Nijkerk Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Nijkerk

Aerial view of Nijkerk

Flag	Coat of arms

Location in Gelderland

Government

• Body

Municipal council

Area

• Total

72.10 km² (27.84 sq mi)

• Land

69.48 km² (26.83 sq mi)

• Water

2.62 km² (1.01 sq mi)

Elevation

1 m (3 ft)

Population

(May 2014)

• Total

40,618

• Density

585/km² (1,520/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Nijkerker

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Postcode

3860–3871

Area code

033

Nijkerk is a cool city and a municipality right in the middle of the Netherlands. It's located in the province of Gelderland. The name Nijkerk means "New Church" in Dutch. This city has a long history, going back to the 13th century!

Exploring Nijkerk's Neighborhoods
Getting Around Nijkerk
Discovering the City of Nijkerk
Nijkerk's Weather and Climate
Famous People from Nijkerk
- Sports Stars from Nijkerk
Nijkerk's Twin City
Images for kids
See also

Exploring Nijkerk's Neighborhoods

Nijkerk is made up of several smaller towns and villages, called population centres. These places are all part of the larger municipality of Nijkerk.

Achterhoek
Appel
De Veenhuis
Doornsteeg
Driedorp
Hoevelaken
Holk
Holkerveen
Kruishaar
Nekkeveld
Nijkerkerveen
Prinsenkamp
Slichtenhorst
't Woud
Wullenhove

Even though some people think Groot Corlaer is its own place, it's officially part of Nijkerk.

Getting Around Nijkerk

Nijkerk is easy to reach! It has its own railway station, making it simple to travel by train. The city is also close to two major highways, the E30 (A1) and E232 (A28). This makes it easy for people and goods to move in and out of the area.

Discovering the City of Nijkerk

Map of Nijkerk, June 2015

The name Nijkerk comes from "Nieuwe Kerk," which means "New Church." This name came about after an old chapel was destroyed by fire way back in 1221. A new church was then built.

Nijkerk was in a very important spot between two powerful areas: the Duchy of Guelders and the Bishopric of Utrecht. Because of its location, Nijkerk often saw battles. In 1412, the entire village was completely destroyed.

But Nijkerk didn't give up! It was rebuilt, and in 1413, it received city rights. This meant it could govern itself more. The church that gave Nijkerk its name burned down again in 1421 and was replaced many times. Finally, the Grote-of-Sint-Catharinakerk (Great or Saint Catherine's Church) was built in the 18th century, and it's still standing today. The beautiful organ inside this church was built in 1756 by Mathijs van Deventer.

In the 1700s, Nijkerk was a busy trading city. Many people from Nijkerk even traveled to the New World (America). Famous explorers like Arent van Curler and Kiliaen van Rensselaer were from this area and helped found new cities there.

After World War II, Nijkerk grew very quickly. It's located near the IJsselmeer, which used to be a sea and is now a large lake. This location helps with shipping goods. Its closeness to major highways also helped local businesses grow. Many people who work in the busy Randstad area of the Netherlands have moved to Nijkerk because it's a more peaceful and rural town.

Nijkerk's Weather and Climate

Nijkerk has a moderate climate, meaning it doesn't get too hot or too cold. Here's a quick look at the weather:

Climate data for Nijkerk
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	14.9 (58.8)	18.9 (66.0)	25.4 (77.7)	29.2 (84.6)	31.5 (88.7)	33.9 (93.0)	37.5 (99.5)	36.1 (97.0)	29.6 (85.3)	26.9 (80.4)	19.0 (66.2)	15.3 (59.5)	37.5 (99.5)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	5.5 (41.9)	6.0 (42.8)	9.5 (49.1)	13.5 (56.3)	18.0 (64.4)	20.0 (68.0)	22.5 (72.5)	22.5 (72.5)	19.0 (66.2)	14.5 (58.1)	9.5 (49.1)	6.0 (42.8)	13.9 (57.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	0.0 (32.0)	0.0 (32.0)	2.0 (35.6)	4.0 (39.2)	8.0 (46.4)	10.5 (50.9)	13.0 (55.4)	12.5 (54.5)	10.0 (50.0)	7.0 (44.6)	3.5 (38.3)	1.0 (33.8)	6.0 (42.7)
Record low °C (°F)	−20.3 (−4.5)	−21.9 (−7.4)	−16.9 (1.6)	−8.4 (16.9)	−2.9 (26.8)	−0.4 (31.3)	2.5 (36.5)	—	−2.2 (28.0)	−7.4 (18.7)	−11.2 (11.8)	−15.5 (4.1)	−21.9 (−7.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	75 (3.0)	55 (2.2)	75 (3.0)	45 (1.8)	65 (2.6)	70 (2.8)	80 (3.1)	80 (3.1)	75 (3.0)	80 (3.1)	85 (3.3)	85 (3.3)	870 (34.3)
Mean monthly sunshine hours	60	85	125	175	210	195	205	190	140	110	60	50	1,605

Famous People from Nijkerk

Nijkerk has been home to many interesting and important people throughout history, including scientists, artists, and athletes!

Christiaan Eijkman, 1929

Kiliaen van Rensselaer (1586 – c.1642): A merchant who helped start new settlements in the Hudson Valley in America.
Wouter van Twiller (1606 – 1654): He was in charge of New Netherland (part of what is now New York) from 1632 to 1638.
Arent van Curler (1619 – 1667): He founded the city of Schenectady, New York in the United States.
Johann Frederik Eijkman (1851 – 1915): A well-known chemist.
James Kwast (1852 – 1927): A talented pianist and music teacher.
Christiaan Eijkman (1858 – 1930): A doctor and professor who won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1929! He discovered vitamins, which are super important for our health.
Jakob van Domselaer (1890 – 1960): A composer who was part of the famous De Stijl art movement with Piet Mondrian.
Bernardus Johannes Alfrink (1900 – 1987): A Cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church.
Henri Nouwen (1932 – 1996): A Catholic priest, professor, writer, and theologian.
Kees de Kort (1934 – 2022): An artist famous for illustrating Bible scenes in children's books.
Norbert Klein (1956 – 2021): A politician.
Levi van Veluw (born 1985): A modern artist known for his photographs, videos, and sculptures.

Sports Stars from Nijkerk

Nijkerk has also produced some great athletes!

Brigitte van der Lans (born 1968): A swimmer who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Bram van Polen (born 1985): A professional footballer with over 385 games for PEC Zwolle.
Scott Deroue (born 1995): A motorcycle racer.
Donny van de Beek (born 1997): A professional footballer.