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 on the border with Gelderland, which follows the river IJssel, and is located about 50 km north east of Utrecht and 85 km south west of Groningen.

The current Mayor of Zwolle is Lorenzo Brands.

History

Archaeological findings indicate that the area surrounding Zwolle has been inhabited for a long time. A woodhenge that was found in the Zwolle-Zuid suburb in 1993 was dated to the Bronze Age period. During the Roman era, the area was inhabited by Salian Franks.

The modern city was founded around 800 CE by Frisian merchants and troops of Charlemagne. Previous spellings of its name include the identically pronounced ''Suolle'', which means "hill" (cf. the English cognate verb "to swell"). This refers to an incline in the landscape between the four rivers surrounding the city, IJssel, Vecht, Aa and Zwarte Water. The hill was the only piece of land that would remain dry during the frequent floodings of the rivers. Zwolle was established on that incline.

A document mentions the existence of a parish church dedicated to St Michael. That church, the Grote of Sint Michaëlskerk (St. Michael's church), was renovated in the first half of the 15th century and exists to this day. The church contains a richly carved pulpit, the work of Adam Straes van Weilborch (about 1620), some good carving and an exquisite organ (1721).

On 31 August 1230, the bishop of Utrecht granted Zwolle city rights. Zwolle became a member of the Hanseatic league in 1294, and in 1361 joined the war between the Hanseatic League and Valdemar IV of Denmark. In the 1370 Treaty of Stralsund that ended the war, Zwolle was awarded a ''vitte'', a trade colony, in Scania, then part of Denmark. Zwolle's golden age came in the 15th century. Between 1402 and 1450, the city's Gross Regional Product multiplied by about six.

In July 1324 and October 1361, regional noblemen set fire to Zwolle. In the 1324 fire, only nine buildings escaped the flames.

Zwolle was also, with Deventer, one of the centers of the Brethren of the Common Life, a monastic movement. from Zwolle, on a slight eminence called the Agnietenberg, (hill of St Agnes), once stood the Augustinian convent in which Thomas à Kempis spent the greatest part of his life and died (in 1471).

At least as early as 1911, Zwolle had a considerable trade by river, a large fish market, and the most important cattle market in the Netherlands after Rotterdam. The more important industries comprised cotton manufactures, iron works, boat-building, dyeing and bleaching, tanning, rope-making, and salt-making.

In World War II, Zwolle was single-handedly liberated from the Germans by French-Canadian soldier Léo Major. He was made an honorary citizen of Zwolle in 2005 and a street is named after him, Leo Majorlaan.

In 2004, Zwolle's De Librije restaurant was honored with 3 stars by Michelin Guide; as of 2018, it is one of only three restaurants so honored in the entire country.

Blauwvingers

Citizens of Zwolle are colloquially known as ''Blauwvingers'' (Bluefingers). This dates back to 1682, when the St Michael's church tower collapsed. The authorities were strapped for cash and saw no option but to sell the church bells to neighbouring city Kampen. To make sure that Kampen would not make too much profit from the deal, the local authorities asked a high price for the church bells. Kampen accepted, yet after the arrival of the bells it became clear, they were too damaged to be played. In revenge, Kampen paid in copper coins of four ''duiten'' (the equivalent of two-and-a-half cents). Zwolle distrusted Kampen and wanted to be sure they truly paid the entire price. After the rigorous counting of this vast amount of money, their fingers had turned blue from the counting of money.

Geography

Besides the Grote of Sint Michaëlskerk (St. Michael's church), the latter which houses a majestic Baroque organ built by Arp Schnitger, there are several other historic monuments in Zwolle. The Roman Catholic ''Onze Lieve Vrouwe ten Hemelopneming''- basilica (Our Lady of the Assumption) dates back to 1399. The church tower, called '' Peperbus'' (pepperpot), is one of the tallest and most famous church towers in the Netherlands. The modernized town hall was originally built in 1448.

Mention should also be made of the ''Sassenpoort'' (one of the old city gates), the city walls, the ''Mosterdmakerstoren'' (''mustard makers' tower'')(the complex where local mustard used to be made), a guild-house (1571), the former provincial government offices, a Dominican monastery, and on the Melkmarkt, two museums; the of antiquities and natural history, and the Vrouwenhuis. Museum de Fundatie, the fine art museum of the province of Overijssel, is hosted in the former Justice Hall on Blijmarkt Square.

In the western part of the city, west of the railway station, there is a quarter of Art Nouveau buildings, concentrated mostly on Koningin Wilhelminastraat, Prinses Julianastraat, and Prins Hendrikstraat. These three-store living houses were built in 1900s by various Dutch architects. Eleven of the buildings are protected by the Dutch government (rijksmonumenten).

The ''Broerenkerk'' church was part of the Dominican monastery founded in 1465. The monastery was closed in 1580 and the monks were expelled. From 1640 until 1982 the church was used for Protestant services. After a restoration in 1983–1988 it has been used for cultural events and it is now a bookstore.

Image gallery

File:Thorbeckegracht en Wijndragerstoren Zwolle Overijssel.jpg, Thorbeckegracht and Wijndragerstoren
File:Peperbus, Eekwal.jpg, Peperbus from the Eekwal. The house in front really ''is'' that crooked.
File:Zwolle, Praubstraat.jpg, Praubstraat, inner city
File:Zwolle Sassenpoort.jpg, Sassenpoort
File:Thorbeckewal en Thorbeckegracht Zwolle Overijssel.jpg, Thorbeckewal and Vispoortbridge
File:Zwolle, Rijke Fratershuis.jpg, The ''Rich Friar House'' a center of the '' Devotio Moderna'' and later the home of Willem Bartjens
File:Zicht op Zwolle Centrum.jpg, View of Zwolle city centre
File:Organ in Broerenkerk, Zwolle, 2013.jpg, The organ in Broerenkerk
File:Herman Brood Museum & Experience Zwolle Overijssel.jpg, Herman Brood Museum & Experience
File:Zwolle Prins Hendrikstraat Gate.jpg, The Art Nouveau gate at Prins Hendrikstraat 1-3-5. 1902, architect Geurt Gijsbertus Post
File:Zwolle, fontein in Stadsgracht bij Museum de Fundatie foto4 2016-06-05 10.03.jpg, Fountain near Museum de Fundatie

Notable residents

:''See also People from Zwolle''
;Arts, culture, entertainment and the media
* Willem Victor Bartholomeus (1825–1892), organist and conductor
* Hein Boele (born 1939), actor, Dutch voice of Elmo
* Jonnie Boer (born 1965), chef with three Michelin stars
* Gerard ter Borch (1617–1681), painter
* Gerard ter Borch the Elder (1583–1662), painter
* Moses ter Borch (1645–1667), painter
* Tooske Breugem (born 1974), television host actress
* Herman Brood (1946–2001), painter/rock star
* Funda EryiÄŸit (born 1984), Turkish actress
* Willem Grasdorp (1678–1723), painter
* Aleida Greve (1670–1742), painter
* Anna Cornelia Holt (1671–1692), painter
* Sophia Holt