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Ter Aar
Flag of Ter Aar
Flag
Coat of arms of Ter Aar
Coat of arms
Location in South Holland
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.

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.
Nieuwkoop-Ter Aar, de Gereformeerde kerk GM0569WN045 IMG 0655 2022-03-27 14.28
Ter Aar, reformed church
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