Sneek

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Sneek
Snits
City and former municipality
Flag of Sneek
Flag		 Coat of arms of Sneek
Coat of arms
Location of Sneek
Coordinates: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Country Netherlands
Province Friesland
Municipality Súdwest-Fryslân
Area(2006)
 • Total 34.04 km2 (13.14 sq mi)
 • Land 30.18 km2 (11.65 sq mi)
 • Water 3.85 km2 (1.49 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2007)
 • Total 33,115
 • Density 1,097/km2 (2,840/sq mi)
  Source: CBS, Statline.
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
File:Sneek-plaats-OpenTopo.jpg
Topographic map of Sneek, as of June 2014
File:Sneek 20040902 2218.jpg
Sneek from the air (2004)
File:Blaeu 1652 - Sneek.jpg
Sneek on the map of Willem and Joan Blaeu in 1652
File:Sneek, watergate.jpg
Waterpoort (2006)
File:Sneek-gracht.jpg
The canal Kleinzand in Sneek (2006)
File:Tonnemafabriek Sneek 03.JPG
Tonnemafabriek (sweet factory) (2008)
File:Station Sneek 04.JPG
Sneek railway station (2007)
File:Houkesloot Aquaduct 06c.jpg
Houkesloot Aquaduct (2007)

Sneek ([sneːk] ( listen); West Frisian: Snits) is a city southwest of Leeuwarden and seat of the former municipality of Sneek in the province of Friesland (Netherlands). As for 2011 it is part of the municipality Súdwest Fryslân. The city has approximately 33,000 inhabitants.

Sneek is situated in Southwest-Friesland, close to the Sneekermeer and is well known for its canals, the Waterpoort (Watergate, the symbol of the city), and watersport (Sneekweek). Sneek is one of the Friese elf steden (Eleven cities). The city is very important for the southwest area of Friesland (the "Zuidwesthoek").

History

History

Sneek was founded in the 10th century on a sandy peninsula at the crossing site of a dike with an important waterway (called the Magna Fossa in old documents). This waterway was dug when the former Middelzee silted up. The dike can still be traced in the current street pattern and street names like "Hemdijk", "Oude Dijk" and "Oosterdijk".

Sneek received several city rights in the 13th century, which became official in 1456. Sneek was now one of the eleven Frisian cities. This was also the beginning of a period of blooming trade for the city that would last until about 1550. In 1492 construction of a moat and wall around the city began. In those days Sneek was the only walled city in Friesland. The waterpoort and the bolwerk remain today.

Sister city Kurobe

Since September 10, 1970, Sneek and the Japanese city Kurobe have been sister cities. In 1970, Mayor L. Rasterhoff of Sneek visited the city of Kurobe and was named an Honorary citizen. Mayor H. Terade of Kurobe made a visit to Sneek in 1972. In 2000 delegations of both cities visited each other again. The Japanese showed the citizens of Sneek a "Sneekplein" which was built in Kurobe.

Language

Sneek has its own dialect that dates back to the Dutch language before 1600. Snekers is part of the city Frisian dialects.

Trade and Industry

The famous clothingstore C&A started in 1841 with a store in Sneek. The Candyfactory Tonnema produces Peppermint under the name KING. This name has nothing to do with the English word KING, it stands for 'Kwaliteit in niets geëvenaard'("Quality equaled by nothing"). Also Sneek has a Steel, Machinery and a Rope factory. Since 1964 there's a factory of Yoshida YKK from Kurobe. Besides that, the Supermarket branch Poiesz, Clothing brand Gaastra and the old Frisian gin called beerenburg from Weduwe Joustra are products that have their roots in Sneek.

Places of interest

Sneek is well known as the center of watersports with over 130 watersport companies and 13 Marinas. It also it has a historic inner city replete with houses of old upper-class families.

Transport

Roads

The following roads connect Sneek with other cities:

Public transport

Sneek is accessible by public transport; buses and trains are operated by Arriva.

Waterways

The following waterways connect Sneek with other cities.

Parking

On the following parking places you can park your car:

  • Binnenstad Pay
  • Martiniplein pay
  • NS-terrein Free
  • St. Antoniusplein Pay
  • Bolswarderweg Free
  • Normandiaplein Pay
  • Oppenhuizerweg Pay
  • Oppenhuizerweg (temporary) Free
  • Veemarktplein Pay
  • Boschplein Pay

Art and Culture

Museums

Podia

Cultural Quarter

In 2010 there will be a Cultural Quarter, The municipality has made plans to connect various Cultural areas into one big Cultural Quarter. The total costs of the plans are about €35,000,000 and include

  • The Noorderchurch will house a theatre and a Center of the Arts (CvdK - Centrum voor de Kunsten)
  • The Bolwerk will house another part of the CvdK
  • A new Theatre (Capacity of 600 people) at the location of the former postoffice-building
  • The connection between the Theatre and the Bolwerk with a walking bridge and a floating podium in the city canal. This part won't be constructed because of high costs.
  • The Public library and the Martinichurch will be linked to the Cultural Quarter

Silver Ball

The Culture Award of Sneek is called The Silver Ball and has been awarded 11 times. The award is given annually to a person that has done an improvement/good job on the areas of Music and Culture for Sneek and its surroundings. The winners of the previous awards are:

Events

Education

Sneek has eleven primary schools and three high schools

Sport

Sports centres

Sportclubs

Sportevents

Famous Snekers

File:Dagsluiting - Kees Deenik & Phia Berghout.png
Kees Deenik an nl (Phia Berghout) in 1951

Living

Sneek has around 14.000 houses. Half of those houses are rental houses. There are new projects in different neighbourhoods going on, besides the building of new houses, there are plenty of existing rental or normal houses for various prices.

Extra Information

In 1519-1520, the Frisian warlord and freedom fighter Pier Gerlofs Donia spent his last days in Sneek. Donia died peacefully in bed at nl (Grootzand (Sneek)) 12[1] on 18 October 1520.[2] Pier is buried in Sneek in the 15th-century Groote Kerk (also called the Martinikerk).[3] His tomb is located on the north side of the church.[4]

This quaint little city has a shopping center that is walker and biker friendly. There are high-end clothing stores, restaurants, bars, music stores, cafes, coffee shops, and an old-fashioned candy store.

References

  1. ↑ Fries Scheepvaart Museum, Object number 1992-257
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Geldersche Volks-Almanak Published 1853
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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