Doesburg Facts for Kids

Doesburg is a municipality and city in the eastern Netherlands, located in the province of Gelderland. It's a historic place situated where the River IJssel meets the River Oude IJssel. Doesburg was given special "city rights" in 1237. This meant it had certain privileges, like being able to build walls and hold markets.

Today, Doesburg is part of the Arnhem-Nijmegen Green Metropolitan Region. This group helps plan and develop the area. In 2014, about 11,447 people lived in Doesburg.

Quick facts for kids

Doesburg

Municipality

Square in Doesburg

Flag	Coat of arms

Location in Gelderland

Doesburg

Location in Netherlands

Doesburg

Location in Europe

Government

• Body

Municipal council

Area

• Total

12.96 km² (5.00 sq mi)

• Land

11.57 km² (4.47 sq mi)

• Water

1.39 km² (0.54 sq mi)

Elevation

13 m (43 ft)

Population

(May 2014)

• Total

11,447

• Density

989/km² (2,560/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Doesburger

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Postcode

6980–6984

Area code

0313

Dutch Topographic map of Doesburg, June 2015

History of Doesburg
- A Fortified City
- Modern Doesburg
Visiting Doesburg
Businesses in Doesburg
Famous People from Doesburg
Gallery
See also

History of Doesburg

Doesburg became a city in 1237. This was just one year after a nearby town, Doetinchem, got its city rights. Doesburg was very important for a long time because of its location. It was built where the Oude IJssel and Gelderse IJssel rivers meet. This made it a great spot for trade and defense.

A Fortified City

Because of its important location, Doesburg was a "fortified city." This means it had strong walls and defenses to protect it. These defenses helped Doesburg become a busy place for business and government. The main church in Doesburg, the Martinikerk, is very tall, reaching 94 meters!

However, after the 15th century, the rivers became shallower. This made it harder for big ships to reach Doesburg. Because of this, the city's growth slowed down. Doesburg became a quiet, small town for many years.

Modern Doesburg

Doesburg was officially a fortified city until 1923. This meant it couldn't expand much beyond its old walls. But after World War II, the city started to grow quickly.

In the 1950s, a new neighborhood called Molenveld was built. Later, in the 1970s and 1980s, more areas like Beinum and Campstede were added. In the early 2000s, a new area with modern houses and apartments was built along the IJsselkade. These buildings were designed by an Italian architect named Adolfo Natalini.

Visiting Doesburg

Doesburg is a popular place for tourists. In the northern part of the city, there are several campsites. During the busy summer season, about 4,000 visitors stay there each year.

The old city center is full of history. It has museums and old buildings that attract many tourists. Some of the most popular places to visit include:

The Gildehof
The Doesburgse mustard factory
'De Waag', which might be the oldest public house (like a restaurant or inn) in the Netherlands.

Businesses in Doesburg

Doesburg has several areas dedicated to businesses and industries. These include:

The Verhuellweg on the north side of the city.
Beinum-Oost and Beinum-West on the east side.

Along the Gelderse IJssel river, you can find different types of businesses. There's a factory that works with iron and a place that makes concrete. There's also a company that builds motor yachts.

Famous People from Doesburg

Many interesting people have connections to Doesburg:

Peter of Dusburg (around 1260–1326) was a priest and writer who kept records for the Teutonic Knights.
Jan Hendrik van Kinsbergen (1735–1819) was a Dutch naval officer and a sea hero.
Robert Jacob Gordon (1743–1795) was an explorer, soldier, artist, and linguist.
Carel Hendrik Ver Huell (1764–1845) was a Dutch, and later French, admiral and statesman.
Johan Conrad van Hasselt (1797–1823) was a doctor who studied animals, plants, and fungi.
Willem Anne Schimmelpenninck van der Oye (1800–1872) was a politician.
Frederik Alexander Adolf Gregory (1814–1891) was a Dutch Vice Admiral.
Charles August Masse (born 1838) was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in the USA.
Theo Colenbrander (1841–1930) was an architect and designer, known for ceramics.
Kees Luesink (1953–2014) was a Dutch politician and served as the Mayor of Doesburg.
Elbert Roest (born 1954) is a historian and politician who was a Doesburg city council member.
Clemens Cornielje (born 1958) is a politician and former teacher.
Agnes Kant (born 1967) is a retired Dutch politician who lives in Doesburg.