Meppel

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title: "Meppel" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["meppel", "municipalities-of-drenthe", "populated-places-in-drenthe"] topic_path: "general/meppel" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meppel" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameMeppel
settlement_typeCity and municipality
image_skylineMeppel, de Meppeler toren in straatzicht foto1 2011-05-21 11.58.JPG
image_captionMeppeler toren (Tower of Meppel)
image_flagFlag of Meppel.svg
flag_size100x67px
image_shieldCoat of arms of Meppel.svg
shield_size100x80px
image_mapMap - NL - Municipality code 0119 (2009).svg
map_altHighlighted position of Meppel in a municipal map of Drenthe
map_captionLocation in Drenthe
coordinates
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameNetherlands
subdivision_type1Province
subdivision_name1Drenthe
government_footnotes{{cite web
urlhttp://www.meppel.nl/Bestuur_Organisatie/Burgemeester_wethouders/Leden_college/Richard_Korteland
titleRichard Korteland
languagenl
publisherGemeente Meppel
access-date9 October 2013
}}{{Dead linkdate
governing_bodyMunicipal council
leader_partyVVD
leader_titleMayor
leader_nameArjen Maathuis
unit_prefMetric
area_footnotes
area_total_km2
area_land_km2
area_water_km2
elevation_footnotes{{cite web
urlhttp://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool
titlePostcodetool for 7941BJ
languagenl
workActueel Hoogtebestand Nederland
publisherHet Waterschapshuis
access-date9 October 2013
url-statusdead
archive-urlhttps://web.archive.org/web/20130921053543/http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool
archive-date21 September 2013
elevation_m2
elevation_max_footnotestags --
elevation_min_footnotestags --
population_footnotes
population_total
population_as_of
population_density_km2
population_demonymMeppeler
timezone1CET
utc_offset1+1
timezone1_DSTCEST
utc_offset1_DST+2
postal_code_typePostcode
postal_code7940–7949, 7965–7969
area_code_typeArea code
area_code0522
website
::

| name = Meppel | settlement_type = City and municipality | image_skyline = Meppel, de Meppeler toren in straatzicht foto1 2011-05-21 11.58.JPG | image_alt = | image_caption = Meppeler toren (Tower of Meppel) | image_flag = Flag of Meppel.svg | flag_size = 100x67px | flag_alt = | image_shield = Coat of arms of Meppel.svg | shield_size = 100x80px | shield_alt = | image_map = Map - NL - Municipality code 0119 (2009).svg | map_alt = Highlighted position of Meppel in a municipal map of Drenthe | map_caption = Location in Drenthe | coordinates = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Netherlands | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Drenthe | government_footnotes = {{cite web |url = http://www.meppel.nl/Bestuur_Organisatie/Burgemeester_wethouders/Leden_college/Richard_Korteland |title = Richard Korteland |language = nl |publisher = Gemeente Meppel |access-date = 9 October 2013 | governing_body = Municipal council | leader_party = VVD | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Arjen Maathuis | unit_pref = Metric tags -- | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | elevation_footnotes = {{cite web |url=http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool |title=Postcodetool for 7941BJ |language=nl |work=Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland |publisher=Het Waterschapshuis |access-date=9 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053543/http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool |archive-date=21 September 2013 | elevation_m = 2 | elevation_max_footnotes = tags -- | elevation_max_m = | elevation_min_footnotes = tags -- | elevation_min_m = | population_footnotes = | population_total = | population_as_of =
| population_density_km2 =
| population_demonym = Meppeler | timezone1 = CET | utc_offset1 = +1 | timezone1_DST = CEST | utc_offset1_DST = +2 | postal_code_type = Postcode | postal_code = 7940–7949, 7965–7969 | area_code_type = Area code | area_code = 0522 | website = | footnotes =

Meppel (; Drents: Möppelt) is a city and municipality in the Northeastern Netherlands. It constitutes the southwestern part of the province of Drenthe. Meppel is the smallest municipality in Drenthe, with a total area of about 57 km2. As of 1 July 2021, it had a population of 34,506 with over 30,000 inhabitants within city limits.

While it is a small city, it has a rich trading history. Agriculture and shipbuilding were important sources of income for Meppel. The market also played an important regional role. The city owes its regional tourist appeal to its accessibility via the canals for pleasure boats and its characteristic, densely built-up old town center with its squares.

People born in Meppel are occasionally referred to as Meppeler Muggen in Dutch; this translates as 'mosquitoes from Meppel'. The nickname comes from a traditional folk tale. The people of Meppel thought the church tower was on fire, but after closer inspection, they realised it was only a swarm of mosquitoes.

History

Meppel flourished in the 16th century as an inland harbour for peat transport and distribution. It was an important transit port thanks to its connection to the Drentsche Hoofdvaart and Hoogeveense Vaart canals on one side and the Meppelerdiep canal on the other. The Zuiderzee could be reached via the Meppelerdiep canal at Zwartsluis. Peat was exported from all over Drenthe to the west of the country along this route. Now only one waterway remains in the town.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, many bargemen settled in the town, which had received city rights from the bailiff of Drenthe in 1644 and now had more than a thousand inhabitants. In 1809, Meppel was again granted city rights by Louis Napoleon. On 5 November 1815, Meppel received its own city regulations from King William I.

Canals

Partly because of the canal names Heerengracht, Keizersgracht, and Prinsengracht, the city is sometimes called the Mokum of the North (even if the name is more used for Winschoten). Meppel is also compared to Amsterdam for other reasons. For example, there were centuries of ties between the two cities, and the Jewish community was well represented in Meppel before the Second World War.

In the twentieth century, several canals that ran straight through the city center were filled in. Several drawbridges were also replaced by fixed bridges. Since then, it has become impossible to sail through Meppel into Drenthe, partly due to the narrowing of the Hoogeveense Vaart in 2005 near the Oosterboer.

On 1 October 1867, Meppel railway station opened to service, drastically improving connectivity in the region. On 1 January 1998, the municipality of Nijeveen, northwest of Meppel, was merged with that of Meppel, retaining the latter name.

20th century

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/NIMH_-2011-0345-_Aerial_photograph_of_Meppel,The_Netherlands-1920-_1940.jpg" caption="Aerial photograph of Meppel, 1920 - 1940"] ::

During World War II, almost all of Meppel's Jewish residents were transported to concentration camps by the German occupiers and lost their lives there. Of the 250 Meppel Jews, 232 perished, and only 18 returned.

Geography

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/BAG_woonplaatsen_-_Gemeente_Meppel.png" caption="Map of Meppel municipality"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Meppel-plaats-OpenTopo.jpg" caption="2014 topographic map of the city of Meppel"] ::

Meppel is located at in the southwestern part of the province of Drenthe in the northeastern part of the Netherlands.

The Meppelerdiep, the Drentsche Hoofdvaart and the Hoogeveense Vaart connect Meppel to Zwartsluis, Assen and Hoogeveen. To offload professional transport vessels the Omgelegde Hoogeveense Vaart was dug out south of the city. The Meppelerdiep is accessible for boats with a size of 2,000 ton.

The streams Reest and Wold Aa run through the city. The Reest end in the Meppeler Diep.

The population centres in the municipality are:

Harbor

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Gracht_Meppel_door_Johannes_Christiaan_Karel_Klinkenberg_(1852_1924).jpg" caption="Meppel harbor art by [[Karel Klinkenberg"] ::

Meppel is accessible by water for vessels up to approximately 3,000 tons and is located on the main waterway network. Meppel is connected to Zwartsluis and subsequently the IJsselmeer via the Meppelerdiep canal. Meppel also provides access to the Drentsche Hoofdvaart canal. It has a relatively large and easily accessible inland harbor that serves a large region. The port of Meppel cooperates with those of Kampen and Zwolle.

There are several shipyards in Meppel, for both commercial and pleasure craft. There are also several loading and unloading companies with their own unloading docks.

Transportation

Main article: Meppel railway station

Meppel is served by national and regional train connections with Zwolle to the southwest, which leads to the west and south of the country, as well as Leeuwarden and Groningen to the northwest and northeast respectively. The city's station is located on both the Arnhem–Leeuwarden railway (Staatslijn A) and Meppel–Groningen railway (Staatslijn C). Meppel station is a major hub for travelers from the north, including intercity trains to The Hague and Rotterdam. The station is the fourth-largest train station (after Groningen, Leeuwarden, and Assen) in the north, with an average of almost 6,500 passengers boarding and alighting per day (source: NS, 2018).

There are regular and frequent bus lines within Meppel and towards Zwolle, Hoogeveen and Assen. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Kaart_DSM.png" caption="Map of the old DSM routes in red (Meppel is on the left)"] ::

In 1908, Meppel received a steam tram connection by the Dedemsvaartsche Stoomtramweg-Maatschappij (DSM) company. The line ran from Meppel to Balkbrug with a length of 22 km. The service closed in about 1939.

Twin towns – sister cities

Meppel is twinned with:

Notable people

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Fresco_Louise_Foto_Henk_Thomas.jpg" caption="Louise Fresco"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Petrus_Kiers_(1807-1875).jpg" caption="Petrus Kiers"] ::

The arts

Gallery

Image:MeppelStadsomroeper2020.jpg|Statue in the city centre Image:Stadhuis (city hall) Meppel, Drenthe, Netherlands - 20100306.jpg|City hall Image:Meppel, molen de Weert RM526385 met andere twee molens op de achtergrond IMG 2886 2018-04-20 17.43.jpg|Windmill (de Weert) Image:Meppel, twee ophaalbruggen foto1 2011-05-21 11.36.JPG|Two drawbridges Image:Meppel, het beurtscheepje de Vereeniging III bij het Oosteinde met twee ophaalbruggen foto6 2016-04-09 09.18.jpg|Ship de Vereeniging III Image:Meppel, de watertoren PM1-0171 IMG 2121 2018-04-07 16.35.jpg|Watertower Image:Historisch Centrum Meppel.JPG|Historical centre of Meppel

References

References

  1. {{Dutch municipality total area. dataref
  2. {{Dutch municipality population. dataref
  3. "CBOEK363 - EENIGE SCHELDNAMEN VAN DE EENE PLAATS OP DE ANDERE.".
  4. "De toren".
  5. "Centrum".
  6. [https://www.encyclopediedrenthe.nl/Gemeente Encyclopedie Drenthe Online: Gemeente en Meppel. Gearchiveerd op 4 maart 2016.]
  7. (2015-12-04). "De Wandeling: Meppel, 'Mokum van het Noorden'". www.nd.nl.
  8. "Gemeentegeschiedenis".
  9. Gool, Roy van. (2021-05-01). "Hoe de Joodse gemeenschap uit Meppel verdween". www.rtvdrenthe.nl.
  10. Informatiepagina [https://www.meppel.nl/default/vestigen/haven/haven/id_185541 Gemeente Meppel] ''www.meppel.nl.'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20090901001141/https://www.meppel.nl/default/vestigen/haven/haven/id_185541 Gearchiveerd] op 2009-09-01, bezocht 21 april 2009.
  11. Infopagina [https://web.archive.org/web/20070506104050/http://www.mcs-bv.nl/meppel.asp MCS terminal Meppel]
  12. "D.S.M I".
  13. "Stedenband Most". Meppel.
  14. {{Cite DNB12. Roberts. William
  15. Meppel's Kwartiertje. (2025-03-03). "Meppel's Kwartiertje - Marcel Vos".

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meppelmunicipalities-of-drenthepopulated-places-in-drenthe