Everything about Alkmaar totally explained
» For the place with the same name in Commewijne District of Suriname, see: Alkmaar (Suriname).
Alkmaar is a municipality and a city in the
Netherlands, in the province of
Noord Holland. Alkmaar is well-known for its traditional cheese market. It is one of the main cultural centers of the Netherlands.
Etytmology
Alkemaar on 1846 French map/napkin/mappakim/mappa/chart/cart
(External Link
),
Alemere on medieval Latin map
(External Link), See also
Almere,,
Aalsmeer.
History
The earliest mention of the name Alkmaar is in a 10th-century document. As the village grew into a town, it was granted
city rights in
1254. The oldest part of Alkmaar lies on an ancient sand bank that afforded some protection from the sea during
medieval times. Even so, it's only a couple of metres above the surrounding region, which consists of some of the oldest
polders in existence.
In
1573 the city successfully withstood a siege by
Spanish forces under the leadership of
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba. Alkmaar was the first city in the Netherlands to be freed from the Spanish occupation. It was a turning point in the
Eighty Years War and gave rise to the expression
Bij Alkmaar begint de victorie ("Victory begins in Alkmaar"). The event is still celebrated every year in Alkmaar on
October 8, the day the siege ended.
In
1799, during the
French revolutionary wars, an Anglo-Russian expeditionary force captured the city but was ultimately defeated in the
Battle of Castricum. The French victory was commemorated on the
Arc de Triomphe in
Paris as "Alcmaer".
The
North Holland Canal, opened in 1824, was dug through Alkmaar. In 1865 and 1867 the railways between Alkmaar and Den Helder and between Alkmaar and Haarlem were built respectively.
In the second half of the 20th century, Alkmaar expanded quickly with development of new neighbourhoods. On October 1, 1972, the town of Oudorp and the southern portions of Koedijk and Sint Pancras were added to the municipality of Alkmaar.
Population centres
The municipality of Alkmaar consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: Alkmaar,
Koedijk (partly),
Oudorp and
Omval.
These once separate villages are now all linked together by the suburban sprawl of buildings that arose between the late 1970s and early 1990s. During this time, the population of Alkmaar almost doubled.
Local government
The municipal council of Alkmaar consists of 37 seats, which are divided as follows:
Transport
Highway A9 runs from
Amsterdam to Alkmaar, then continues on to
Den Helder as the N9.
Trains run from Station Alkmaar to
Nijmegen,
Maastricht,
Schagen,
The Hague,
Rotterdam,
Hoorn and
Den Helder. The city also has a second station, Station Alkmaar Noord.
The
Noordhollandsch Kanaal canal, which opened in
1824, runs right through Alkmaar.
Tourism
Alkmaar's cheese market at the Waagplein, is one of the country's most popular tourist attractions. The cheese market traditionally takes place on the first Friday in April and the last market of the season is the first Friday in September. Every Friday morning (10.00-12.00 a.m.) the Waagplein is the decor of this traditional cheesemarket. After the old fashion way of the hand clap, traders and carriers will weigh the cheeses. It is one of only four traditional
Dutch cheese markets still in existence. The traditional fare of this cheese market are those cheeses made in the local area, as opposed to the well-known brands of Dutch cheeses, for example
Edam cheese and
Gouda cheese. It isn't actually possible to buy cheese at the market itself, which is really only a demonstration of how this merchants' market operated in times gone by. However, the demonstration, which takes place in front of the medieval weighing house, is surrounded by many specialized stalls where it's possible to buy all kinds of cheese (and non-cheese) related products.
The
Waag is home to the local tourist office and a cheese museum. Alkmaar also has two large theatres and a big cinema which was originally two cinemas.
A
red light district is situated at the
Achterdam, and Alkmaar has a nightlife scene as well which takes place in the pubs that are in front of the cheesemarket.
Museums
Beatles Museum - dedicated to The Beatles, as John Lennon's first guitar was made in Alkmaar
Holland Cheese Museum - located in the historic weigh house
National Beer Museum "De Boom"
Dutch Stove Museum
City Museum Alkmaar - for history of the city
Sports
Alkmaar is home to the professional football team AZ (Alkmaar Zaanstreek). In 2006, the club moved to a new 17,000 capacity stadium, the DSB Stadion.
The city also has a velodrome where the Dutch national track cycling championships are held every year.
Born in Alkmaar
Willem Blaeu (1571), cartographer (his birthplace may also have been Uitgeest)
Cornelis Drebbel (1572), inventor of the first navigable submarine
Caesar van Everdingen (ca. 1617), painter
Reinier Jansen (17th century), operated the first Quaker press in the United States.
Willem de Fesch (1687), composer
Alfred Peet (1920), founder of American coffee retailer Peet's Coffee & Tea
Rudi Carrell (1934), entertainer
Sybilla Dekker (1942), cabinet minister
Harm Ottenbros (1943), cyclist, 1969 world champion
Jos Punt (1946), bishop
Patrick Cammaert (1950), army general, UN peacekeeping mission commander
Gerard Joling (1960), singer
Marco Borsato (1966), singer
Jakko Jan Leeuwangh (1972), speed skaterFurther Information
Get more info on 'Alkmaar'.
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