Almelo is a city and municipality in the Twente region in the
Dutch province of Overijssel. The municipality of Almelo covers an
area of 69 km² and has a population of 73,175.
The
municipality of Almelo was created from a merger (1914) between the
municipalities of Ambt Almelo and Stad Almelo. In addition to the
city of Almelo, the municipality includes the centers of Aadorp,
Bornerbroek and Mariaparochie (partially). The municipality of
Almelo is part of the Twente Region. Some of the Almeloers speak
Twents, a Low Saxon dialect.
Almelo was created in the Middle
Ages. The name goes back to the Germanic words alma "olm" and lauha
"lo". A lo is a forest that is located on sandy soil and is often
close to a settlement.
At the above-mentioned intersection of
the Almelo Aa and that country road, the Huis Almelo was first
mentioned in 1236 and still exists today. Old documents show that
the settlement already had city rights in at least 1420. The city
had a moat, but no wall, so it was never of military importance.
Huis Almelo has probably been around since the 12th century and is
still in the hands of the Van Rechteren Limpurg family to this day.
The family had different rights in the city of Almelo for centuries,
including that to administer justice. Today, the count is engaged in
the restoration of old buildings in the city center and the
maintenance of forests owned by the family.
After the then
lord of Almelo, Zeger van Rechteren (1623-1674), who was living in
the Huis Almelo, forbade the practice of the Catholic religion, the
nuns of the Almelo Monastery of St. Catherine left in 1665 and
settled 300 meters across the border with Germany. just southwest of
Glane in the Netherlands in a monastery they gave the name Maria
Vlucht. After the abolition of the monastery, the church treasures,
partly from Almelo, were spread over the region.
In the 17th
and 18th centuries, home weaving began to emerge. The entrance in
Almelo of the first steam engine in 1830 caused a transition to
factory production. The textile industry was also promoted by the
construction of the Overijssels Kanaal (in 1855) and the railway
line from Almelo to Salzbergen, in 1865. Around 1900 there were
therefore many very wealthy families in Almelo and many country
houses and villas in various styles such as Art Nouveau,
Expressionism and Renaissance Revival.
Between 1818 and 1914,
the municipality of Almelo was split into the municipalities Stad
Almelo and Ambt Almelo.
During the Second World War, Almelo
was one of the places where the raid in Twente took place in
September 1941, in which 10 Jewish men were arrested in Almelo and
died in Mauthausen concentration camp. Then the resistance started
to allow Jews to go into hiding. Frits Tusveld and his wife Henny
Averink, as well as Alie Tharner and others managed to save 60
Jewish fellow citizens. The Jewish cemetery of Almelo contains a
monument commemorating the 242 Jews who died as well as the people
who went into hiding.
On November 15, 1944, eight members of
the resistance committed a raid on De Nederlandsche Bank on
Wierdensestraat. The loot amounted to 46.1 million guilders, the
highest loot ever during a robbery in the Netherlands. This bank
robbery was reenacted in the city musicals Van Katoen & Nu and Het
resistance cracks. The street names in the Dichtersveld district in
Almelo are named after several resistance fighters.
From the
1960s, the Almelo textile industry had a hard time because of
cheaper foreign competition, which led to massive company closures.
Today the effects of this are still visible in the unemployment
figures. Many textile factories have been demolished, but some
buildings have been preserved.
According to many, Bellinckhof
on Wierdensestraat is the most beautiful of the villas that textile
barons had built. Built by the Ten Cate family in the twenties of
the twentieth century, it is also one of the largest textile houses
in Twente. The house and park are not open to the public. The design
is by architect Karel Muller. The dining room is paneled with
mahogany, the hall has a black-veined white marble floor and the
room has green paneling with pink silk and decorated with family
portraits of the Ten Cates. The current family spawn is, just like
the count, active in city conservation and, in addition to its own
park, helps maintain the Egbert ten Cateplantsoen and the
Beeklustpark in Almelo.
Location and Coordinates
Almelo is situated at approximately
52°21′N 6°40′E (52.350°N, 6.667°E), placing it centrally in the Twente
region. It lies about 15 km northwest of Enschede and 10 km northeast of
Hengelo, forming part of a densely populated industrial corridor along
the A1 and A35 motorways. To the north and east, the landscape
transitions into more rural areas, with tourist-oriented towns like
Ootmarsum, Delden, and Markelo within cycling distance (10-20 km). The
German border is roughly 20 km to the east, facilitating cross-border
trade and travel. Almelo's strategic location at canal junctions has
historically driven its growth as a transport node, connecting it to
broader European waterway networks.
The municipality encompasses
several population centers: the main city of Almelo, along with smaller
villages such as Aadorp (to the north), Mariaparochie (northeast), and
Bornerbroek (southwest). These are integrated into a network of roads,
railways, and paths that traverse the flat terrain, with the city center
acting as the focal point for commerce and services.
Topography
Almelo's topography is predominantly flat, consistent with the
Netherlands' overall landscape where about 26% of the land lies below
sea level. The average elevation is around 12 meters (39 feet) above sea
level, with minimal variation—within a 2-mile radius, the maximum
elevation change is only about 24 meters (79 feet). This flatness
results from centuries of land reclamation and polder creation,
transforming former marshy areas into arable land. The surrounding
Twente countryside introduces subtle rolling hills, particularly to the
east and south, where sandy soils and glacial deposits from the
Pleistocene era create gentle undulations up to 20-30 meters in height.
The region features a mix of agricultural fields, meadows, and scattered
woodlands, with human intervention evident in straight drainage ditches
and hedgerows. Urban areas in Almelo proper are built on slightly
elevated ground to mitigate flood risks, while peripheral zones include
reclaimed peatlands and clay soils suitable for farming. Geological
surveys indicate that the subsurface consists of sedimentary layers from
river deposits, contributing to the area's fertility but also its
vulnerability to subsidence.
Climate
Almelo experiences a
temperate maritime climate (Köppen Cfb), influenced by its inland
position and proximity to the North Sea (about 100 km west). Summers are
mild, with average highs of 22-23°C (72-73°F) in July, while winters are
cool, averaging 2-3°C (36-37°F) in January, with occasional frost.
Annual precipitation totals around 800-850 mm, evenly distributed but
with slightly wetter autumns. Winds are predominantly westerly, bringing
moist Atlantic air, and fog is common in low-lying areas during
transitional seasons.
The flat topography exacerbates temperature
extremes compared to coastal regions, with hotter summers and colder
winters possible. Climate data from nearby stations show an average of
1,500-1,600 sunshine hours annually, with overcast skies frequent.
Recent trends indicate warming, with projections for 2025 suggesting
increased flood risks due to heavier rainfall events, aligning with
national patterns. This climate supports diverse vegetation, from
grasslands to deciduous forests, but necessitates robust water
management.
Water Features
Water is a defining element of
Almelo's geography, with the city crisscrossed by canals and rivers that
form part of the extensive Dutch waterway system. The Twentekanaal
(Twente Canal) is the most prominent, running through the city and
connecting the IJssel River to industrial hubs like Enschede. This 65 km
canal, with branches including the Almelo-Nordhorn arm extending to
Germany, facilitates barge traffic and includes locks to manage
elevation differences. The Overijssel Canal intersects here, enhancing
connectivity to the west.
Smaller water bodies include the Loolee and
Doorbraak streams, as well as the Almelose Aa river, which meanders
through urban parks and green belts. These features are engineered with
dikes, pumps, and sluices to prevent flooding, given that parts of
Almelo lie near or below sea level. Ponds and retention basins in
outlying areas aid in water storage, while the 2.14 km² of surface water
supports biodiversity, including wetlands for birds and aquatic plants.
Flood maps highlight vulnerability to sea level rise, with low-lying
polders at risk without ongoing maintenance.
Surrounding Areas
and Environmental Aspects
The environs of Almelo transition from
urban to rural, with agricultural polders dominating the north and west,
interspersed with nature reserves like the Springendal (to the east)
featuring heathlands and springs. To the south, the landscape merges
with the Achterhoek region, known for wooded estates and biodiversity.
Environmental efforts focus on sustainable water management and green
corridors, such as cycling paths along canals that link to regional
parks.