Witmarsum, Netherlands

Witmarsum Wytmarsum
Village
Witmarsum church
Flag Coat of arms
Location in the former Wûnseradiel municipality
Witmarsum Location in the Netherlands Show map of Friesland Witmarsum Witmarsum (Netherlands) Show map of Netherlands
Coordinates: 53°6′7″N 5°28′2″E
Country	Netherlands
Province	Friesland
Municipality	Súdwest-Fryslân
Area [1]
• Total	12.78 km^2 (4.93 sq mi)
Elevation [2]	0.5 m (1.6 ft)
Population  (2021)[1]
• Total	1,675
• Density	130/km^2 (340/sq mi)
Postal code	8748[1]
Dialing code	0517

Witmarsum (West Frisian: Wytmarsum) is a village in the northern Netherlands. It is located in Súdwest-Fryslân, Friesland. Witmarsum had a population of around 1,735 in January 2017.[3] Witmarsum was birthplace of Menno Simons (1496–1561), the leader of what would become the Mennonites.

History

The village was first mentioned in the 13th century as Witmarsum, and means "settlement of Witmer (person)".[4] Witmarsum is a terp (artificial living hill) village which developed in the early middle ages. The village used to concentrate on the terp, along the canal and along the road from Bolsward to Harlingen.[5]

The Dutch Reformed church was built in 1633 as a replacement of its medieval predecessor, because it was damaged by a lightning strike. The tower was again replaced in 1819.[5][6] Witmarsum contains four churches: a Dutch Reformed church, a Catholic church, a former Reformed Church and a modest Mennonite church.[6]

Witmarsum was home to 659 people in 1840.[7] In 1879, an obelisk was erected as a memorial for Menno Simons.[5] In 1880, Witmarsum became the capital of the municipality of Wûnseradiel.[6] In 1911, an electricity factory was opened by a local electricity company for the villages of Witmarsum, Pingjum, Arum en Achlum. In 1919, Witmarsum was connected to the provincial grid, and the building was turned into a transformer.[5]

There are two windmills in the village, De Onderneming and De Pankoekstermolen.[7] Before 2011, the village was part of the Wûnseradiel municipality.[7]

Notable people

• Menno Simons (1496–1561), the leader of the Mennonites[8]
• Hobbe Smith (1862–1942), painter, watercolorist[9]

Gallery

• 
  Canal view
• 
  Menno Simons monument.
• 
  Windmill De Onderneming in Witmarsum
• 
  De Pankoekstermolen

References

1. "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021". Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 7 April 2022. two entries
2. "Postcodetool for 8748AA". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
3. Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2017 - CBS Statline
4. "Witmarsum - (geografische naam)". Etymologiebank (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 April 2022.
5. Ronald Stenvert & Sabine Broekhoven (2000). "Witmarssum" (in Dutch). Zwolle: Waanders. ISBN 90 400 9476 4. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
6. "Witmarsum". Friesland wonderland (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 April 2022.
7. "Witmarsum". Plaatsengids (in Dutch). Retrieved 7 April 2022.
8. "Menno Simons". Biography portal of the Netherlands. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
9. "Hobbe Smith". Nederlands Instituut voor Kunstgeschiedenis. Retrieved 7 April 2022.