Medemblik Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Medemblik

Medemblik city centre

Flag	Coat of arms

Location in North Holland

Government

• Body

Municipal council

Area

• Total

257.56 km² (99.44 sq mi)

• Land

121.81 km² (47.03 sq mi)

• Water

135.75 km² (52.41 sq mi)

Elevation

0 m (0 ft)

Population

(May 2014)

• Total

43,391

• Density

356/km² (920/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Postcode

Parts of 1600 range

Area code

0227–0229

Map of Medemblik, June 2015

Medemblik is a city and a municipality in the Netherlands. It is located in the province of North Holland, which is in the western part of the country. Medemblik is part of a region called West-Frisia. It lies just south of a polder (a piece of low land reclaimed from the sea) called Wieringermeer.

History of Medemblik
Things to Do in Medemblik
Getting Around Medemblik
Famous People from Medemblik
- Sports Stars
Images for kids
See also

History of Medemblik

Medemblik was once a very busy trading town. In 1282, Floris V, who was the Count of Holland, took over the West Friesland area. To keep control, he built several strong castles. One of these was Kasteel Radboud in Medemblik.

Medemblik Becomes a City

In 1289, Floris V gave Medemblik special "city rights." This meant the town had more freedom and could govern itself in many ways. After Floris V was killed in 1296, local people from Friesland tried to attack the castle. They wanted to make the people inside starve. But in 1297, an army from Holland came and stopped them.

Pirate Attacks and the Castle's Role

Over the next few centuries, Medemblik faced more attacks. A very famous attack happened in June 1517. About 4,000 pirates, known as the Arumer Zwarte Hoop, attacked Medemblik. Their leaders were Pier Gerlofs Donia and Wijard Jelckama. Many people in the town ran to the castle for safety. The pirates tried to capture the castle but failed. They then burned down the town of Medemblik. After this, the pirates continued to cause trouble in other parts of North Holland.

In 1572, Medemblik built strong town walls. After this, the castle was no longer the only safe place for citizens. So, in 1578, parts of the castle were taken apart. Over time, the castle became old and worn down.

Castle Restoration and New Uses

In 1889, the castle became property of the Dutch government. It was restored and used as a courthouse until 1934. During World War II, in September 1939, the famous Rijksmuseum chose the castle as a secret hiding place for Rembrandt's famous painting, the Night Watch.

Municipality Mergers

On January 1, 2007, Medemblik joined with two other municipalities, Noorder-Koggenland and Wognum. Even though Medemblik was the smallest of the three in terms of people, the new combined municipality was still called Medemblik. Later, on January 1, 2011, Medemblik merged again with Andijk and Wervershoof. The new, larger municipality kept the name Medemblik. The main office for the new municipality is in Wognum.

Things to Do in Medemblik

Medemblik is very popular in Europe for its sailing events. It's a great place for people who love boats and water sports.

The city also has a beautiful old town center. You can see many houses built in the 1600s and 1700s. There are two large churches, an old orphanage, and a town hall. Of course, Kasteel Radboud is also there, right at the edge of the old city.

You can also visit the Medemblik steam museum. This museum is inside an old pumping station that used to move water. It's a cool place to learn about old machines.

Getting Around Medemblik

A special heritage railway connects Medemblik with the nearby city of Hoorn. It's a fun way to travel and see the countryside.

Famous People from Medemblik

Yvonne Spigt, 2012

Jan Albertsz Rotius (1624–1666) was a Dutch painter.
A. C. Baantjer (1923–2010) was a Dutch author who wrote detective stories.
Jan Vriend (born 1938) is a Dutch composer and musician.
Wim Cool (born 1943) is a Dutch business expert and politician.
Bep Vriend (born 1946) is a Dutch bridge player and teacher.
Willem Vogelsang (born 1956) is an academic and a reserve soldier.
John Appel (born 1958) is a Dutch documentary filmmaker.

Sports Stars

Edith van Dijk (born 1973) is a Dutch swimmer and a 6-time world champion.
Yvonne Spigt (born 1988) is a Dutch marathon skater and inline skater.
Irene Schouten (born 1992) is a Dutch speed skater who won a bronze medal at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.