Weesp

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title: "Weesp" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["weesp", "boroughs-of-amsterdam", "cities-in-the-netherlands", "former-municipalities-of-north-holland", "populated-places-in-north-holland"] topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weesp" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

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

FieldValue
nameWeesp
settlement_typeCity
image_skyline{{Photomontage
photo1a38644 't Haantje (cropped).jpg
photo2aRM38539 Weesp - Herengracht.jpg
photo2bVechtstreek 37.jpg
photo3aVechtstreek 26.jpg
size270
spacing2
color#FFFFFF
border0
foot_montageImages, from top down, left to right: 't Haantje windmill, Herengracht, city docks and Vechtstreek}}
image_flagWeesp Netherlands.svg
flag_size100x67px
image_shieldCoat of arms of Weesp.svg
shield_size100x80px
image_blank_emblemGemeente Amsterdam Weesp logo.png
blank_emblem_typeBrandmark
blank_emblem_size100
image_mapMap - NL - Municipality code 0457 (2009).svg
map_altHighlighted position of Weesp in a municipal map of North Holland
map_captionLocation in North Holland
coordinates
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameNetherlands
subdivision_type1Province
subdivision_name1North Holland
subdivision_type2Municipality
subdivision_name2Amsterdam
unit_prefMetric
area_footnotes
area_total_km2
area_land_km2
area_water_km2
elevation_footnotes{{cite web
urlhttp://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool
titlePostcodetool for 1381BD
languagenl
author
workActueel Hoogtebestand Nederland
publisherHet Waterschapshuis
access-date24 March 2014
archive-date21 September 2013
archive-urlhttps://web.archive.org/web/20130921053543/http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool
url-statusdead
elevation_m1
elevation_max_footnotestags --
elevation_min_footnotestags --
population_footnotes
population_total
population_as_of
population_density_km2
population_demonymWeesper
timezoneCET
utc_offset+1
timezone_DSTCEST
utc_offset_DST+2
postal_code_typePostcode
postal_code1380–1384
area_code_typeArea code
area_code0294
website
::

| name = Weesp | settlement_type = City | image_skyline = {{Photomontage|position=center | photo1a = 38644 't Haantje (cropped).jpg | photo2a = RM38539 Weesp - Herengracht.jpg | photo2b = Vechtstreek 37.jpg | photo3a = Vechtstreek 26.jpg | size = 270 | spacing = 2 | color = #FFFFFF | border = 0 | foot_montage = Images, from top down, left to right: 't Haantje windmill, Herengracht, city docks and Vechtstreek}} | image_flag = Weesp Netherlands.svg | flag_size = 100x67px | flag_alt = | image_shield = Coat of arms of Weesp.svg | shield_size = 100x80px | shield_alt = | image_blank_emblem = Gemeente Amsterdam Weesp logo.png | blank_emblem_type = Brandmark | blank_emblem_size =100 | blank_emblem_alt = | blank_emblem_link = | image_map = Map - NL - Municipality code 0457 (2009).svg | map_alt = Highlighted position of Weesp in a municipal map of North Holland | map_caption = Location in North Holland | coordinates = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Netherlands | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = North Holland | subdivision_type2 = Municipality | subdivision_name2 = Amsterdam | 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 1381BD |language = nl |author = |work = Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland |publisher = Het Waterschapshuis |access-date = 24 March 2014 |archive-date = 21 September 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053543/http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool |url-status = dead | elevation_m = 1 | 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 = Weesper | timezone = CET | utc_offset = +1 | timezone_DST = CEST | utc_offset_DST = +2 | postal_code_type = Postcode | postal_code = 1380–1384 | area_code_type = Area code | area_code = 0294 | website = | footnotes = ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Weesp,voormalig_stadhuis-_tegenwoordig_museum_RM38608_IMG_0330_2019-06-30_14.17.jpg" caption="Weesp, former city hall - nowadays museum"] ::

Weesp () is a city and an urban area in the municipality of Amsterdam in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. It had a population of in . It lies on the river Vecht and next to the Amsterdam–Rhine Canal in an area called the Vechtstreek. The former municipality of Weesp merged with Amsterdam on 24 March 2022.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Gem-Weesp-OpenTopo.jpg" caption="Topographic map of Weesp, January 2016"] ::

Until the early Middle Ages the region around Weesp was an uninhabited peat bog. Weesp (Wesopa in Latin documents) was granted city rights in 1355 and celebrated its 650th anniversary as a city in 2005.

From the late Middle Ages, the river Vecht was a defensive line for the County of Holland and it remained a military defensive line until the Second World War. Weesp was strongly fortified, more than its size would justify; for most of its history it had a few thousand inhabitants.

The defensive lines consisted of inundation zones, which would be flooded in wartime (the Hollandic Water Line). Behind them were fortified towns, forts, barracks and other military structures. The most comprehensive was the Defence Line of Amsterdam (Stelling van Amsterdam), a circular inundation zone around Amsterdam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After the Second World War, new housing was built in the west and an industrial zone with a harbour at the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal was constructed. In the 1970s a suburb was built on the south. Another suburb was built in the north which recently expanded with plans for further expansion.

Before the reformation the church was dedicated to Saint Lawrence. It is still in use for Protestant services. In the tower it has a famous carillon by Pieter Hemony cast in 1671. Following the 19th Century emancipation of Dutch Catholics, a Catholic church was erected in Weesp.

The Dutch government considered Weesp too small to continue as an independent municipality. In a 2018 referendum, 57.4% of the inhabitants voted in favor of a merger with Amsterdam. On 1 June 2019 the civil service offices of the municipality of Weesp merged with those of the municipality of Amsterdam in preparation of the merger of the two municipalities. Bas Jan van Bochove was the last mayor of the municipality of Weesp until the merger was finalized on 24 March 2022.

Population centres

The municipality of Weesp consisted of three towns: De Horn, Uitermeer, and Weesp. The north of the city of Weesp is known for its Hogewey dementia village.

Economy

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/Parts_of_a_Service,_Porseleinfabriek_Weesp,_c._1764-1768.jpg" caption="Parts of tableware from the porcelain factory of Weesp, c. 1764-1768. [[Rijks Museum]]."] ::

The first Dutch porcelain originated in Weesp and dates to 1759. The venture was led by Bertrand Philip, Count of Gronsveld.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Weesp,Netherlands-panoramio(9).jpg" caption="[[Amsterdam–Rhine Canal"] ::

The most famed product of Weesp is Van Houten chocolate. Before cocoa production, the local economy had been based on beer breweries, jenever distilleries, production of Weesper porcelain, and trade, due to its location on a branch point of waterways. In the 21st century, the economy is very diverse.

There were large facilities of Solvay Pharmaceuticals, until February 2010 when Abbott Laboratories of North Chicago, Illinois acquired Solvay Pharmaceuticals. At this site there is a chemical plant which manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredient for Abbott brands Duphalac and Duphaston and a biologic plant which manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredient for Abbott's flu vaccine Influvac. The local specialty is the Weesper Mop cookie, which is based on mashed almond.

Tourism

Weesp is a popular stop for tourists. It has a protected historical center with canals and many buildings dating from the seventeenth and eighteenth century. Weesp has three full-size historical windmills. It features a bastion and fortifications that are part of the Defense line of Amsterdam and the Dutch Water Line. These structures have never been attacked, though. The scenic river Vecht and the small roads that line it attract yachters and cyclists. The Naardermeer area, the first nature reserve in the Netherlands, is at 15 minutes cycling distance from Weesp; it protects the Gooi landscape. The Weesp local museum is located in the former city hall.

Urban area government

The seats in the Weesp administrative committee elected on 16 March 2022 for four years are divided between the political parties as follows https://www.amsterdam.nl/stadsdelen/weesp/bestuur-weesp/samenstelling-bestuurscommissie-weesp/:

Transport

Weesp has one railway station, Weesp. It serves as a transfer station for passengers on local trains on the Amsterdam–Amersfoort (Oosterspoorweg) and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol–Almere (Schiphollijn and Flevolijn) lines, which bundle up just before Weesp and diverge right after. Weesp therefore benefits from 16 departures per hour, serving many destinations including Amsterdam Centraal, Schiphol Airport, Hilversum, Amersfoort Centraal and Utrecht Centraal four times per hour.

In front of the railway station there is a small bus station with services to neighbouring towns and villages such as Muiden, Muiderberg, and Nigtevecht and to Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA station.

Notable people

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/George_van_der_Mijn_-Portret_van_Cornelis_Ploos_van_Amstel(1726-1798).jpg" caption="Portrait of Cornelis Ploos van Amstel, ca.1758"] ::

Sport

  • Marco Ruitenbeek (born 1968) a former Dutch footballer with over 250 club caps
  • Antoni Hardonk (born 1976) a Dutch mixed martial artist and kickboxer

References

References

  1. {{Dutch municipality total area. dataref
  2. {{Dutch municipality population. dataref
  3. [https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/759 ''Defence line of Amsterdam'' on the UNESCO website]
  4. "Wet van 9 juni 2021 tot herindeling van de gemeenten Amsterdam en Weesp".
  5. (March 24, 2022). "Weesp is nu een stukje Amsterdam, maar 'Ik blijf een Weespermop'".
  6. (6 July 2017). "DK Eyewitness The Netherlands". Dorling Kindersley Limited.
  7. [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0612076/ IMDb Database] retrieved 09 January 2020
  8. [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1133409/ IMDb Database] retrieved 09 January 2020

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

weespboroughs-of-amsterdamcities-in-the-netherlandsformer-municipalities-of-north-hollandpopulated-places-in-north-holland