Heerenveen


Heerenveen is a town and municipality in the province of Friesland, in the Northern Netherlands. In 2021, the town had a population of 29,790 while the municipality had a population of 50,859.
The town itself is located southeast of Sneek and southwest of Drachten. Heerenveen is the oldest peat canal village in the Netherlands. Heerenveen is the fourth-largest place in Friesland in terms of population, but is not one of the eleven Frisian cities.
The municipality was formed on 1 July 1934, from parts of former municipalities Aengwirden and Schoterland, and a portion of the municipality of Haskerland. Boarnsterhim also merged into Heerenveen on 1 January 2014.
WWW Official SiteFB gemeenteheerenveen

History

The town was established in 1551 by three lords as a location to dig peat which was used for fuel, hence the name. Heerenveen was not one of the traditional eleven cities in Friesland as it did not have so-called city rights. However, it is now one of the larger municipalities of the province.
The windmill Welgelegen or Tjepkema's Molen is the only survivor of seventeen which have stood in Heerenveen.
In the 19th century, Heerenveen developed because, besides its wealthy citizens, a large middle class also arrived. And with the nearby Oranjewoud, the town has since been known as "Het Friese Haagje". Heerenveen municipality was created in 1934.
For a long time, Heerenveen was characterized by linear development. The total north-south length was five kilometers, while the width between the railway line and the highway was no more than one kilometer. In the 1970s, construction began on residential areas west of the railway line, extending to the Engelenvaart canal, which forms the municipal boundary. After this area was fully developed, expansion began on the east side in the 21st century.
Heerenveen is now approximately three kilometers wide and oval-shaped. This has resulted in Heerenveen merging with its neighboring villages.

Population centers

Population as of 1 January 2018:
Heerenveen, Akkrum, Aldeboarn, Bontebok, De Knipe, Gersloot, Hoornsterzwaag, Jubbega, Katlijk, Luinjeberd, Mildam, Nes, Nieuwebrug, Nieuwehorne, Nieuweschoot, Oranjewoud, Oudehorne, Oudeschoot, Terband and Tjalleberd.

Hamlets

The hamlets are: Anneburen, Birstum, Brongergea, Easterboarn, Jinshuzen, Meskenwier, Oude Schouw, Pean, Poppenhúzen, Schurega, Soarremoarre, Spitsendijk, Sythuzen, Warniahúzen en Welgelegen.

Museums

Local government

The Heerenveen municipal council consists of 31 seats, which at the 2022 municipal elections divided as follows:

Sports

Heerenveen is notable for its world class sports facilities. These include the [Abe Lenstra Stadion|Abe Lenstra football stadium] and the Thialf speed skating arena which was one of the first indoor 400m ice rinks in the world, and where international events draw large crowds. Thialf is also home to the city's ice hockey team, the Heerenveen Flyers. In 2006, the "Sportstad" project was completed, which included a gymnastics hall, swimming pool and an extension to the football stadium, all clustered together. The Abe Lenstra stadium is unusual because its capacity is larger than the number of inhabitants of the town. One of the few football venues to shares this distinction is Stade Félix Bollaert in Lens, France.
The town's football team, SC Heerenveen, plays in the first-tier Eredivisie, topped by the team's biggest achievement when they qualified for the UEFA Champions League in 2000.

Transport

Heerenveen has its own named cloverleaf interchange of the A7 and A32 highways.
Heerenveen station is located on the Leeuwarden–Zwolle railway line and is part of the main rail network. The town in the past also had a second station, Heerenveen IJsstadion station which closed in 2015.
Heeresloot, New Heerenveen Canal, Engelenvaart.

Notable residents

Sport

Twin cities

Heerenveen's longstanding connection with Rishon LeZion, Israel ended in 2016 after the supporting organizations shut down in both countries.