Veendam

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title: "Veendam" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["veendam", "municipalities-of-groningen-(province)", "populated-places-in-groningen-(province)", "1648-establishments-in-the-dutch-republic"] topic_path: "geography/netherlands" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veendam" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

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

FieldValue
name
settlement_typeTown and Municipality
image_skyline
image_captionTown hall of Veendam
image_flagVeendam vlag.svg
flag_size100x67px
image_shieldCoat of arms of Veendam.svg
shield_size100x80px
shield_alt
image_mapMap - NL - Municipality code 0047 (2009).svg
map_altHighlighted position of Veendam in a municipal map of Groningen
map_captionLocation in Groningen
coordinates
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameNetherlands
subdivision_type1Province
subdivision_name1Groningen
government_footnotes{{cite web
urlhttp://www.veendam.nl/internet/burgemeester_3409/
titleBurgemeester
trans-titleMayor
languagenl
publisherGemeente Veendam
access-date5 February 2014
archive-date20 February 2014
archive-urlhttps://web.archive.org/web/20140220084828/http://www.veendam.nl/internet/burgemeester_3409
url-statusdead
governing_bodyMunicipal council
leader_partyCDA
leader_titleMayor
leader_nameBerry Link
unit_pref
area_footnotes
area_total_km2
area_land_km2
area_water_km2
elevation_footnotes{{cite web
urlhttp://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool
titlePostcodetool for 9641AW
languagenl
author
workActueel Hoogtebestand Nederland
publisherHet Waterschapshuis
access-date5 February 2014
archive-date25 December 2018
archive-urlhttps://web.archive.org/web/20181225120428/http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool%0A
url-statusdead
elevation_m2
elevation_max_footnotestags --
elevation_min_footnotestags --
elevation_min_m
population_footnotes
population_total
population_as_of
population_density_km2
population_demonymVeendammer
timezone
utc_offset+1
timezone_DSTCEST
utc_offset_DST+2
postal_code_typePostcode
postal_code9630–9633, 9640–9648
area_code_typeArea code
area_code0598
established_titleEstablished
established_date1648
website
::

| name = Veendam | settlement_type = Town and Municipality | image_skyline = Veendam 105.JPG | image_alt = | image_caption = Town hall of Veendam | image_flag = Veendam vlag.svg | flag_size = 100x67px | flag_alt = | image_shield = Coat of arms of Veendam.svg | shield_size = 100x80px | shield_alt = | image_map = Map - NL - Municipality code 0047 (2009).svg | map_alt = Highlighted position of Veendam in a municipal map of Groningen | map_caption = Location in Groningen | coordinates = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Netherlands | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Groningen | government_footnotes = {{cite web |url = http://www.veendam.nl/internet/burgemeester_3409/ |title = Burgemeester |trans-title = Mayor |language = nl |publisher = Gemeente Veendam |access-date = 5 February 2014 |archive-date = 20 February 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140220084828/http://www.veendam.nl/internet/burgemeester_3409 |url-status = dead | governing_body = Municipal council | leader_party = CDA | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Berry Link | unit_pref = Metric | area_total_km2 = | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | elevation_footnotes = {{cite web |url = http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool |title = Postcodetool for 9641AW |language = nl |author = |work = Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland |publisher = Het Waterschapshuis |access-date = 5 February 2014 |archive-date = 25 December 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181225120428/http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool%0A |url-status = dead | 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 = Veendammer | timezone = CET | utc_offset = +1 | timezone_DST = CEST | utc_offset_DST = +2 | postal_code_type = Postcode | postal_code = 9630–9633, 9640–9648 | area_code_type = Area code | area_code = 0598 | established_title = Established | established_date = 1648 | website = | footnotes =

Veendam () is a town and municipality with a population of 27,752 in the province of Groningen in the northeast of the Netherlands. Veendam is also known as Parkstad (Park City). It is located on the N33 national highway which runs from Eemshaven to Assen.

Veendam was established in 1648 as a peat colony by Adriaan Geerts Wildervanck. The ribbon development so characteristic of this region has been adapted in Veendam. In the center of the town, the two canals, the Oosterdiep and the Westerdiep, formed a fork because the Munte River originally flowed here.

Holland America Line has named four ships Veendam after the town.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Hervormde_kerk_in_Veendam.jpg" caption="Church in Veendam"] ::

In 1655, the parish under Muntendam was separated from Zuidbroek and Muntendam. The new parish was called 'Veendam ende Wildervanck'. The foundation stone for the first church was laid in 1660 by Adriaan Geerts Wildervanck (1605-1661). In 1662, the Grote Kerk (Great Church) was inaugurated. In 1687, the church in Wildervank was also completed. Until 1702, both churches functioned under a single church council, but in that year the Wildervank parish became independent and received its own coat of arms. Veendam retained the coat of arms that had been assigned to the parish in 1657. The municipality of Wildervank was dissolved on 1 January 1969 and split into Veendam and Stadskanaal.

Peat colonies and building structure

Veendam has always held a special place in the Groningen peat colonies region. It retains a typical peat colony ribbon structure, except near the center. This structure was caused by the presence of the Oude AE river, which forced the parallel Oosterdiep and Westerdiep canals to diverge northward. This gave Veendam its forked structure, allowing the basin to form between them. The center is characterized by spaciousness, greenery, and water features (Parkstad Veendam).

Coastal shipping and agricultural industry

Over time, the original peat trade developed into such an important coastal trade that Lloyds Register established its first offices on mainland Europe in 1868, in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Veendam. Besides shipping, agriculture played a significant role in the 19th century. After peat extraction, the land was used for agriculture. This agriculture gave rise to a significant agricultural industry: the potato starch and derivatives industry. Today's Royal Avebe is derived from this industry. In the second half of the 19th century, shipping and shipbuilding lost so much of their importance that they shifted to industries such as metalworking.

Industrial municipality

The municipality of Veendam is an industrial municipality, with a significant portion of its industry focused on agricultural processing. Numerous companies have developed into international corporations around this theme. For example, thousands of containers are transhipped annually in Veendam at one of the largest inland container terminals in the Netherlands.

Later

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/Veendam_-_waterbekken_Museumplein.jpg" caption="The Museumplein in Veendam constructed in 2004"] ::

Thanks to peat extraction, Veendam and Wildervank had a very diverse population. There was also a relatively large Jewish community. During World War II, only a few survived the Holocaust. With the arrival of guest workers in the agricultural and textile industries, a Turkish community emerged in Veendam. Over the course of the 20th century, Veendam's population grew to over 20,000.

Geography

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Gem-Veendam-OpenTopo.jpg" caption="2014 map of the municipality]]The population centres in the municipality are:"] ::

The municipality includes Westerdiepsterdallen, the smallest town in the Netherlands.

Sports

Cycling

Veendam was the start place of stage 4b at the 2012 Energiewacht Tour and the finish place of stage 2 at the 2013 Energiewacht Tour.

Sport clubs

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Stadion_Langeleegt_BV_Veendam.JPG" caption="[[De Langeleegte]] football stadium formerly of SC Veendam"] ::

SC Veendam was the town's former soccer club. It was founded in 1894 and became professional in 1974. The team played mostly in the Eerste Divisie (the second tier of Dutch football) and spent two seasons in the top league Eredivisie. Their former stadium, with the dialect-influenced name De Langeleegte (Dutch: "De lange laagte," meaning "The long lowland," not literally "the long emptiness"), had a capacity of approximately 6,500 spectators. In 2013, the club became bankrupt and dissolved.

Flash Veendam is a local volleyball club and NNZC Veendam is a local gliding club.

Transport

Veendam used to have a railway station on the Zuidbroek - Ter Apel line of the Noordoosterlocaalspoorweg-Maatschappij (NOLS). This station was closed to passenger trains in 1953 but the line remained in use for freight trains. Veendam railway station reopened in 2011 has reopened giving a passenger service via Zuidbroek to the city of Groningen. In 2025 the Nedersaksenlijn (Lower Saxony Line) was confirmed to be constructed that will connect Veendam south to Stadskanaal and beyond. File:Oude treinstation station Veendam.JPG|Old train station File:Veendam Arriva 1.jpg|Arriva train at the new station

International relations

Veendam has two sister cities: ::data[format=table]
::

Notable residents

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Hendrik_de_Cock.jpg" caption="Hendrik de Cock, 1829"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Renate_Groenewold_(08-12-2007).jpg" caption="Renate Groenewold, 2007"] ::

Sport

References

References

  1. tags -->. dataref
  2. {{Dutch municipality population. dataref
  3. "Veendam".
  4. "Gemeentegeschiedenis".
  5. "Lloyds Register nieuwe sponsor van het museum Veendam {{!}} Parkstad Veendam".
  6. Flinker, Monique. (2019-11-11). "Honderd jaar Avebe: 'Zonder dit bedrijf hadden de Veenkoloniën er heel anders uitgezien'".
  7. [http://www.cbs.nl/NR/rdonlyres/6129A398-A51F-4135-8BD3-EF360D044AED/0/Veendam.pdf CBS Gemeente op Maat 2008]
  8. "SC Veendam - Soccer club".
  9. [http://www.flashveendam.nl/ Flash Veendam - Volleyball club]
  10. [http://www.nnzc.nl/zweefvliegen/ NNZC Veendam - Gliding club]
  11. "[https://www.stationsweb.nl/station.asp?station=Veendam Station Veendam]" (in Dutch), ''Stationsweb''. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  12. Wessels, Dianne. (2025-09-19). "Thierry Aartsen zet volgende fase Nedersaksenlijn in gang".
  13. "Zustersteden". Veendam.

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veendammunicipalities-of-groningen-(province)populated-places-in-groningen-(province)1648-establishments-in-the-dutch-republic