Country Netherlands Demonym(s) Alphenaar Area 57.68 km² Province South Holland | Elevation 2 m (7 ft) Time zone CET (UTC+1) Area code 0172 | |
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Postcode 2390–2409, 2445, 2470–2471, 2730–2731, 2770–2771 Website www.alphenaandenrijn.nl Weather 11°C, Wind SW at 29 km/h, 78% Humidity | ||
Irish session at hendrick s pub alphen aan den rijn
Alphen aan den Rijn ( [ˈɑlfə(n) aːn də ˈrɛi̯n], English: Alphen on the Rhine) is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, between Leiden and Utrecht. The town is situated on the banks of the river Oude Rijn (Old Rhine), where the river Gouwe branches off. The municipality had a population of 107,117 in 2014, and covers an area of 132.49 km2 (51.15 sq mi) of which 5.91 km2 (2.28 sq mi) is water.
Contents
- Irish session at hendrick s pub alphen aan den rijn
- History
- Demographics
- Tourism
- Events
- Public transport
- Politics
- Economy
- Notable natives
- References
The municipality of Alphen aan den Rijn also includes the communities of Aarlanderveen, Zwammerdam and Boskoop. The town is located in what is called the 'Green Heart' of the Netherlands, which is a somewhat less densely populated centre area of the Randstad.
The name "Alphen" is probably derived from the name of the Roman fort Albaniana, meaning "settlement at the white water". Its remains still lie underneath the city centre today.
History
The area around Alphen aan den Rijn has been inhabited for 2000 years. In the Roman era, the Oude Rijn was the main branch of the Rhine River and formed the north border of the Roman Empire. Since the rule of Emperor Claudius (41–54 AD), divisions of the Roman army were stationed here. Consequently, several Roman fortifications were located along the Oude Rijn, including castellum Albanianae in the centre of Alphen. The Romans had also built the first bridge over the Oude Rijn. Alphen was therefore an important commercial site in the area until Germanic raids ended that in 240 AD.
After recurring problems with flooding, especially in Utrecht and Leiden, the Oude Rijn was dammed at Wijk bij Duurstede in 1122, thereby making the Lek River the main branch of the Rhine. The Oude Rijn has not flooded since. During the Middle Ages, Alphen was a fiefdom called Alphen en Rietveld.
In the 17th century, Alphen became prominent again as a hub for commerce. The Oude Rijn was used for boat traffic; there are still portions along the river where the towpath is present.
The current municipality was formed in 1918 through the amalgamation of the smaller municipalities of Alphen, Aarlanderveen, and Oudshoorn. In 1964, the municipality of Zwammerdam was added as well. In 2014 the municipalities of Boskoop and Rijnwoude were amalgamated as well, doubling the land area and increasing the population to over 100,000.
During the Second World War, the majority of Jews from Alphen were deported and subsequently murdered; only a few survived. After the war, the Jewish congregation was disbanded and merged with the one in Leiden. A Jewish cemetery on the Aarkade was founded in 1802, but it was abandoned and razed in the 1960s, with the remains re-interred in Katwijk; in 2012, after fifteen years of community activism by local historian Anke Bakker and CDA council member Alice Besseling, a monument was installed and the area turned into a city park.
Since 1950, the city began to grow rapidly. A large new neighbourhood was built on the north side. And since the 1990s, a similar new development was built at the city's south side. Now Alphen aan den Rijn is mostly a commuter city.
In recent years, a large part of the town centre has undergone a full urban renewal. Many older buildings built in the 1950s and earlier have been demolished to make place for modern architecture. This "masterplan" included the addition of a new public square next to the riverbank, the construction of a performing arts theatre/cinema, an upgrade of local shops and the creation of pedestrian streets. As of 2006, all of these projects have been finished.
On 9 April 2011, a gunman opened fire at a shopping centre in Alphen aan den Rijn, killing six people and subsequently taking his own life.
On 3 August 2015, the city made international headlines when a section of the under-renovation Juliana Bridge hoisted by two cranes, floating on a pontoon on the Oude Rijn (a former bend in the river Rhine) fell and collapsed onto buildings. After initial fears of mass injuries and fatalities, it was established that there were none, except that of a Dog from Düsseldorf, although 51 properties were damaged.
Demographics
Tourism
Alphen aan den Rijn has the following attractions:
Events
Public transport
The town is served by Alphen aan den Rijn railway station. It is just south east of the town centre. The bus station is located near the railway station.
Politics
In total, there are 11 parties in the city council that consists of 35 councillors. Liesbeth Spies of the CDA is the current acting mayor. The council of mayor and alderman run the city on a day-to-day basis and report to the city council.
Current (2016) aldermen in Alphen aan den Rijn are:
Economy
The information and publishing company Wolters Kluwer is based in Alphen aan den Rijn.