Wolvega

Town in Friesland, Netherlands
52°52′34″N 6°0′5″E / 52.87611°N 6.00139°E / 52.87611; 6.00139CountryNetherlands NetherlandsProvinceFriesland FrieslandMunicipalityWeststellingwerf WeststellingwerfArea • Total13.19 km2 (5.09 sq mi)Elevation0.8 m (2.6 ft)Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Total13,090 • Density990/km2 (2,600/sq mi)Postal code
8470–8472[1]
Dialing code0561

Wolvega (Low German: Wolvege), (West Frisian: Wolvegea) is the largest town in the municipality of Weststellingwerf in the province of Friesland (Fryslan), in the Netherlands. It had a population of around 13,090 in 2021. Wolvega is the capital and largest town of the municipality.[3]

History

The village was first mentioned in 1218,[4][5] and means "settlement of Wolf (person)."[6] The Dutch Reformed church was built in 1646 using material from its medieval predecessor. The tower was rebuilt after a fire in 1894.[5]

Lycklama State was a stins built in the early 17th century. It was built as a fortified building even though advances in warfare had made the construction obsolete. In 1626, Rinco van Lycklama became grietman (predecessor of mayor/judge) of Stellingwerf-Westeinde. In 1736, it was in a dilapidated state and demolished.[7] The Catholic retirement home Huize Lycklama was later built in its place.[5]

Around 1820, the main road from Leeuwarden to Zwolle was constructed through Wolvega.[8] In 1835, Wolvega became the capital of the municipality of Weststellingwerf.[5] It was home to 1,202 people in 1840.[8] In 1868, the Wolvega railway station station opened.[8] During the 1950s, it became one of the industrial centre of Friesland, and started to develop into a town.[5]

Sights

The only remaining stins in Wolvega is Lindenoord which was built in 1780 in Louis XVI style. The estate used to organise horse races.[4] The races moved to Victoria Park which hosts the largest horse race of the Netherlands.[9]

There are two windmills in the town, De Gooyer and Windlust.

Gallery

  • Town Hall
    Town Hall
  • House in Wolvega
    House in Wolvega
  • Neighbourhood in Wolvega
    Neighbourhood in Wolvega
  • Street view
    Street view

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021". Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  2. ^ "Postcodetool for 8471AA". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. 24 July 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  3. ^ Villages – Weststellingwerf municipality (in Dutch)
  4. ^ a b "wolvega". Friesland Wonderland (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e Ronald Stenvert & Sabine Broekhoven (2000). Oosterwolde (in Dutch). Zwolle: Waanders. ISBN 90-400-9476-4. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Wolvega – (geografische naam)". Etymologiebank (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Lycklamastins te Wolvega". Stinsen in Friesland (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  8. ^ a b c "Wolvega". Plaatsengids (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Grootste Nederlandse paardenrace in Wolvega". Omrop Fryslan (in Dutch). Retrieved 2 April 2022.

Media related to Wolvega at Wikimedia Commons