Schiedam is a city and municipality in the Dutch province of
South Holland. The municipal council participates in the joint
scheme Metropolitan Region Rotterdam-The Hague.
Schiedam is
located between Rotterdam and Vlaardingen, originally on the Schie
and later also on the Nieuwe Maas. As of August 1, 2020, the
municipality had 79,003 inhabitants (source: CBS). The city is known
worldwide for its gin production, the historic city center with
historic harbors (in other Dutch cities these would be called
'canals') and the highest windmills in the world.
The history of the city of Schiedam dates back to the 13th
century. Near the mouth of the Schie, a dam was probably built
around 1230 by Mr van Wassenaar and / or Mr Dirk Bokel of Mathenesse
craftsmanship to protect the polder land against seawater. In 1247,
Aleid van Holland received the eastern part of the dam (and the
small polder) as a bridal gift when she married Jan van Avesnes. In
1275 city rights were granted by Lady Aleid of Holland (Aleida van
Avesnes), the sister of Count William II of Holland.
The
eighteenth century was Schiedam's Golden Age: the stalled drink
import from France made the emergence of the Schiedam gin distillery
possible. Schiedam gin was exported all over the world from dozens
of distilleries and distilleries. The gin industry gave Schiedam the
nickname 'Black Nazareth'. The industry has largely disappeared, but
six mills still determine the cityscape: Molen De Walvisch, Molen De
Drie Koornbloemen, Molen De Vrijheid, Molen De Noord, Molen De
Palmboom, the Noletmolen built in 2008 and the Molen De Kameel
rebuilt in 2011, the tallest windmills in the world. A large
number of former distilleries also recalls the time of the burner.
The Jenever Museum has been located in one of these distilleries,
located on the historic Lange Haven, since 1996.
In 1941 the
municipality of Kethel and Spaland was annexed, leaving room for
large-scale housing to the north of Schiedam. The districts of
Tuindorp, Sveaparken, Kethel, Groenoord, Woudhoek and Spaland are
now located here.
Old town hall (Schiedam)
Schiedam's Old Town Hall is located
on the Grote Markt. The building, built in 1538, was rebuilt in 1606
after a fire (1604), and provided with the current gables in 1637.
The double staircase dates from 1717-1718. In 1782 it was modernized
by the then city architect Rutger van Bol'es. The last meeting of
the city council was held here in January 1973. Nowadays there is a
restaurant in one part of the town hall, the other part is used for
weddings, meetings and representative purposes.
Prof. Mr.
Pieter van Vollenhoven opened the restored Town Hall on October 22,
2004, a restoration that took a year and a half and was made
possible by a Kanjers subsidy from the National Agency for the
Preservation of Monuments. During the restoration of the old town
hall, both the interior and the exterior were discussed. The
paintwork, the ceilings and the furnishing of various rooms have
been overhauled. The exterior facade has also been restored and the
turret restored.
Grote or St. Janskerk
Seven scaffolding mills: the "six
classic mills" (Mill De Walvisch, Mill De Drie Koornbloemen, Mill De
Vrijheid, Mill De Noord, Mill De Palmboom, Mill De Kameel) and the
new "energy mill" De Nolet (2006); the mills shown in the picture
are the tallest classic mills in the world
The ruin of Huis te
Riviere
St. Liduina Basilica with Sacred Heart statue
The
canals of Schiedam (called "harbors": Lange Haven, Korte Haven and
Nieuwe Haven)
Babbersmolen (stone house mill 1710-1888) Stelling
mill (1888-1924) Stelling mill (2014 - Present)
Bag carrier house
Korenbeurs
Former Sint-Jacobs hospital, now the Stedelijk Museum
Schiedam
Office building for the then HAV Bank by architect Dudok
from 1935, converted into apartments in 1997
Saint John the
Baptist Church (Harbor Church)
Historical cityscapes
Schiedam is largely located within the Ring Rotterdam. This makes the
city easily accessible via the exit on the A4 Schiedam-West and the
exits on the A20 Schiedam-Noord and Schiedam.
Schiedam has a combined
train and metro station, Schiedam Centrum station. From this station you
can travel by train with a direct connection to Almere, Amsterdam,
Dordrecht, The Hague, Lelystad, Rotterdam, Roosendaal and Vlissingen.
Schiedam can also be reached by metro. Schiedam Centrum station can be
reached with metro lines A, B and C from Rotterdam. With metro line C
you can also travel further along the Schiedam metro stations Parkweg,
Troelstralaan and Vijfsluizen in the direction of Hoogvliet and
Spijkenisse. After an opening on September 28, 2019, the Hoekse Lijn
started on September 30, 2019. Schiedam Nieuwland station was opened as
a metro of the Hoekse Lijn when it was put into use and is accessible by
metro lines A and B.
Schiedam also has a tram connection with
Rotterdam. Tram lines 21 (only during the day until approximately 7:00
PM) and 24 both serve the city centre, Schiedam Centrum station and
Schiedam-Noord.
Schiedam has approximately 35 schools for primary, secondary, special
education and senior secondary vocational education, including public,
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Reformed and Islamic schools. In neighboring
Rotterdam, there are various higher vocational education programs and
the Erasmus University Rotterdam.
The oldest secondary school is
the Stedelijk Gymnasium Schiedam with a history dating back to 1346. The
newest secondary school is Lyceum Schravenlant.
Schiedam traditionally had two hospitals: the Municipal Hospital and the Nolet Hospital, which merged in 1981 into the Schieland Hospital. The Vlietland Hospital was opened in 2008, a merger of the Schieland Hospital in Schiedam and the Holy Hospital in Vlaardingen. This hospital is located near the A20 and Schiedam Nieuwland station. On 29 June 2012, this hospital merged with the Fransiscus Gasthuis in Rotterdam.