Sassenheim Facts for Kids

For the town in Luxembourg known as Sassenheim in German, see Sanem.

Quick facts for kids

Sassenheim

Old town hall

Flag	Coat of arms

Sassenheim

Location in Netherlands

Province

Municipality

Population

(2020)

15.755

Sassenheim (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈsɑsə(n)ɦɛim]) is a town in the western part of the Netherlands. It is located in the province of South Holland.

Sassenheim used to be its own municipality, which is like a small local government area. In 2005, it covered about 6.62 square kilometers (2.56 square miles). About 0.23 square kilometers of this area was water. In 2005, around 14,906 people lived there. Since January 1, 2006, Sassenheim has been part of the larger Teylingen municipality. By 2020, the town's population grew to 15,755 people.

The name Sassenheim has an interesting meaning. The first part, Sassen, comes from the word for Saxons. The second part, heim, is an old word from the Old Frankish language that means "home". So, Sassenheim means "home of the Saxons".

Sassenheim Through the Years
- Castle Teylingen: A Historic Landmark
- Modern Sassenheim
Notable People from Sassenheim
Gallery
See also

Sassenheim Through the Years

The ruins of Castle Teylingen

The name Sassenheim first appeared in old papers in the year 870. Back then, it was called Hostsagnem (meaning 'East Sassenheim') and Westsagnem ('West Sassenheim'). Later, in the 900s, people used shorter names like Saxnem or Sassem.

The town grew up between the cities of Leiden and Lisse. It was built on the eastern edge of old coastal sand dunes. A main road connecting Leiden to Haarlem passed right through Sassenheim. Many castles and large estates were built along this important road. You can still see some beautiful old mansions along Sassenheim's Main Street (Hoofdstraat) that date back to the early 1900s. The village church is built on top of a dune and shows different building styles from over the years.

Sassenheim is in an area known as the "Dune and Bulb Region" (Duin- en Bollenstreek). This region was famous for growing flower bulbs. Sassenheim used to have a very big flower bulb industry. However, most of this industry has now disappeared, and only a few fields remain.

Castle Teylingen: A Historic Landmark

One of the most exciting places to visit in Sassenheim is the ruins of Castle Teylingen. This strong castle was built to protect the main north-south travel route in Holland. Later, it became a home for countess Jacoba of Bavaria. The oldest parts of its outer walls were built at the beginning of the 1200s.

Around 1570, during the Eighty Years' War, the castle was badly damaged. But it was rebuilt after the war. The Dutch government bought the castle in 1889 and started restoring it in 1900.

Modern Sassenheim

After World War II, Sassenheim started to focus on attracting light industries. Parts of the town's land were used for factories and businesses. Other areas were used to build new homes. The few flower bulb fields that the municipality owned have mostly disappeared. Many of the old barns where bulbs were stored have been torn down. The flower trade and production have moved to areas outside Sassenheim.

In the second half of the 1900s, Sassenheim grew into a bigger town. New neighborhoods were built around the old town center. First, new areas were built in the southeast and west during the 1960s and 1970s. Later, more new parts of the village were added.

On December 11, 2011, the Sassenheim Train Station opened. It is located close to the A44 motorway, making it easier for people to travel to and from the town.