KNVB Cup, and the Dutch men's and wom ...

. The suffix Eagles was added in 1971, following a suggestion from the then coach,

Barry Hughes Barry Hughes (31 December 1937 – 2 June 2019) was a Welsh professional football player and manager, active primarily in the Netherlands. He played as a defender. Early and personal life Hughes was born in Caernarfon. He attended Glyndwr Se ...

. Go Ahead Eagles has been the club of

Marc Overmars Marc Overmars (; born 29 March 1973) is a Dutch former professional footballer and director of football at Belgian Pro League side Royal Antwerp FC. He was previously director of football at Ajax. During his football career, he played as a win ...

Paul Bosvelt Paul Bosvelt (, born 26 March 1970) is a Dutch football coach and former professional footballer who is technical director of Go Ahead Eagles. As a player he midfielder he notably played in the Eredivisie for FC Twente and Feyenoord and in the ...

, and

Bert van Marwijk Lambertus van Marwijk (; born 19 May 1952) is a Dutch football manager who was recently the head coach of the United Arab Emirates national team. As a player, he played for the Go Ahead Eagles, AZ, MVV and Fortuna Sittard amongst other club ...

, whilst providing

Henk ten Cate Hendrik Willem ten Cate (born 9 December 1954) is a Dutch football manager and former professional player. In the 2005–06 season, he was assistant to Frank Rijkaard at Barcelona when the team won the UEFA Champions League and La Liga titles. ...

and

Leo Beenhakker Leo Beenhakker CM (; born 2 August 1942) is a Dutch international football coach. He has had an extensive and successful career both at club and international level. He led both Ajax and Feyenoord to Dutch championships and also had domestic s ...

with their first experience of management. The 1992 founded skating rink De Scheg, which is semi-indoor since 2011, is in the top 10 of fastest skating tracks of the Netherlands. It has been the training accommodation of skaters including Olympic champion

Mark Tuitert Mark Jan Hendrik Tuitert (; born 4 April 1980) is a retired Dutch speed skater. He won gold at the 1500 m at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Personal life Tuitert married fellow Dutch speed skater Helen van Goozen in 2009. Ten years before, they both ...

and the retired former world champion sprint

Erben Wennemars Egbert Rolf "Erben" Wennemars (born 1 November 1975) is a Dutch former speed skater. He specialized in the sprint and middle distances of 500, 1000 and 1500 meters, and set six world records during his career. Speed skating career Wennemars was ...

. Deventer also houses a number of watersports clubs, due to its situation on the banks of the river IJssel.

Events and festivals

* In the first weekend of July, the city centre is the scene of the open air festival "Deventer op stelten" (Deventer on

Stilts Stilts are poles, posts or pillars that allow a person or structure to stand at a height above the ground. In flood plains, and on beaches or unstable ground, buildings are often constructed on stilts to protect them from damage by water, wav ...

). Actors and artists give performances in the streets and on the Brink square. Originally all actors used stilts during their acts, but later . * In August, Deventer is home to Europe's largest book fair, attracting 125,000 visitors. * The

Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian er ...

Festival in December sees some of the oldest streets and alleys in the city dressed up in the style of the

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...

. In 2018, the festival attracted 125,000 visitors.

Government

City Council

In the redivision elections of November 17, 2004 , a

municipal executive In the Netherlands, the municipal executive (, ) is the executive board of a municipality. It plays a central role in municipal politics in the Netherlands, similar to the communal college in Belgium. It consists of the mayor and the members of ...

was elected for the period 2005-2010. This municipal election was earlier than in the rest of the Netherlands, because the municipality of Deventer was merged with the then municipality of Bathmen. The March 2006 elections were therefore skipped. An issue that has occupied the municipal council and public opinion in Deventer since 2006 was the housing of municipal officials and public services in a (new) municipal office adjacent to the old town hall of Deventer. In 2009, the college fell over it. At the end of January 2012, the Municipal Executive approved an adapted design for the new city office by architect

Michiel Riedijk Michiel Riedijk (Geldrop, 1964) is a Dutch architect and professor at the Technical University Delft. He is co-founder of the architecture office Neutelings Riedijk Architects in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Life and work Michiel Riedijk studied ar ...

. However, a 'popular poll' by telephone two weeks later would have shown that only 13% of the population of Deventer supported the plans. On March 21 that year, a large majority of the city council voted in favor of the municipal office. In October 2013, the Council of State ruledpositive about the arrival of the municipal office, after objections were raised. On December 6 of that year, the official opening act for construction was performed. In December 2015, the complex was completed and municipal staff moved in. In November 2017, the architect received the Abe Bonnema Prize for the design.

Education

Deventer is also home to one of the three campuses of

Saxion University of Applied Sciences Saxion University of Applied Sciences () is a Dutch university of applied sciences with three campuses in the eastern Netherlands. It provides more than 100 courses in study fields as archaeology, finance, law, engineering, hospitality, business, ...

(''Saxion Hogeschool''), a polytechnical school offering internationally recognized

Bachelor's degrees A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

and

Master's degrees A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

in a wide range of fields, including engineering, economics, social work, investigations and health care. The other campuses are located in

Enschede Enschede (; known as in the local Twents dialect) is a municipality and city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel and in the Twente region. The eastern parts of the urban area reaches the border of the German city of Gronau ...

and

Apeldoorn Apeldoorn (; Dutch Low Saxon: ) is a municipality and city in the province of Gelderland in the centre of the Netherlands. It is located about 60 km east of Utrecht, 60 km west of Enschede, 25 km north of Arnhem and 35 km south of Zwolle. Th ...

. In 1912 the Secondary Colonial Agricultural School was founded, which grew out of the National Agricultural School Wageningen. After decolonization took effect, the name was changed into Tropical Agricultural School. In 1957 the school was transformed into the National Higher School for Tropical Agriculture. After a merger with study programs from Boskoop, Wageningen and Velp, it became the International Agricultural College Larenstein. The school was located at the Ceintuurbaan/Brinkgreverweg intersection. The building was given a residential destination in 2018.

Transport

Rail

Since 1989, Deventer has two train stations,

Deventer railway station Deventer (; Sallands: ) is a city and municipality in the Salland historical region of the province of Overijssel, Netherlands. In 2020, Deventer had a population of 100,913. The city is largely situated on the east bank of the river IJssel, bu ...

and Deventer Colmschate station. Previously, Deventer has known several so-called stopping points. Most of them closed around 1920. In addition to the current rail connections from Deventer train station, over the

Arnhem–Leeuwarden railway The Arnhem–Leeuwarden railway is a railway line in the Netherlands running from Arnhem to Leeuwarden, passing through Deventer, Zwolle and Heerenveen. It is also called the ''Staatslijn A'' ("state line A") in Dutch. The part between Arnhem ...

Apeldoorn–Deventer railway The Apeldoorn–Deventer railway is an important railway in the Netherlands, running from Apeldoorn, Gelderland to Deventer, Overijssel. The line was opened between 1887 and 1888. It is used by long-distance trains from Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Th ...

, and

Deventer–Almelo railway The Deventer–Almelo railway is an important Dutch railway line, that connects Deventer with Almelo, Netherlands. History The railway was opened by the Koninklijke Nederlandsche Locaalspoorweg-Maatschappij (KNLS) on 1 September 1888, with cons ...

lines, a train connection existed from 1910 to 1935 on the Deventer–Ommen railway line. This was operated by the Overijsselsche Lokaalspoorweg-Maatschappij Deventer - Ommen (OLDO), but had to stop the train service due to competition from the bus.

Public transport

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Deventer was connected to the extensive tram network of the

Achterhoek The Achterhoek (; Dutch Low Saxon: ''Achterhook'') is a cultural region in the Eastern Netherlands. Its name (meaning "rear-corner") is geographically appropriate because the area lies in the easternmost part of the province of Gelderland and th ...

. The tram line between Deventer and

Borculo Borculo is a city in the eastern Netherlands, in the municipality of Berkelland, Gelderland. Borculo was an independent municipality until 2005, when it merged with Eibergen, Neede, and Ruurlo. Other population centers in the municipality of Borc ...

was operated from 1885 to 1944 by the Geldersch-Overijsselsche Stoomtram Maatschappij (GOSM) and its successors. Another tram company, the ''Tramweg Maatschappij Zutphen-Emmerik'', operated the tram line between Deventer and Zutphen. The tram station of Deventer stood on the Pothoofd. It was not combined with Deventer train station because the trams were too heavy to drive over two intermediate bridges. It seemed unprofitable for the tram company to reinforce two bridges, so they used the Pothoofd as a terminal station. After the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, the tram lines were dismantled. Since the end of 2020, bus transport has been provided by

Keolis Nederland Keolis Nederland is a public transport company operating bus and passenger train services in the Netherlands. Originally created as Syntus and owned by Connexxion, Keolis and Nederlandse Spoorwegen, since 2012 Keolis Nederland has been a 100% subs ...

under the name ''RRReis'', with the exception of the lines from the Achterhoek, which are provided by

Arriva Arriva plc is a British multinational public transport company headquartered in Sunderland, England.

Public thinking & Public Service

(??-ca.775) the Apostle of the Frisians and patron of Deventer *

Saint Radboud Saint Radbod (or Radboud) (before 850 – 917) was bishop of Utrecht from 899 to 917. Life Radboud was born around the middle of the 9th century from a noble Frankish family near Namur. His mother was of Frisian origin and a descendant of the ...

(before 850 – 917) Bishop of Utrecht 899 to 917 *

(1340–1384) a Dutch Roman Catholic deacon, founder of the

* Gerlac Peterssen (ca.1377 – 1411) a Dutch mystic *

Alexander Hegius von Heek Alexander Hegius von Heek (?1433/1439/1440?7 December 1498) was a German humanist, so called from his birthplace Heek (located near Ahaus, then in the Duchy of Westphalia). Hegius learned, likely in Emmerich, Greek from Rodolphus Agricola.Akk ...

(ca.1435–1498) a German humanist who settled in Deventer * Jacobus Revius (1586–1658) a Dutch poet, Calvinist theologian and church historian * Samuel Holland (1728–1801) a

Royal Engineer The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...

and Surveyor General of

British North America British North America comprised the colonial territories of the British Empire in North America from 1783 onwards. English colonisation of North America began in the 16th century in Newfoundland, then further south at Roanoke and Jamestow ...

Abraham Josias Sluysken Abraham Josias Sluysken (3 December 1736, Deventer - 18 January 1799, The Hague) was the last Governor of the Dutch Cape Colony before British occupation in 1795. Sluysken was born in the Netherlands, and in 1765 became governor of the Dutch tra ...

(1736-1799) last Governor of the

Dutch Cape Colony The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie) was a Dutch United East India Company (VOC) colony in Southern Africa, centered on the Cape of Good Hope, from where it derived its name. The original colony and its successive states that the colony was inco ...

Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck (31 October 1761 – 15 February 1825), Lord of Nyenhuis, Peckedam and Gellicum, was a Dutch jurist, ambassador and politician who served as Grand Pensionary of the Batavian Republic from 1805 to 1806. Education ...

(1761–1825) a Dutch jurist, ambassador, politician and Grand Pensionary of the Batavian Republic *

Frans Adam van der Duyn van Maasdam Adam Frans Jules Armand, Count van der Duyn, ''Lord of the manor, lord of Maasdam and 's-Gravenmoer'' (13 April 1771 - 19 September 1848) was Netherlands, Dutch officer and politician. He was part of the Triumvirate of 1813 that invited Prince Wil ...

(1771-1848)

nobleman Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteris ...

, officer and politician * Louis Gerlach Pareau (1800–1866) a theologian and academic, co-founded Groningen theology *

Willem Jan Knoop Willem Jan Knoop (2 May 1811 in Deventer – 24 January 1894 in The Hague) was a Dutch lieutenant-general, military historian, and politician. As a young captain of the Dutch General Staff he wrote a rebuttal of the British military historian Wil ...

(1811–1894) a Dutch lieutenant-general, military historian, and politician * W. R. van Hoëvell (1812–1879) a minister in the Dutch East Indies, politician and reformer * Elisabeth van Dedem Lecky (1842–1912) a Dutch-Irish writer, historian and suffragist *

Martinus Theunis Steyn Martinus (or Marthinus) Theunis Steyn (; 2 October 1857 – 28 November 1916) was a South African lawyer, politician, and statesman. He was the sixth and last president of the independent republic the Orange Free State from 1896 to 1902. Earl ...

(1857–1916) a South African lawyer, politician and statesman *

Han Hollander Hartog "Han" Hollander (5 October 1886 – 9 July 1943) was the first Dutch radio sports journalist. He was of Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israel ...

(1886–1943) the first Dutch radio sports journalist * Etty Hillesum (1914–1943) wrote about the persecutions of the Jews during the

German occupation German-occupied Europe refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly occupied and civil-occupied (including puppet governments) by the military forces and the government of Nazi Germany at various times between 1939 an ...

Bé Udink Berend Jan "Bé" Udink (12 February 1926 – 24 May 2016) was a Dutch politician and diplomat of the defunct Christian Historical Union (CHU) party now merged into the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and businessman. Udink applied at t ...

(1926–2016) a Dutch politician, government minister, diplomat and businessman *

Willem Scholten Willem Scholten (1 June 1927 – 1 January 2005) was a Dutch politician of the defunct Christian Historical Union (CHU) party and later the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and economist. He was granted the honorary title of Minister of ...

(1927–2005) a Dutch politician, government minister and economist *

Jomanda Johanna Wilhelmina Petronella Damman, known under her nickname Jomanda (born May 5, 1948), is a controversial Dutch healing medium who refers to herself as the ''Lady of the light.'' Background Born Johanna Wilhelmina Petronella Damman in Dev ...

(born 1948) a controversial Dutch healing medium *

Guusje Ter Horst Guus "Guusje" ter Horst (born 22 March 1952) is a retired Dutch politician of the Labour Party (PvdA) and psychologist. She is a member of the supervisory board of Royal Dutch Shell since 1 January 2013 and chairwoman of the supervisory board of ...

(born 1952) a retired Dutch politician and psychologist

The Arts

Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck ( ; April or May, 1562 – 16 October 1621) was a Dutch composer, organist, and pedagogue whose work straddled the end of the Renaissance and beginning of the Baroque eras. He was among the first major keyboard compo ...

(1562–1621) a Dutch composer, organist and

pedagogue Pedagogy (), most commonly understood as the approach to teaching, is the theory and practice of learning, and how this process influences, and is influenced by, the social, political and psychological development of learners. Pedagogy, taken a ...

Bartholomeus Breenbergh Bartholomeus Breenbergh (before 13 November 1598 – after 3 October 1657) was a Dutch Golden Age painter of Italian and Italianate landscapes, in Rome (1619-1630) and Amsterdam (1630-1657). Biography Little is known of his early life. In his ...

(1598–1657) a Dutch Golden Age painter of

Italianate The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style drew its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian ...

landscapes *

Gerard Ter Borch Gerard ter Borch (; December 1617 – 8 December 1681), also known as Gerard Terburg (), was a Dutch genre painter who lived in the Dutch Golden Age. He influenced fellow Dutch painters Gabriel Metsu, Gerrit Dou, Eglon van der Neer and Johann ...

(1617–1681) a Dutch Golden Age genre painter * Justus Hiddes Halbertsma (1789–1869) a Frisian writer, poet, minister and linguist *

(1889–1947) a Dutch painter, portraitist and art forger *

Truus Schröder-Schräder Truus Schröder-Schräder (1889–1985) was a Dutch socialite and trained pharmacist who was closely involved with avant-garde artists and architects of the De Stijl movement. Together with Gerrit Rietveld, she built a house for herself and her t ...

(1889–1985) a Dutch socialite, involved with

avant-garde The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical ...

artists and architects of the

De Stijl ''De Stijl'' (; ), Dutch for "The Style", also known as Neoplasticism, was a Dutch art movement founded in 1917 in Leiden. De Stijl consisted of artists and architects. In a more narrow sense, the term ''De Stijl'' is used to refer to a body ...

movement, lived in the

Rietveld Schröder House The Rietveld Schröder House ( nl, Rietveld Schröderhuis) (also known as the Schröder House) in Utrecht (Prins Hendriklaan 50) was built in 1924 by Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld for Mrs. Truus Schröder-Schräder and her three children. She c ...

Mannus Franken Mannus Franken (6 February 1899 – 1 August 1953) was a Dutch filmmaker who played an important role in the development of Indonesian cinema. He made his debut as a writer before working with Joris Ivens in producing two documentary films. ...

(1899–1953) a Dutch filmmaker, developed the Indonesian cinema *

Jan Kleinbussink Jan Kleinbussink (born 1946) is a Dutch classical musician who specializes in the performance of old music. He is the cantor-organist of the Central Church in Deventer, also known as the Lebuïnus Church. He is also well known for his contribution ...

(born 1946) a classical musician, cantor-organist of the Lebuïnus Church *

Pieter Jan Brugge Pieter Jan Brugge (born 6 November 1955) is a Dutch film producer. He was born in Deventer, Netherlands. In 1979, he graduated from the Netherlands Film and Television Academy in Amsterdam, and was subsequently awarded a scholarship by the Du ...

(born 1955) a Dutch film producer * Rob Voerman (born 1966) a Dutch graphic artist, sculptor and installation artist *

Clara Wildschut Clara Wildschut (11 June 1906 – 27 August 1950) was a Dutch composer, pianist and violinist born in Deventer. She studied music at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague with Johan Wagenaar, E. van Beinum, André Spoor and F. Broer van Dijk. In 193 ...

(1906-1950), a Dutch composer

Science & Business

* Jacob van Deventer (ca. 1500 in Kampen – 1575) a Dutch cartographer of the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...

* John Groenveldt M.D. (ca.1647-ca.1710) a physician, member of the

Royal College of Physicians The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of physicians by examination. Founded by royal charter from King Henry VIII in 1 ...

Willem ten Rhijne Willem ten Rhijne (1647, Deventer – 1 June 1700, Batavia) was a Dutch doctor and botanist who was employed by the Dutch East India Company in 1673. In summer 1674 he was dispatched to the trading post Dejima in Japan. While giving medical ...

(1647–1700) a doctor and botanist with the

Dutch East India Company The United East India Company ( nl, Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, the VOC) was a chartered company established on the 20th March 1602 by the States General of the Netherlands amalgamating existing companies into the first joint-stock ...

* Johannes C. H. de Meijere (1866–1947) a Dutch zoologist and entomologist *

Lourens Baas Becking Lourens Gerhard Marinus Baas Becking (4 January 1895 in Deventer – 6 January 1963 in Canberra, Australia) was a Dutch botanist and microbiologist. He is known for the Baas Becking hypothesis, which he originally formulated as ''"Everything ...

(1895–1963) a Dutch botanist and microbiologist *

David de Wied David de Wied (12 January 1925 – 21 February 2004, aged 79) was a Dutch professor of pharmacology at the University of Utrecht. Due to the necessity of hiding as a Jew during the Second World War, De Wied only started in 1947 studying medicine ...

(1925–2004) a Dutch professor of pharmacology at the

University of Utrecht Utrecht University (UU; nl, Universiteit Utrecht, formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2018, it had an enrollme ...

Hubert Schoemaker Hubert Jacob Paul Schoemaker (March 23, 1950 – January 1, 2006) was a Dutch biotechnologist. He was a co-founder and the president of one of America's first biotechnology companies, Centocor, which was founded in 1979 for the commercialisi ...

(1950–2006) a Dutch

biotechnologist Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used b ...

Sport

* Gerard le Heux (1885–1973) a horse rider, team bronze medallist at the 1928 Summer Olympics * Jan Bultman (born 1942) a former water polo player, competed at the 1964 Summer Olympics * Dick Schneider (born 1948) a retired Dutch footballer with over 500 club appearances *

(born 1952) a Dutch former footballer with 468 club appearances and current manager * Jan van Dijk (born 1956) a footballer with 465 club appearances with FC Groningen and current manager *

René Temmink René Temmink (born 24 June 1960) is a Dutch former football referee.Interview with René Te ...

(born 1960) a Dutch former football referee *

Gertjan Verbeek Gertjan Verbeek (; born 1 August 1962) is a Dutch former professional footballer who last managed Eerste Divisie side Almere City. Coaching career Netherlands After retiring from his playing career in 1994, Verbeek stayed with SC Heerenveen as ...

(born 1962) a Dutch former footballer with 285 club appearances and current manager *

Ron Dekker Ronald Dekker (also spelled Decker, born 30 June 1966 in Deventer, Overijssel, Netherlands) is a former breaststroke swimmer from Netherlands. He was a specialist on short course, and won the silver medal in 100m at the 1993 FINA Short Course Wor ...

(born 1966) a breaststroke swimmer, competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics *

Jan Michels Jan Michels (born 8 September 1970) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. His first professional club was PEC Zwolle in 1990. He later played with the Go Ahead Eagles, Motherwell in Scotland, Sparta Rotterdam, F ...

(born 1970) a Dutch footballer with over 400 club appearances *

(born 1973) footballer with 399 club appearances, director of football at

AFC Ajax Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (), also known as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam, or simply Ajax, is a Dutch professional football club based in Amsterdam, that plays in the , the top tier in Dutch football. Historically, Ajax (named after the l ...

Victor Sikora Victor Tadeusz Sikora (born 11 April 1978) is a Dutch retired professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Sikora began his career at the Go Ahead Eagles youth academy and worked his way into the first team, debuting as a 16-year-old. H ...

(born 1978) a Dutch football player with 330 club appearances * Marloes Coenen (born 1981 in Olst) a retired Dutch mixed martial artist * Boaz Meylink (born 1984) a Dutch rower, team bronze medallist at the 2016 Summer Olympics * Bas Dost (born 1989) a Dutch professional footballer with over 300 club appearances * Carlijn Achtereekte (born 1990) a long-distance speed skater, gold medallist at the 2018 Winter Olympics *

Elis Ligtlee Elis Ligtlee (born 28 June 1994) is a Dutch track cyclist. She represented her nation at the 2014 and 2015 UCI Track Cycling World Championships. She won the gold medal in the keirin race at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Following her Olympic victo ...

(born 1994) a Dutch track cyclist, gold medallist at the 2016 Summer Olympics

International relations

Deventer is twinned with four cities:

Gallery

File:Deventer, de Lebuiniskerk positie2 foto3 RM12572 2012-02-05 14.21.JPG, Tower of the St. Lebuinus Church File:Deventer brink.JPG, De Brink panorama File:Deventer, Blick vom Turm der Lebuïnuskerk zur Broederenkerk.jpg, Aerial view of Broederenkerk File:Deventer, treinstation foto8 2012-02-05 11.25.JPG,

File:Pothoofdflatsnov2004.JPG, Pothoofd panorama File:Deventer, Netherlands - panoramio (77).jpg, Panorama of Deventer city centre File:Grote of Lebuinuskerk Deventer (4278063663).jpg, View of St. Lebuinus Church from the river File:Deventer, de Bolwerksmolen RM12467 foto7 2013-08-01 13.13.jpg, Bolwerksmolen windmill File:De IJssel bij Deventer (4278811464).jpg, IJssel near Deventer, Wellekade File:Deventer, de Wilhelminabrug foto14 2013-08-01 12.58.jpg, De Wilhelminabrug bridge

References

External links

* *
Official Tourist website
{{Authority control Cities in the Netherlands Members of the Hanseatic League Municipalities of Overijssel Populated places in Overijssel Salland