Rheden Facts for Kids

This page is about the Dutch municipality. For the German municipality, see Rheden, Lower Saxony. For the similarly named town, see Rhede.

Quick facts for kids

Rheden

Municipality

Church in Rheden

Flag	Coat of arms

Location in Gelderland

Government

• Body

Municipal council

Area

• Total

84.35 km² (32.57 sq mi)

• Land

81.76 km² (31.57 sq mi)

• Water

2.59 km² (1.00 sq mi)

Elevation

28 m (92 ft)

Population

(May 2014)

• Total

43,561

• Density

533/km² (1,380/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Rhedenaar

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Postcode

6880–6883, 6950–6957, 6990–6994

Area code

026, 0313

Rheden is a town and a municipality in the eastern Netherlands. It is located in the province of Gelderland. The municipality of Rheden is known for its beautiful nature and historic buildings.

Villages in Rheden
- Rheden's Landscape
A Look at Rheden's History
Getting Around Rheden
Interesting Facts About Rheden
Notable People from Rheden
Gallery
See also

Villages in Rheden

The municipality of Rheden is made up of seven villages. Each village has its own unique charm. Here are the populations from 2013:

Velp (17,723 people)
Dieren (14,340 people)
Rheden (7,614 people)
De Steeg (1,122 people)
Ellecom (1,104 people)
Spankeren (958 people)
Laag-Soeren (835 people)

Rheden's Landscape

Rheden is located in a lovely area. It has both flat lands and higher parts. The region is known for its green spaces.

Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Rheden, June 2015

A Look at Rheden's History

The villages in Rheden have a long history. Some were first mentioned way back in the 800s. These include Velp and Dieren.

Castles and Estates

Many large estates and castles were built here. They are found at the foot of the Veluwezoom area. These grand homes provided jobs for local people. They also offered safety during troubled times.

Some famous examples are:

Middachten Castle (from the 1300s)
Biljoen Castle (from the 1500s)
Huis Rhederoord (from the 1700s)

How Rheden Became a Municipality

The municipality of Rheden was formed in 1573. Two areas, Velp and Rheden, joined together. They chose the name Rheden because it had more people. For a short time, from 1812 to 1818, it was split into two parts again. But then it went back to being one municipality.

Between 1650 and 1900, the village of Rheden had seven country estates. These included Scherpenhof and Heuven.

Growth of the Population

In the 1800s, many retired people moved to Rheden. They especially liked De Steeg and Velp. The nearby city of Arnhem and the beautiful nature attracted them. This caused the population to grow a lot. It went from 5,000 to 23,000 people in just 100 years! Today, Velp is the largest village in the municipality.

Getting Around Rheden

Rheden has good public transport. You can travel by train to different parts of the municipality.

Railway stations are in: Dieren, Rheden, and Velp.

Interesting Facts About Rheden

The Gazelle bicycle factory is located in Dieren. Gazelle is a very well-known Dutch bicycle brand.

Notable People from Rheden

Many interesting people have lived or were born in Rheden. Here are a few examples:

Public Service and Thinking

Hans van den Broek (born 1936) was a Dutch politician. He was a member of the local council in Rheden.
Tom Middendorp (born 1960 in Rheden) was a general in the Dutch Army. He led the army for several years.
Princess Marilène of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven (born 1970 in Dieren) is a member of the Dutch royal family.

Arts and Culture

Louis Couperus (1863 – 1923 in De Steeg) was a famous Dutch novelist and poet.
Baroness Ella van Heemstra (1900 in Velp – 1984) was a Dutch-British aristocrat. She was the mother of the famous actress Audrey Hepburn.
Anouk van Dijk (born 1965 in Velp) is a well-known Dutch choreographer and dancer.

Sports Achievements

Erik Breukink (born 1964 in Rheden) is a former professional road racing cyclist.
Edward Gal (born 1970 in Rheden) is a Dutch dressage rider. He has won many gold medals in horse riding.