Zoeterwoude Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Zoeterwoude

Former monastery of the Franciscan Order from 1880, later a girls' school, in Zoeterwoude

Flag	Coat of arms

Location in South Holland

Government

• Body

Municipal council

Area

• Total

21.96 km² (8.48 sq mi)

• Land

21.26 km² (8.21 sq mi)

• Water

0.70 km² (0.27 sq mi)

Elevation

−2 m (−6.6 ft)

Population

(May 2014)

• Total

8,088

• Density

380/km² (1,000/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Postcode

2380–2382

Area code

071

Zoeterwoude (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌzutərˈʋʌudə]) is a small town in the Netherlands. It is a municipality in the province of South Holland. Zoeterwoude is located in the western part of the Netherlands.

The town covers about 21.96 km² (8.48 sq mi) of land and water. A small part of this area, 0.70 km² (0.27 sq mi), is water. In 2014, about 8,088 people lived there.

Zoeterwoude is found southeast of Leiden and north of Zoetermeer. The municipality includes several smaller places. These are Gelderswoude, Weipoort, Westeinde, Zoeterwoude-Dorp, Zoeterwoude-Rijndijk, and Zuidbuurt.

Zoeterwoude's Location and Landscape
The History of Zoeterwoude
Economy of Zoeterwoude
Famous People from Zoeterwoude
- Sports Stars from Zoeterwoude
Images for kids
See also

Zoeterwoude's Location and Landscape

Dutch topographic map of Zoeterwoude, Sept. 2014. Click to enlarge.

This map shows where Zoeterwoude is located. You can see its landscape and how it fits into the area. It helps you understand the geography of the municipality.

The History of Zoeterwoude

1867 map of Zoeterwoude.

The name Zoeterwoude first appeared in a document from 1205. This document mentioned a person named "Florentius van Sotrewold." It is not certain if this was about the village itself. The first clear mention of Zoeterwoude was in 1276. At that time, Dirk van Santhorst received the "Soetrewold" area from Floris V, Count of Holland.

Early Boundaries and Challenges

Around the year 1300, the borders of Zoeterwoude were set. Back then, it was one of the largest municipalities in the Netherlands. However, over time, nearby cities, especially Leiden, took over much of its land.

In 1450, the first bridge was built between Leiderdorp and Zoeterwoude. This helped connect the two places.

The Siege of Leiden and Zoeterwoude

In 1574, during a war, the people of Leiden burned Zoeterwoude. They also flooded its polders (low-lying lands). This was done to make it harder for enemy armies to attack Leiden. It also helped the city's cannons reach further. Because of this, almost no one was left living in Zoeterwoude.

Rebuilding and Modern Changes

By about 1650, Zoeterwoude was mostly rebuilt. Fifty years later, it was doing very well. After 1800, Leiden began to take more land from Zoeterwoude. This made Zoeterwoude's land area smaller.

In 1960, the A4 motorway was built. Since 1966, this motorway has been the border between Leiden and Zoeterwoude.

Economy of Zoeterwoude

Zoeterwoude is home to some important businesses.

A large data center for SWIFT is located here. SWIFT helps banks around the world send messages to each other safely.
The main brewery for Heineken International is also in Zoeterwoude. Heineken is a very well-known company that makes drinks.

Famous People from Zoeterwoude

Lucretia Wilhelmina van Merken, 1771 portrait.

Many interesting people have come from Zoeterwoude.

Lucretia Wilhelmina van Merken (1721-1789) was a writer of plays and poems.
Harm Kamerlingh Onnes (1893–1985) was a painter and worked with ceramics.
Paul van Kempen (1893–1955) was a talented violinist and conductor.
Bram van Velde (1895–1981) was a famous fine-art painter.
Aar de Goede (1928–2016) was a politician. He worked to help the community.

Sports Stars from Zoeterwoude

Zoeterwoude has also produced some great athletes.

François Brandt (1874–1949) was a rower who competed in the 1900 Summer Olympics.
Jeroen Straathof (born 1972) is an athlete who competed in both cycling and speed skating.
Suzanne de Goede (born 1984) is a cyclist.