Bolsward

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Bolsward
Boalsert
—  City and former municipality  —
City Hall
City Hall
Flag of Bolsward
Flag
Coat of arms of Bolsward
Coat of arms
Coordinates: 53°04′N 5°32′E / 53.067°N 5.533°E / 53.067; 5.533
Country Netherlands
Province Friesland
Municipality Súdwest-Fryslân
Area(2006)
 • Total 9.42 km2 (3.64 sq mi)
 • Land 9.11 km2 (3.52 sq mi)
 • Water 0.31 km2 (0.12 sq mi)
Population (1 January, 2007)
 • Total 9,607
 • Density 1,055/km2 (2,730/sq mi)
  Source: CBS, Statline.
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)

Bolsward (About this sound pronunciation , West Frisian: Boalsert) is a city in Súdwest Fryslân in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. Bolsward is just short of a population of 10,000.

Contents

[edit] History

The town is founded on three artificial dwelling hills, of which the first was built some time before Christ. Bolsward was a trading city with a port in the Middle Ages. The middlesea connected the port to the North Sea, but this connection was lost when the middlesea was reclaimed from the sea. As a trading city, Bolsward received city rights in 1455. Bolsward was also a member of the Hanseatic league.

[edit] Notable historical figures

Notable historical figures born here include:

[edit] Events

Heamiel. A local festival of four days in june. This is an old traditional festival to celebrate that the farmers have harvested the hay from the fields. The name of the festival, Heamiel, is frisian for 'Hay meal', and is derived from the traditional banquet.

Bolletongersdei. Bolletongersdei is frisian for 'bulls thursday'. Bolletongersdei includes a street market. Bolletongersdei is held on the first Thursday of October.

Simmerwike. A music festival of 4 evenings with performances, held in august.

[edit] Elfstedentocht

Bolsward is one of the eleven Frisian cities in which the ice skating Elfstedentocht, an ice skating marathon, is held. This is a rare event which depends on the thickness of the ice.

Bolsward is also the host city for the yearly Cycling Elfstedentocht, an road bicycle racing tour.

[edit] Notable buildings

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 53°04′N 5°32′E / 53.067°N 5.533°E / 53.067; 5.533


Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
Interaction
Toolbox
Print/export
Languages