Ter Aar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ter Aar
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|||
Location in South Holland
|
|||
| Country | Netherlands | ||
| Province | South Holland | ||
| Municipality | Nieuwkoop | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 21.71 km2 (8.38 sq mi) | ||
| • Land | 19.35 km2 (7.47 sq mi) | ||
| • Water | 2.36 km2 (0.91 sq mi) | ||
| Population
(1 July 2006)
|
9,007 | ||
Ter Aar is a town in the western part of the Netherlands. It is located in the province of South Holland, about 6 kilometers northeast of Alphen aan den Rijn. In 2006, about 9,000 people lived there.
Contents
Exploring Ter Aar's Geography
Ter Aar is special because a small canal called De Aar divides its land into two parts.
West and East Sides
- The western part is larger and is known as Langeraar, which means "Long Aar."
- The eastern part is called Korteraar, meaning "Short Aar."
These names are also used for two villages found in the area.
How Ter Aar Grew
Long ago, in 1788, a big flood destroyed the old village of Langeraar. A new village with the same name was then built further north.
At the spot where the old Langeraar used to be, a new village called Aardam was built. It was located near a bridge that crossed the Aar canal.
Northwest of Aardam, there was a place called Kerkbuurt, which means "Church Neighborhood." This area grew around a church that was built way back in 1568. Today, the main town of Ter Aar has grown to include both Aardam and Kerkbuurt.
Papenveer Hamlet
North of Aardam, a small community called Papenveer also grew. It developed around a ferry that helped people cross the Aar canal.
History of Ter Aar as a Municipality
Ter Aar used to be its own local government area, called a municipality.
When Ter Aar Was a Municipality
- The municipality of Ter Aar existed from 1812 until 2007.
- In 1817, a small area called Vrijhoeven became a separate municipality.
- However, Vrijhoeven joined back with Ter Aar in 1841.
- In 2004, the municipality of Ter Aar covered an area of about 21.71 square kilometers. A small part of this, about 2.34 square kilometers, was water.
- On January 1, 2007, Ter Aar became part of a larger municipality called Nieuwkoop.
Famous People from Ter Aar
Many talented people have come from Ter Aar, especially speed skaters!
- Jan W. van der Hoorn (1923–2017) was a famous speed skater. He won the 1947 Elfstedentocht, which is a very long and famous ice skating race in the Netherlands.
- Lenie van der Hoorn-Langelaan (born 1948) was another amazing speed skater. She won the first women's Elfstedentocht race in 1985. She also won many other long-distance skating races.
- Jens Toornstra (born 1989) is a professional footballer. He has played for the Dutch national team and for well-known clubs like Feyenoord.
