Zuidhorn

Place in Groningen, Netherlands

Flag

Coat of arms

Location in Groningen

Coordinates: 53°15′N 6°24′E / 53.250°N 6.400°E / 53.250; 6.400Country

NetherlandsProvince

GroningenMunicipality

WesterkwartierArea

^[1]

• Total2.92 km² (1.13 sq mi)Elevation

^[2]

4 m (13 ft)Population

(2021)^[1]

• Total7,240 • Density2,500/km² (6,400/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+1 (CET) • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)Postcode

Parts of 9800 range

Area code0594Websitewww.zuidhorn.nl

Zuidhorn (Dutch pronunciation: [zœytˈɦɔr(ə)n] ^ⓘ; Gronings: Zuudhörn [zytˈɦœːn]) is a town and former municipality in the northeastern Netherlands. The town largely depends on the city of Groningen.^{[citation needed]} A railway line, operated by Arriva, connects the town with Leeuwarden in Friesland and Groningen.

Due to a municipal reorganisation in 1990, Zuidhorn municipality was extended when it merged with, though not physically connected to Oldehove, Grijpskerk and Aduard. On 1 January 2019, the municipality was dissolved and merged into the municipality of Westerkwartier.^[3]

Transport

Zuidhorn has two train stations: Zuidhorn and Grijpskerk. At least once an hour a train runs between Groningen and Leeuwarden. On weekdays, trains stop twice an hour in Zuidhorn. Until 1991 there used to be a third station on this line, Visvliet.

Nature

In the center of Zuidhorn, lies a large, partly wooded park called "Johan Smit Park". It offers a wide variety of recreation, open to the public, based on trails. The "Quick Silver S" is the main sport hall, hosting many activities such as a running clubs, and other sports. Nearby, the park has numerous football fields and a playground. For most of the year, docile highland cattle roam the park.

Wierden

There is a dense concentration of terps, better known as wierden, artificial dwelling hills, in the area Middag-Humsterland. In 1995, this collection of wierden was submitted to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites. The property is currently on the tentative list.^[4]^[5]

Population centres

Dutch Topographic map of Zuidhorn, Sept. 2014

The former municipality of Zuidhorn comprised the following population centres:

Aalsum, Aduard, Balmahuizen, Barnwerd, Briltil, De Kampen, De Poffert, De Ruigewaard, Den Ham, Den Horn, Diepswal, Electra, Englum, Fransum, Frytum, Gaaikemadijk, Gaaikemaweer, Gaarkeuken, Grijpskerk, Heereburen, Hoekje, Hoogemeeden, Humsterland, Ikum, Kenwerd, Kommerzijl, Korhorn, Lagemeeden, Lammerburen, Lauwerzijl, Niehove, Nieuwklap, Niezijl, Noorderburen, Noordhorn, Noordhornerga, Noordhornertolhek, Okswerd, Oldehove, Pama, Pieterzijl, Ruigezand, Saaksum, Selwerd, Spanjaardsdijk, Steentil, Visvliet, Wierumerschouw and Zuidhorn.

Notable people

John William, Baron Ripperda (1684–1737) political adventurer and Spanish Prime Minister ^[6]
Marten Douwes Teenstra (1795-1864) writer and traveller in South Africa and the Dutch East Indies
Albert Egges van Giffen (1884–1973) archaeologist, specialised in hunebeds and tumuli
Jan Wiegers (1893-1959) expressionist painter
Roelof Kruisinga (1922–2012) politician and physician
Bert Groen (born 1945) corporate director, former civil servant and politician
Paul Blokhuis (born 1963) politician
Sietze de Vries (born 1973) organist

Sport

Matthijs Vellenga (born 1977) rower, medallist at the 2004 Summer Olympics
David Kuiper (born 1980) rower
Hieke Zijlstra (born 1981) footballer

References

^ ^a ^b "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021". Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
^ "Postcodetool for 9801AJ". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
^ "Gemeentelijke indeling op 1 januari 2019". CBS (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 November 2019.
^ Tentative List for the Netherlands. The World Heritage Platform. Retrieved on 2009-07-23.
^ Middag and Humsterland. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved on 2009-07-23.
^ "Ripperda, John William" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 23 (11th ed.). 1911.