Zeewolde Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Zeewolde

Horsterwold forest

Flag	Coat of arms

Location in Flevoland

Established

1 January 1984

Government

• Body

Municipal council

Area

• Total

268.86 km² (103.81 sq mi)

• Land

248.54 km² (95.96 sq mi)

• Water

20.32 km² (7.85 sq mi)

Elevation

2 m (7 ft)

Population

(May 2014)

• Total

21,530

• Density

87/km² (230/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Postcode

3890–3899

Area code

036

Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Zeewolde, Sept. 2014.

Zeewolde is a town and a special area called a municipality in the middle of the Netherlands. It is located in the Flevoland province. About 22,000 people live there.

Zeewolde is built on a polder, which is land that was once under water but has been reclaimed. To the east, there is a small lake called the Wolderwijd. South of Zeewolde, you'll find a big forest named the Horsterwold. The land to the west is mostly used for farming.

Zeewolde is also known for its cool outdoor art, especially pieces that fit into the landscape. The most famous artwork is Sea Level by Richard Serra. You can find it in the De Wetering landscape park.

How Zeewolde Started
- Who Were the First People in Zeewolde?
- When Did Zeewolde Become a Municipality?
Getting Around Zeewolde
Famous People from Zeewolde
Gallery
See also

How Zeewolde Started

The municipality of Zeewolde was created in 1984. This makes it one of the newest municipalities in the Netherlands. Before 1984, the area was managed by a special government group. The name 'Zeewolde' was planned for the area even before it became a town.

Who Were the First People in Zeewolde?

The first people to live in Zeewolde were called 'pioneers'. They moved there in 1979 from older parts of the country. Many of them were farmers. In the beginning, they didn't even have basic things like electricity or tap water. The new village was mainly planned to help the nearby farmers.

Besides the farmers, two holiday resorts were also built in the area.

When Did Zeewolde Become a Municipality?

In August 1980, a group of advisors for Zeewolde met for the first time. In February 1982, the first local elections were held. A plan was made for the village to grow to 15,000 people. The actual building of the village started in 1983. Then, in 1984, Zeewolde officially became its own municipality. On February 23, 1984, the very first person to live in the village of Zeewolde got the keys to their new house.

Getting Around Zeewolde

Zeewolde does not have its own train stations. However, you can find nearby stations in Harderwijk, Nijkerk, and Almere. There are bus services that connect Zeewolde to these train stations.

Famous People from Zeewolde

Many interesting people have connections to Zeewolde:

Tom Viezee (born 1950) was a Christian minister and a politician. He was the Mayor of Zeewolde from 1999 to 2004.
Geke Faber (born 1952) is also a politician. She served as the Mayor of Zeewolde from 1990 to 1998.
Tim Visser (born 1987 in Zeewolde) is a rugby player. He plays for the Scotland national team.
Sabrina van der Donk (born 1988 in Zeewolde) is a model. She took part in the Miss Earth 2006 competition.
Sep Visser (born 1990 in Zeewolde) is another rugby player. He plays for Edinburgh Rugby.