Zoetermeer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zoetermeer
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City and municipality
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Buildings in Zoetermeer
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Location in South Holland
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 Zoetermeer
Location in Netherlands
Zoetermeer
Location in Europe
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| Country | Netherlands | ||
| Province | South Holland | ||
| Government | |||
| • Body | Municipal council | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 37.05 km2 (14.31 sq mi) | ||
| • Land | 34.55 km2 (13.34 sq mi) | ||
| • Water | 2.50 km2 (0.97 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | −3 m (−9.8 ft) | ||
| Population
(May 2014)
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| • Total | 123,784 | ||
| • Density | 3,583/km2 (9,280/sq mi) | ||
| Demonym(s) | Zoetermeerder | ||
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) | ||
| Postcode |
2700–2729
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| Area code | 079 | ||
Zoetermeer (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌzutərˈmeːr]) is a lively city in the western Netherlands. It is located in the province of South Holland. The city's name means "freshwater lake" in Dutch. This is because there used to be a large lake north of the town. People sometimes call Zoetermeer "Sweet Lake City" because of its name.
Zoetermeer was a very small village until the late 1960s. In 1950, only about 6,000 people lived there. But by 2023, its population had grown to nearly 127,000! This makes it the fourth largest city in South Holland. It is part of the larger urban area around The Hague.
Contents
History of Zoetermeer
Scientists have found old Roman pottery pieces in Zoetermeer. This suggests people might have lived here even in Roman times. They also found bones of ancient animals like mammoths and saber-toothed tigers. These animals roamed the area tens of thousands of years ago!
The village of Zoetermeer is over a thousand years old. In the Middle Ages, farmers dug holes to get clay. They used this clay to improve their land. In one of these holes, archaeologists found a carved wooden pole from the year 985. This proves people were living in Zoetermeer way back then.
Zoetermeer was one of the oldest towns in its province. It had to pay a special tax to the Count of Holland. The first written record of Zoetermeer as a village is from 1269.
In the 13th century, a village center began to form. This area is still known today as the historic Dorpsstraat. Until the 17th century, there was a real lake called the Zoetermeer. Today, the "Zoetermeerse Plas" in the Noord Aa recreation area reminds us of this lake. This artificial lake was created when sand was needed for new houses.
Another settlement called Zegwaart grew near Zoetermeer. It was named after a low-lying area covered in sedge plants. Zoetermeer grew more successfully than Zegwaart over the years. Zegwaart often suffered from fires and floods. On May 1, 1935, both villages joined together to form the current municipality of Zoetermeer.
Zoetermeer started to grow a bit when the first train arrived around 1868. Later, a factory called Numico opened near the station. But the city's real growth began in 1966. Many people from The Hague needed homes. So, new neighborhoods were built around the old village. This is how Zoetermeer grew into the city it is today.
Even though Zoetermeer is a modern city, you can still see parts of its past. The old village center has small houses and a church with a 15th-century clock tower. There are also old farms surrounded by new buildings. The Dobbe lake separates the old town from the new city center. The medieval village is on one side, and modern high-rise buildings are on the other.
Neighborhoods of Zoetermeer
Zoetermeer is divided into several neighborhoods. Each neighborhood usually has its own shopping area and a tram stop.
Meerzicht (1969)
Meerzicht means "lake view." This neighborhood is split by the RandstadRail tracks. Meerzicht-Oost has taller apartment buildings. Meerzicht-West has smaller homes. To the west, you'll find the Westerpark, a large urban park with lots of water.
Buytenwegh de Leyens (1974)
This area was built with many single-family homes. These homes have private gardens, which became very popular with Dutch families. It includes the older areas of Buytenwegh and De Leyens.
Centrum (1978)
The new city center of Zoetermeer was built starting in 1981. It was designed to be the main shopping and administrative area. It has modern features like parking garages and a train station on the ground level. Above that, there are areas just for walking and biking, with shops and apartments. This design helps keep the center lively all day and night.
The center has two RandstadRail stations. Centrum-West is a busy spot with a large bus station. The modern town hall and police station are also here. A small lake, the Grote Dobbe, connects the new city center with the old village.
Noordhove & Seghwaert (1986)
Noordhove is located between Seghwaert to the south and the artificial lake "Zoetermeerse Plas" to the north. Seghwaert was built around the former village of Zegwaart, which joined Zoetermeer in 1935. The old Zegwaart was a long row of houses along the Zegwaartseweg.
Rokkeveen (1987)
Rokkeveen is separated from other neighborhoods by the A12 motorway and a railway line. It has good access to Zoetermeer's train stations. The Floriade 1992, a big flower and garden show, took place here. The Mandelabrug (Nelson Mandela bridge) was built for the Floriade. It's a covered path for bikes and walkers over the railway and motorway.
Oosterheem (1999)
Oosterheem is the newest part of Zoetermeer. It has helped the city grow even more. It is served by three stations on the RandstadRail line.
Economy and Jobs
Zoetermeer's economy mainly focuses on Information technology. The city has modern buildings and a digital center called 'het Forum'. This center houses the city hall, the main library, and many other organizations. Many schools in Zoetermeer offer IT-related courses. Because of this, Zoetermeer is a major hub for software development.
Many IT companies have offices in Zoetermeer. For example, Siemens has its Dutch Tech Campus here. About 20% of the people in Zoetermeer work in IT. The city government also spends a lot of money on computers for schools. Zoetermeer was even the first city in the world to have a city hall in the virtual world of Second Life.
Getting Around Zoetermeer
Light Rail
The old Zoetermeer urban railway was updated to a light rail system in 2006/2007. This new system is part of the RandstadRail network. It connects Zoetermeer with The Hague and Rotterdam. The original line now has 13 stations in Zoetermeer. A new line, the Oosterheemlijn, goes to the new Oosterheem neighborhood.
Heavy Rail
Zoetermeer has three stations on the main railway line between The Hague and Utrecht. The Zoetermeer-Oost station reopened in 1965. The main Zoetermeer station opened in 1973. The newest station, Station Lansingerland-Zoetermeer, was finished in 2019.
Motorway
The A12 motorway runs right next to Zoetermeer. This road connects The Hague with other major cities like Utrecht and Arnhem. It also goes all the way to Germany.
Religion in Zoetermeer
Zoetermeer is special because it is the only place in the Netherlands with a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is located near the old village center.
Fun and Recreation
Zoetermeer used to be a smaller city where people would travel to The Hague for fun. But as Zoetermeer grew, it added many of its own entertainment options. Now, it has a large theater, a big cinema, go-karts, laser gaming, and a golf center.
Museums
The city has two museums: Museum deVoorde and the National Videogame Museum.
SnowWorld
SnowWorld was the first indoor ski slope in Europe to use real snow. It opened in 1996. It has three slopes, with the longest being 200 meters. There are plans to make it even longer, up to 300 meters! SnowWorld attracts over a million visitors every year. It is the most popular tourist spot in Zoetermeer.
Dutch Water Dreams
Dutch Water Dreams (DWD) was an artificial Olympic wild water rafting course. It was a copy of the course used in China for the 2008 Olympic Games. It was mainly used for training by European rafting teams. It also offered fun activities like team building and recreation. DWD also had an indoor Flowrider center. Dutch Water Dreams closed in 2015.
Silverdome
Silverdome is a large indoor ice skating track and convention center. It is used by the KNSB, which is the Dutch organization for Olympic and world championship ice skaters. It also has the only curling rink in the Netherlands. When it's not skating season, Silverdome hosts conventions, concerts, and large parties.
Parks and Nature
Zoetermeer has many beautiful parks. The biggest is the "Westerpark" on the west side of town. It's almost as big as Central Park in New York City! Other notable parks include the "Buytenpark" and the "Floriade park."
On the north side of the city, there is a lake called the "Zoetermeerse Plas." It's often called "Noord Aa" because it's in the Noord Aa Recreational Area. The lake has a beach on one side and a marina on the other. Popular activities on the lake include windsurfing, kite surfing, sailing, and fishing.
New forests are being planted on both the west and east sides of the city. These are called "Balijbos" (west) and Bentwoud (east). These forests will create a natural barrier between The Hague and Zoetermeer.
Cities Zoetermeer is Connected To
Zoetermeer is twinned with several cities around the world. This means they have special friendly relationships and often share ideas and culture.
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Famous People from Zoetermeer
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Many interesting people have come from Zoetermeer or live there.
Public Service and Thinkers
- Antonius van den Broek (1870–1926): A physicist and lawyer.
- Hilbrand Nawijn (born 1948): A Dutch politician.
- Bert van der Spek (born 1949): A historian who studies ancient times.
- Charlie Aptroot (born 1950): A Dutch politician and former Mayor of Zoetermeer.
- Dick Schoof (born 1957): A Dutch civil servant and politician, who became the Prime Minister of the Netherlands in 2024.
- Martijn van Dam (born 1978): An engineer and politician.
- Rutger de Regt (born 1979): A furniture designer.
Artists and Performers
- Dennis Princewell Stehr (born 1984), known as Mr Probz: A Dutch singer, rapper, and producer.
- San Holo (born 1990): A Dutch DJ and music producer.
- Shandro Jahangier (born 1992), known as Sandro Silva: A Dutch DJ and record producer.
- Romee Strijd (born 1995): A Dutch model.
Sports Stars
- Jopie Selbach (1918–1998): A Dutch freestyle swimmer and Olympic gold medalist.
- Xenia Stad-de Jong (1922–2012): A Dutch track and field athlete and Olympic gold medalist.
- Monique Bolleboom (born 1962): A former artistic gymnast who competed in the Olympics.
- Karen Venhuizen (born 1984): A former competitive figure skater.
- Suzanne Harmes (born 1986): A Dutch gymnast who competed in the Olympics.
- Leroy Fer (born 1990): A Dutch football player.
- Yara van Kerkhof (born 1990): A Dutch short track speed skater and Olympic silver medalist.
- Charlton Vicento (born 1991): A Curaçaoan football player.
- Remon van Bochoven (born 1989): A Dutch football player.
- Rosalin Kuiper (born 1995): A Dutch sailor and world record holder.
Panorama
See also
In Spanish: Zoetermeer para niños
