Alblasserdam
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| Coordinates: 52°52′N 4°40′E / 52.87°N 4.67°E | |||
| Country | Netherlands | ||
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| Province | South Holland | ||
| Area (2006) | |||
| - Total | 9.96 km2 (3.8 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 8.78 km2 (3.4 sq mi) | ||
| - Water | 1.18 km2 (0.5 sq mi) | ||
| Population (1 January 2007) | |||
| - Total | 18,676 | ||
| - Density | 2,127/km2 (5,508.9/sq mi) | ||
| Source: CBS, Statline. | |||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Website | www.alblasserdam.nl | ||
Alblasserdam (population 18,676 in 2007) is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 9.96 km² (3.85 mile²) of which 1.18 km² (0.46 mile²) is water. Alblasserdam is officially a part of the Drechtsteden. A part of the small village of Kinderdijk, which boasts the largest and most famous concentration of windmills in the Netherlands, is part of Alblasserdam.
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[edit] Etymology
The name Alblasserdam is derived from its location near the creek Alblas where a dam was built. Inhabitants of Alblasserdam are called Alblasserdammers (singular: Alblasserdammer).
[edit] History
The history of Alblasserdam goes back some 700 years. The name is first mentioned in the chronicles of Melis Stoke in 1299, but the municipality wasn't formed until 1447. Before that, it was part of Oud-Alblas.
Because of its location on the Noord River, one of the busiest waterways in Western Europe, water has played a major role in Alblasserdam's history. The river was important for its development and makes it an advantageous location for industry. This strategic location also brought negative consequences: between 1350 and 1821 the Alblasserwaard polder has been flooded 32 times. It also suffered during the German raid on Rotterdam on May 11, 1940, when its town center was seriously hit. However, the historic Kerkstraat (Church Street) and the characteristic dike construction along the river were spared. The North Sea flood of 1953 also affected a portion of Alblasserdam.
Today, because of reinforcements to the dikes and improvement of the locks, water does not pose a direct danger any more.
[edit] Public transportation
- Waterbus route 1:
- Rotterdam Willemskade - Krimpen aan den IJssel Stormpolder - Ridderkerk De Schans - Alblasserdam Kade - Dordrecht Merwekade.
[edit] External links
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