IJsselstein Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

IJsselstein

Hollandse IJssel through IJsselstein with church and Gerbrandy Tower in background

Flag	Coat of arms

Location in Utrecht

Government

• Body

Municipal council

Area

• Total

21.68 km² (8.37 sq mi)

• Land

21.15 km² (8.17 sq mi)

• Water

0.53 km² (0.20 sq mi)

Elevation

1 m (3 ft)

Population

(May 2014)

• Total

34,184

• Density

1,616/km² (4,190/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

IJsselsteiner(s)

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Postcode

3400–3404

Area code

030

IJsselstein (pronounced like "EYE-sell-stine") is a city and a municipality in the Netherlands. You can find it in the province of Utrecht. This city got its official city rights way back in 1331.

IJsselstein gets its name from the Hollandse IJssel river, which flows right through it. It's a popular place for people who work in the Utrecht area to live. This is partly because of the Sneltram (a light rail line) that connects it to other towns. IJsselstein is surrounded by other municipalities like Utrecht, Montfoort, Lopik, Vijfheerenlanden, and Nieuwegein.

Exploring IJsselstein's Sights
- Castle Tower and Churches
- The Gerbrandy Tower
Notable People from IJsselstein
- Historical Figures
- Modern Personalities
Images for kids
More Pictures of IJsselstein
See also

Exploring IJsselstein's Sights

IJsselstein has a charming old town area. This historic part is surrounded by a small canal.

Castle Tower and Churches

A castle once stood in IJsselstein from the 1300s until 1888. Today, only its tall tower remains. The city is also home to two large churches, both named after St. Nicholas.

One is the Dutch Reformed Nicolaas church, which was built in 1310. Inside this Protestant church, you can see two old tombs. One belongs to the family of Gijsbrecht van Amstel (from around 1350), and the other is for Aleida van Culemborg [nl] (from 1475).

The other church is the Roman Catholic basilica of St. Nicolaas. It was built in 1887 in a neo-gothic style. In 1972, Pope Paul VI gave it the special title of 'Basilica Minor'.

The Gerbrandy Tower

IJsselstein is also famous for a very tall television mast called the Gerbrandy Tower. It stands an amazing 366.8 meters high! People often mistakenly call it Zendmast Lopik because it's near the village of Lopik.

Notable People from IJsselstein

Many interesting people have connections to IJsselstein.

Historical Figures

Arnold, Lord of IJsselstein (1304–1363): He was the second Lord of IJsselstein and Stoutenburg.
Maximiliaan of Egmont (1509–1548): He was a Count and also served as the Stadtholder of Friesland from 1540 to 1548.

Modern Personalities

Patrick van den Brink (born 1967): He used to be the mayor of IJsselstein.
Marijke van Beukering-Huijbregts (born 1971): She was an alderwoman (a type of local government official) in IJsselstein.
Michel Vorm (born 1983): A well-known retired football goalkeeper.