Steenwijkerland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Steenwijkerland Stienwiekerlaand  (Dutch Low Saxon)
Municipality
Monumental house in Steenwijk
Flag Coat of arms
Location in Overijssel
Country	Netherlands
Province	Overijssel
Established	1 January 2001
Renamed	1 January 2003
Government
• Body	Municipal council
Area
• Total	321.59 km2 (124.17 sq mi)
• Land	290.16 km2 (112.03 sq mi)
• Water	31.43 km2 (12.14 sq mi)
Elevation	5 m (16 ft)
Population  (May 2014)
• Total	43,338
• Density	149/km2 (390/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode	Parts of 7000 and 8000 ranges
Area code	Various

Dutch Topographic map of Steenwijkerland, June 2015

Steenwijkerland is a municipality (like a local government area) in the province of Overijssel, in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It was known as Steenwijk until 2003, when its name was changed.

This municipality covers the whole northwest corner of the province. This area is often called "the Head of Overijssel" (in Dutch: de Kop van Overijssel). It shares a border with the province of Friesland. The main town and government center of the municipality is Steenwijk. About 17,100 people live there. Steenwijk is located on the A32 motorway, which connects cities like Zwolle, Meppel, and Leeuwarden. It also has a train station on the railway line that links these cities.

Economy in Steenwijkerland

Steenwijk is the main place for business and government in the area. Many small shops and factories are located here. You can also find a hospital and several high schools in Steenwijk.

In the town of Vollenhove, there is a special shipyard. This shipyard builds very fancy and expensive yachts.

Much of the land in Steenwijkerland is a bit wet and swampy. This is because some parts are even below sea level. Because of the wet soil, many farmers in Steenwijkerland mostly raise cattle. The ground is too wet to grow crops like corn or wheat. However, these wetlands are also a good thing! They attract many tourists who love nature or water sports.

Places to Live in Steenwijkerland

Steenwijkerland has many towns and villages. The larger towns are listed below in bold letters.

Things to See and Do

• You can visit the city of Steenwijk for everyday shopping or to go to the market.
• In Steenwijk, there's a beautiful old house called "Ramswoerthe". It was built in 1899 in a special style called Jugendstil (Art Nouveau). You can visit the house and its park.
• Blokzijl has a small marina (a place for boats). It's surrounded by charming old brick houses from the 1600s. They look like tiny versions of the famous Amsterdam canal houses.
• Vollenhove has two interesting old churches from the 15th and 17th centuries. You can also see the ruins of Toutenburg castle and its park. There's also the Old Ruitenborgh estate, an 18th-century building that is now a small hotel with a good restaurant. Many other old houses are there, with the former Latin School (from the 1600s) being especially beautiful.
• Giethoorn and Dwarsgracht are very scenic because of how they are built. Many old farmhouses have been turned into "second homes" where wealthy Dutch people stay for holidays. In summer, the houses in Giethoorn are lit up at night. This allows the Tourist Board to offer romantic guided boat tours. Of course, there are also places for yachts, restaurants, and camping sites.
• Between Kuinre and Steenwijk is the National Park "De Weerribben". This is a very important wetland area with bogs, swamps, small canals, and meadows. You can take guided tours to explore it. The main entrance is in Ossenzijl.
• A similar nature reserve called "De Wieden" is in the southern part of the municipality. There's an information center in St. Jansklooster, near Vollenhove. "Wieden" means "wide places" or "wide lakes". These lakes are great for activities like sailing and windsurfing.

Famous People from Steenwijkerland

Charles DArenberg

• Georg Schenck van Toutenburg (1480–1540) – An important leader who governed Friesland and other areas.
• Frederik V Schenck van Toutenburg (around 1503–1580) – The first Archbishop of Utrecht.
• Charles de Ligne, 2nd Prince of Arenberg (1550–1616) – A very important noble, soldier, and diplomat.
• Hildo Krop (1884–1970) – A Dutch artist who made sculptures and designed furniture.
• Herman Nieweg (1932–1999) – A Dutch artist who made sculptures and pottery.
• Sophie in 't Veld (born 1963) – A Dutch politician who is a Member of the European Parliament.

Sports Stars

• Wim de Bois (1896–1975) – A former Dutch football manager and player.
• Kees Kist (born 1952) – A retired football player who played in many club games.
• Marti ten Kate (born 1958) – A retired long-distance runner.
• Patrick Roest (born 1995) – A Dutch professional long track speed skater who won a silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

See also

In Spanish: Steenwijkerland para niños