Gouda
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other uses, see Gouda (disambiguation).
Gouda (population 71,797 in 2004) is a city in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Gouda, which was granted city rights in 1272, is famous for its Gouda cheese, smoking pipes and its 15th century town hall. The Sint Janskerk has the most significant stained glass in the Netherlands[1]. The town takes its name from the Van der Goude family, who built a fortified castle alongside the banks of the Gouwe River, from which the family took its name. The area, originally marshland, developed over the course of two centuries. By 1225, a canal was linked to the Gouwe and its estuary was transformed into a harbor. It is likely best known for its namesake cheese. Goudas fabulous array of histoic churches and other buildings makes it a very poular day trip destination. Unfortunately in recent years Gouda has gained a reputation as a centre of petty and car crime, allegedly instigated by a disenfanchised small group of 2nd generation Morroccan immigrants. A fact that the far right have tried to exploit.
[edit] "Twin Towns"
[edit] Natives of Gouda
- Gheraert Leeu (1445 - 1493), one of the first incunabulum pressers in North Holland.
- Desiderius Erasmus (1466 - 1536), philosopher, humanist (his place of birth is a debatable topic; some people believe that Erasmus was born in Rotterdam. Erasmus, however, wasn't proud of being Dutch at all.)
- Adriaan Vlacq (1600-1667), mathematician and publisher.
- Pieter Johannes van Rhijn (1886—1960), astronomer.
- Leo Vroman (born 1915), poet.
[edit] External links
- Official website for the city of Gouda (in Dutch)
- Map of the city
- Wikimapia Map of the city
- A collection of old pictures and drawings of Gouda
- Virtual Tour of St. Johns church (Sint Janskerk) Gouda
- MapQuest map of Gouda
- Maps of South Holland
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