Dordrecht

Dordrecht is a commune of the province of Holland-Southerner and a city Dutchwoman of 119.098 inhabitants. It is the oldest city of Holland, area gathering the current provinces of Holland-Septentrional and Holland-Southerner. Dordrecht belongs to the conurbation of the Randstad (7 100.000 inhabitants between Amsterdam - Haarlem - $the Hague - Dordrecht - Utrecht).

Geography

Dordrecht is on an island: the island of Dordrecht. The island is surrounded by the Vieille Meuse, the lower Merwede, the Nouvelle Merwede, the Hollands Diep and the Dordtsche Kil. The Wantij crosses the island of Dordrecht in its septentrional part.

History

The original name of Dordrecht east Thuredrith. What wants to say: " place guéable of the river Thure".

In 1220, Dordrecht obtained municipal rights. So Dordrecht passes for the oldest city of Holland.

In 1421, Dordrecht suddenly was connected to the sea, thanks to the Inondation of the Holy-Elisabeth. Dordrecht became an important town of trade, thanks to its strategic situation. One made the trade of the wine, wood and the grain. Therefore there are many warehouses in Dordrecht. Today, there is always a large warehouse which is called " Bordeaux" in the " Street of Vin" in Dordrecht.

One also finds in Dordrecht the traditional college oldest of the Netherlands: today named Johan de Witt-gymnasium, this college was established in 1253.

February 14th, 1489, two treaties of alliance turned against the king of France are signed in Dordrecht, within the framework of the free-Breton Guerre (1489-1491): one between the England and the Austria, the other between the Austria and the Spain.

Famous characters

  • Aelbert Cuyp, painter landscape designer, born in 1620 in Dordrecht.

  • Gerrit Malleyn, painter (1753-1816), born in Dordrecht.
  • Abraham van Strij, painter (1753-1826), born and died in Dordrecht.
  • Lucien den Arend, Sculptor born in 1943 in Dordrecht.
  • Johan de Witt, large boarder of Holland, born in 1625 in Dordrecht.
  • Ary Scheffer, French painter of Dutch origin, born in 1795 in Dordrecht. After its death, a statue was set up to him in its birthplace, on the place which bears from now on its name. The museum of Dordrecht has a great number of its tables.
  • Marcel Proust, French writer. He wrote a poetry which has as a subject Dordrecht

Districts

The districts of Dordrecht are:

Structure

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