Velsen Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Velsen

Aerial view of Velsen

Flag	Coat of arms

Location in North Holland

Region

Amsterdam metropolitan area

Government

• Body

Municipal council

Area

• Total

63.05 km² (24.34 sq mi)

• Land

44.78 km² (17.29 sq mi)

• Water

18.27 km² (7.05 sq mi)

Elevation

6 m (20 ft)

Population

(May 2014)

• Total

67,294

• Density

1,503/km² (3,890/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Velsenaar

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Postcode

1950–1951, 1970–1992, 2070–2082

Area code

023, 0251, 0255

Velsen is home to many interesting buildings.

Velsen (pronounced VEL-zen) is a town and a municipality in the Netherlands. It is located in the province of North Holland. Velsen is special because it sits on both sides of the North Sea Canal.

On the north side of the canal, you'll find a very large steel factory. This factory is called Tata Steel IJmuiden. It used to be known as Koninklijke Hoogovens. The main office for the Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij (a rescue organization) is also in IJmuiden.

South of the canal, there is a lovely beach called Kennemerstrand. This beach is at the end of the Kennemerboulevard. You can also find the beach of Bloemendaal aan Zee nearby.

What Towns Make Up Velsen?
- Towns North of the Canal
- Towns South of the Canal
How to Get Around Velsen
- Crossing the North Sea Canal
- Railway Stations in Velsen
Velsen's History
Velsen's Sister Cities
Famous People from Velsen
- Sports Stars from Velsen
Images for kids
See Also

What Towns Make Up Velsen?

The municipality of Velsen includes several towns and villages. They are split by the North Sea Canal.

Towns North of the Canal

Velsen-Noord is the main town on the north side.

Towns South of the Canal

Velsen-Zuid
Driehuis
IJmuiden
Santpoort-Noord
Santpoort-Zuid
Velserbroek
Parts of the Spaarnwoude recreation area, including Oosterbroek and Buitenhuizen.

A map showing the different parts of Velsen.

How to Get Around Velsen

Velsen has several ways to cross the North Sea Canal. This helps people travel between the north and south parts of the municipality.

Crossing the North Sea Canal

Tunnels: There is a railway tunnel for trains. It connects the Driehuis and Beverwijk railway stations. There are also road tunnels, like the Wijker Tunnel and the Velser Tunnel.
Ferry: You can also take a ferry across the canal.
Road over Locks: A road goes over the large lock system.

Railway Stations in Velsen

Velsen has several train stations for easy travel:

Driehuis
Santpoort Noord
Santpoort Zuid

In the past, there was a fast ferry to Amsterdam. There was also a train line between IJmuiden and Amsterdam, called the IJmondlijn. This train line closed in 1999.

Velsen's History

People have found the ruins of an old Roman naval base in Velsen. These ruins were discovered starting in 1945. Experts believe this base might be the ancient town of Flevum. This town was mentioned by the ancient geographer Ptolemy.

Velsen's Sister Cities

Velsen has special partnerships with two other cities around the world. These are called "twin towns" or "sister cities".

Bergisch Gladbach, a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Galle, a port city on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka.

Famous People from Velsen

Many interesting people have come from Velsen. They have made contributions in different fields.

Pim Fortuyn was a well-known politician from Driehuis.

Lenneke Ruiten is a talented Dutch soprano singer.

Saint Engelmund of Velsen (died around 739) was a missionary from England. He traveled to Frisia to spread his faith.
Jan van der Hoeve (1878–1952) was an eye doctor from Santpoort. He described a medical condition called Waardenburg syndrome in 1916.
Karel Niessen (1895–1967) was a theoretical physicist from Velsen. He studied quantum mechanics, a complex area of physics.
Joop Doderer (1921–2005) was a Dutch actor from Velsen. He was famous for playing the character Swiebertje.
Annie Palmen (1926–2000) was a singer from IJmuiden. She represented the Netherlands in the 1963 Eurovision Song Contest.
Cornelis Vreeswijk (1937–1987) was a singer-songwriter, poet, and actor from IJmuiden. He was very popular in Sweden.
Pim Fortuyn (1948–2002) was a politician from Driehuis. He was a well-known figure in Dutch politics.
Jan Luiten van Zanden (born 1955) is an economic historian from IJmuiden. He is a professor at a university.
Peter Klashorst (born 1957) is a Dutch painter, sculptor, and photographer from Santpoort.
Hans van de Ven (born 1958) is an expert on the recent history of China. He is also from Velsen.
Bernard Berkhout (born 1961) is a family doctor and a jazz clarinet player from Santpoort.
Franc Weerwind (born 1964) is a Dutch politician. He served as the Mayor of Velsen from 2009 to 2015.
Cees Krijnen (born 1969) is a Dutch artist and theatre actor from Velsen.
Marie-José van der Kolk (born 1974), known as Loona, is a singer, songwriter, and dancer from IJmuiden.
Lenneke Ruiten (born 1984) is a Dutch soprano singer from Velsen.

Sports Stars from Velsen

Velsen has also produced many talented athletes.

Olga Commandeur competed in the Olympics as a track and field athlete.

Gerrit Voorting (1923–2015) was a road cyclist from Velsen. He won a silver medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics.
Ilja Keizer (born 1944) is a retired middle-distance runner from IJmuiden. She competed in the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games.
Eltjo Schutter (born 1953) is a retired decathlete from Driehuis. He competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Olga Commandeur (born 1958) is a track and field athlete from Velsen. She competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Ingrid Haringa (born 1964) is a former speed skater and racing cyclist from Velsen. She also worked as a police officer.
Stella de Heij (born 1968) is a former field hockey goalkeeper from Driehuis. She won a bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
René Bot (born 1978) is a retired footballer from Velsen. He played many games for De Graafschap.
Joël Veltman (born 1992) is a professional footballer from IJmuiden. He has played many games for AFC Ajax.