Heemskerk Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Heemskerk

Assumburg castle in Heemskerk

Flag	Coat of arms

Location in North Holland

Region

Amsterdam metropolitan area

Government

• Body

Municipal council

Area

• Total

31.67 km² (12.23 sq mi)

• Land

27.26 km² (10.53 sq mi)

• Water

4.41 km² (1.70 sq mi)

Elevation

2 m (7 ft)

Population

(May 2014)

• Total

39,078

• Density

1,434/km² (3,710/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Heemskerker

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Postcode

1960–1969

Area code

0251

Heemskerk is a town and a municipality in the Netherlands. It is located in the province of North Holland. This area is part of the Kennemerland region.

Exploring Heemskerk's Past
- Battles and Castles of Heemskerk
- Heemskerk as an Agricultural Village
Getting Around Heemskerk
People from Heemskerk
- Sports Stars from Heemskerk
Images for kids
Gallery
See also

Exploring Heemskerk's Past

Heemskerk was founded a very long time ago, during the Middle Ages. In the year 1063, an old document called the town Hemezen Kyrica. This name comes from an old Frisian language and means "Church of Hemezen". Hemezen was a Frisian nun who lived in a religious house there.

Heemskerk has many old historical sites. One of them is the Huldtoneel, which means "Inaugurate Stage". This is a special artificial hill near the main road. Long ago, the Counts of Holland were officially made leaders here. People believe the Huldtoneel was used even before the Roman Era as a sacred place for Germanic tribes. In the 1800s, a nobleman named Jonkheer Gevers made the Huldtoneel a protected monument. He even asked people passing by to show respect for it.

Battles and Castles of Heemskerk

Many battles have been fought in Heemskerk throughout history. Two castles were built here to protect the area. Oud Haerlem Castle was built in the 1100s. Heemskerk Castle was built in the 1200s. These castles helped protect the County of Holland from the West Frisians.

In the 1400s, the people of Heemskerk fought each other during the Hook and Cod wars. Both castles were destroyed in these fights. Oud Haerlem Castle was never rebuilt. However, Heemskerk Castle was rebuilt. In 1492, there was a rebellion by the people of Kennemerland. Austrian conquerors stopped this rebellion very harshly. This happened where the cemetery of the Hervormde Kerk (Reformed Church) is today.

In 1610, Heemskerk Castle was renamed Castle Marquette. It was home to many noble families. Later, wealthy families lived there. The last noble family to live there was the House of Gevers. Today, Castle Marquette is owned by a Spanish hotel group. It is a popular place for weddings, meetings, and company training events. The castle grounds are also a favorite spot for wedding photos.

On the east side of Heemskerk is Castle Assumburg. This castle was built in 1546 using parts from the old Kasteel Oud Haerlem. The Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church) was built in 1628. However, its tower is much older, dating back to the Middle Ages. In the graveyard around the church, there is a copy of a monument. It is dedicated to the father of the famous painter Maarten van Heemskerck. The original monument is inside the church.

Heemskerk as an Agricultural Village

After the time of knights and nobles, Heemskerk stayed a small, quiet village. It was located close to the sand dunes. Most people living there worked in farming and raising cattle. They had good times, but also some very hard times.

People from Heemskerk used to bring their farm products to the market using donkeys. They mainly sold strawberries to the nearby town of Beverwijk. Because of this, people from Heemskerk got the nickname "Donkey". The donkey also became a symbol for the town.

The old town hall was built in 1911. It was designed by Jan Stuyt. An extra floor was added in 1949. Today, this building is used as a notary office. The Roman Catholic Laurentiuskerk was finished in 1891. It was designed by architect J. H. Tonnaer. This church is a special example of a Catholic church in Holland built in a neo-renaissance style. Other old historical buildings, like Castle Oud Haerlem, no longer exist.

Getting Around Heemskerk

Railway Station: Heemskerk

People from Heemskerk

Many interesting people have come from Heemskerk. Here are a few:

André Aptroot (born 1961), a scientist who studies fungi and lichens.
Sofie van den Enk (born 1980), a TV presenter.
Bette Franke (born 1989), a model.
Maarten van Heemskerck (1498–1574), a famous painter of portraits and religious art.
Rolf de Heer (born 1951), a Dutch-Australian film director.
Nicholaas Hennemann (1813–1898), an early photographer.
Nico Roozen (born 1953), an economist.