Stichtse Vecht Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Stichtse Vecht

The Vecht river through Maarssen

Flag	Coat of arms

Location in Utrecht

Established

1 January 2011

Government

• Body

Municipal council

Area

• Total

106.82 km² (41.24 sq mi)

• Land

96.62 km² (37.31 sq mi)

• Water

10.20 km² (3.94 sq mi)

Elevation

1 m (3 ft)

Population

(May 2014)

• Total

63,767

• Density

660/km² (1,700/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Postcode

1393, 3600–3612, 3620–3622, 3626–3634

Area code

0294, 0346

Stichtse Vecht is a municipality located in the province of Utrecht, in the Netherlands. It is a place where many people live and work.

This municipality is home to about 63,000 people. It covers an area of around 107 square kilometers (about 41 square miles). Stichtse Vecht was created on January 1, 2011. It was formed by combining three smaller municipalities: Breukelen (in the west), Maarssen (in the east), and Loenen (in the north).

Where is Stichtse Vecht?
History and Landmarks
Getting Around Stichtse Vecht
Towns and Villages
Famous People from Stichtse Vecht
Images for kids
See also

Where is Stichtse Vecht?

Stichtse Vecht is located just north of the city of Utrecht. This area is known as the Vechtstreek. The land here is mostly flat and close to sea level. You will see many green pastures, which are fields where animals like cows graze.

Inside Stichtse Vecht, you can find the Maarsseveense Plassen. These are lakes that people use for fun activities like swimming and boating. To the northeast, it borders the Loosdrechtse Plassen. These are also popular recreational lakes, but they are in the nearby municipality of Wijdemeren.

Two important waterways cross Stichtse Vecht from south to north. One is the Amsterdam–Rhine Canal, which is a large canal for ships. The other is the beautiful Vecht river.

History and Landmarks

Stichtse Vecht has a rich history. You can find several old country estates, called buitenplaatsen, and impressive castles here. Some famous examples include Nijenrode Castle, Slot Zuylen, and Huis te Mijnden. These buildings tell stories of the past.

Getting Around Stichtse Vecht

Traveling through Stichtse Vecht is easy. The A2 motorway runs right through the municipality, connecting it from south to north.

There are also two train stations for public transport:

Breukelen railway station
Maarssen railway station

Towns and Villages

Stichtse Vecht is made up of many smaller towns and villages. These used to be part of the three separate municipalities before they merged.

From Breukelen

Breukelen
Gieltjesdorp
Kockengen
Kortrijk
Laagnieuwkoop
Nieuwer-Ter-Aa
Noordeinde
Oud-Aa
Oukoop
Portengen
Portengense Brug
Scheendijk
Spengen
Zuideinde

From Loenen

Loenen (aan de Vecht)
Loenersloot
Mijnden
Nieuwerhoek
Nieuwersluis
Nigtevecht
Vreeland

From Maarssen

Maarssen
Maarssenbroek
Maarsseveen
Molenpolder
Oud-Maarsseveen
Oud-Zuilen
Tienhoven

Famous People from Stichtse Vecht

Many interesting people have connections to Stichtse Vecht. They include artists, writers, politicians, and athletes.

Artists and Writers

Willem Vrelant (died around 1481) was a Dutch artist who made beautiful illustrations for books.
Constantijn à Renesse (1626–1680) was a Dutch painter from Maarssen during the Dutch Golden Age.
Gerrit Zegelaar (1719–1794) was another Dutch painter from Loenen aan de Vecht.
Isabelle de Charrière (1740–1805) was a Dutch writer who lived at Castle Zuylen. She wrote letters, novels, and even music.
Nicolaas Bastert (1854–1939) was a Dutch landscape painter from Maarssen.
Marjolein Bastin (born 1943) is a Dutch artist and writer from Loenen aan de Vecht, famous for her nature art and children's books.
Rutger Hauer (1944–2019) was a famous Dutch actor from Breukelen. He also cared a lot about the environment.
Penney de Jager (born 1948) is a dancer and choreographer who lives in Stichtse Vecht.
Leoni Jansen (born 1955) is a Dutch singer, director, and TV presenter.

Public Service and Thinkers

Gerrit van Arkel (1858–1918) was a Dutch architect known for his Art Nouveau designs.
Aarnoud van Heemstra (1871–1957) was a Dutch nobleman and politician.
Pieter Nicolaas van Eyck (1887–1954) was a Dutch writer and philosopher.
Pierre Joseph Eyma (1903–1945) was a Dutch botanist.
Annelien Kappeyne van de Coppello (1936–1990) was a Dutch politician.
Sander Griffioen (born 1941) is a Dutch philosopher and academic.
Bernt Schneiders (born 1959) is a Dutch politician who has been a mayor in several cities.
Liesbeth Spies (born 1966) is a Dutch politician and current Mayor of Alphen aan den Rijn.
Marianne Thieme (born 1972) is a Dutch politician and activist for animal rights.

Athletes

Cor Aalten (1913–1991) was a Dutch athlete from Breukelen-Nijenrode who competed in the 1932 Summer Olympics.
Henk van der Grift (born 1935) is a retired Dutch speed skater who competed in the 1960 Winter Olympics.
Bart Verschoor (born 1965) is a sailor who competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Annemieke Kiesel (born 1979) is a former Dutch football player and coach. She played many games for the Dutch national team.