The 10 Oldest cities in the Netherlands
The oldest city in the Netherlands is a status that is claimed by various cities. Both Maastricht, Nijmegen and Voorburg can claim this status from Roman antiquity. The title "oldest city in the Netherlands" depends on which definition one applies. The determination usually requires that the place has been inhabited continuously. Urban character is also usually considered, with Roman city rights being often cited as an important argument. Since Voorburg has never been inhabited without interruption and has not enjoyed city rights in the Middle Ages, we have left Voorburg off our list.
1. Nijmegen
Nijmegen has a long history, dating back more than 2000 years. As Ulpia Noviomagus Batavorum, it received 100 market rights around the year. Nijmegen became a free imperial city in 1230 and a Hanseatic city in 1402. During the Roman Empire, Nijmegen was part of the Limes, the border between the Roman Empire and the various so-called Germanic areas. In Nijmegen the 10th legion of the Romans was stationed from 71 to 104. A large fortress (castrum) was built on a hill on the Waal during Roman rule, a few parts of which are still there. There are also regular excavations where Roman things are found.
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2. Maastricht
The origin of the name Maastricht can probably be traced back to the Latin name Mosae Trajectum, "ford in the Maas", which we only know from the Middle Ages. The Traiectum of Triecht designation was also used for Utrecht; hence the addition of the name of the river. The name Masetrieth was first recorded in 1051, which eventually became Maastricht. Maastricht is one of the cities that call itself "oldest city in the Netherlands". Based on the results of archaeological excavations, it can be said with certainty that the city has been inhabited continuously for twenty centuries. Broadly speaking, the history of Maastricht can be divided into four eras with four different faces: Roman fortress, medieval religious center, garrison city and early industrial city.
3. Utrecht
Utrecht was one of the first cities in present-day Netherlands with city rights and has a long history and an important historical center. Characteristic of the city include the yards and the Dom of Utrecht (with the 112 meter high Dom tower) from which the city takes the nickname Domstad. In 1808 the city was briefly the capital of the Kingdom of Holland, as the Netherlands was then called.
On and around the current Domplein is the place where the Romans around 50 AD. laid the foundation for the city of Utrecht. On the banks of the Rhine they built the castellum Traiectum of wood and earth. This fort was part of the defense belt along the northern border of the Roman Empire, the so-called limes. Between 50 and 270 AD. the castellum was rebuilt four times. After the departure of the Romans, the Frisians and the Franks fought for a long time for the fortress. The remaining wall lived on like Trecht Castle.
4. Deventer
The place is already mentioned in 9th century sources of the diocese of Utrecht. A charter from 877 mentions seven hooves in Daventre portu (the port of Deventer). In 952, Deventer is mentioned as a city in a gift certificate from King Otto I. In 1123, after the place had acquired more and more rights and privileges over time, it received municipal land from Emperor Henry V.
This is considered by historians to be the moment of obtaining city rights by residents. The city has the oldest stone house, the oldest walking park and, with the Athenaeum library, also the oldest scientific library in the Netherlands.
5. Zutphen
The history of Zutphen covers more than 1700 years. In that time it has grown from a Germanic settlement, through an important center of power around 1000 and a successful trading city around 1300 to a medium-sized city today. The city received city rights at the end of the twelfth century and joined the Hanseatic League. The Wapen van Zutphen still bears the symbols of a Hanseatic city.
6. Middelburg
Middelburg must have originated around the middle of the 9th century, because in archaeological excavations after the destruction of 1940 (see below), utensils from that period were found. The name finds its origin in being the middle castle on Walcheren. The castle lay between the Duinburcht (Domburg) and the Zuidburcht (Souburg).
Around that time there was a ring rampart, which was either intended as a defense against the Vikings, or was built by the Viking king Harald himself, who borrowed it from Emperor Lotharius I Walcheren in 841. Middelburg was on the River Arne, which was dammed between 1266 and 1301.
7. Tiel
Tiel dates from the period 850-1100 while most Dutch cities originated in the late Middle Ages (1150-1300). The demise around 850 of the international trading place Dorestad, which is approximately ten kilometers away, caused part of the trade to shift to Tiel. In 896, Tiel received the toll from the Frankish king Zwentibold. City law has been granted by the bishop of Utrecht. When these city rights have been granted is unknown. Archaeological research in the city center confirmed what was already known from written sources: in the 10th and 11th centuries the city was a trading settlement of international significance, which maintained close ties with the much richer and more powerful trading city of Cologne. At that time, Tiel also maintained close trade relations with England.
8. Aardenburg
Aardenburg was already inhabited in the Middle Stone Age, but only became a really large settlement in Roman times, when after 174 a castellum was built for the coastal protection of the borders of the Roman Empire. Aardenburg was then still on a small river that connected the sea. The fact that Aardenburg would have been called 'Rodanum' at that time is an attractive but not yet proven hypothesis.
9. Stavoren
Stavoren (in het Fries ook Starumgenoemd) is zo'n 300 jaar voor Christus ontstaan langs een waterloop. In de 11e eeuw verkreeg Stavoren van de Brunonenstadsrechten, die tussen 1058 en 1068 door graaf Egbert de eerste met toestemming van keizer Hendrik V zijn verleend. Stavoren was destijds een belangrijke handelsstad.
De grootschippers en kooplieden onderhielden belangrijke handelsrelaties met de landen rond de Oostzee. In 1285 werd Stavoren lid van de Hanze. De schippers uit Stavoren genoten bij passage van de Sont een oud voorrecht; bij de tolheffing werd hen voorrang verleend wat een flinke tijdwinst opleverde.
10. Hulst
Hulst profiles itself as the "most Flemish city" in the Netherlands. Especially the Burgundian lifestyle of the city of Hulst attracts many Belgian tourists. The original dialect of Hulst and the surrounding (Catholic) villages differs strongly from the other Zeeland dialects and shows a strong continuity with the dialects in the north of the Waasland (Belgium, province of East Flanders). Hulst is approximately 30 km from Antwerp. Hulst is proud to be mentioned in the medieval Van den vos Reynaerde. The fact is remembered with a statue for Reynaert.
Source: Wikipedia Images: Wikipedia and het Rijksmuseum
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