Alem facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alem
Village
View of Alem
Coat of arms
Alem Location in Gelderland Show map of Gelderland Alem Location in Netherlands Show map of Netherlands
Country	Netherlands
Province	Gelderland
Municipality	Maasdriel
Area
• Total	5.93 km2 (2.29 sq mi)
Elevation	2 m (7 ft)
Population  (2021)
• Total	645
• Density	108.77/km2 (281.7/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	5335
Dialing code	0418

Alem is a small village in the Netherlands. It's located in the province of Gelderland. Alem is part of a bigger area called the municipality of Maasdriel. It's about 10 kilometers (6 miles) north of a city called 's-Hertogenbosch.

A long time ago, Alem was part of a different province, North Brabant. But in 1934, it officially became part of Gelderland. Until 1958, Alem was part of a larger municipality called Alem, Maren en Kessel. The villages of Maren and Maren-Kessel are now part of a different municipality called Lith.

A Look at Alem's Past

Alem was first mentioned in old writings in the year 1107. We're not completely sure where its name came from. The village grew up along the banks of the Maas River.

The Old Church

The Dutch Reformed Church in Alem was likely built around 1719. It was probably made using parts from an even older church. That first church was sadly lost in a big flood in 1717.

Alem in the 1800s

In 1840, about 307 people lived in Alem. It was a small but lively community.

How the River Changed Alem

In 1925, something big happened: the Maas River was changed to make it easier for boats to travel. This project made Alem become a "river island." This means it was surrounded by water on all sides.

Moving to a New Province

As mentioned, in 1934, Alem changed provinces. It moved from North Brabant to Gelderland. This was an important change for the village.

Gallery

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  A lovely scene in Alem

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  Saint Odradastreet with the village inn "Het Hart van Alem"

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  The ferry that crosses the Meuse River