Zaandam | |
|---|---|
 Windmills at theZaanse Schans north of Zaandam in 2007 | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Zaandam | |
| Coordinates:52°26′N4°50′E / 52.433°N 4.833°E /52.433; 4.833 | |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Province | North Holland |
| Municipality | Zaanstad |
| Population (2017)[1] | |
• Total | 76,804 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Zaandam (Dutch pronunciation:[zaːnˈdɑm]ⓘ) is a city in theprovince ofNorth Holland,Netherlands. It is the main city of the municipality ofZaanstad and receivedcity rights in 1811. It is located on the riverZaan, just north ofAmsterdam.
The statistical district Zaandam, which encompasses both the city and the surrounding countryside, has about 76,804 residents.[1] Zaandam was a separate municipality until 1974, when it became a part of the new municipality of Zaanstad.[2]
The history of Zaandam (formerly calledSaenredam) and the surrounding Zaan River region (theZaanstreek) is intimately tied to industry. In theDutch Golden Age, Zaandam served as a large milling centre. Thousands ofwindmills powered saws that processed Scandinavian wood for the shipbuilding and paper industries. A statue that commemorates this industry was commissioned from sculptorSlavomir Miletić, and the statue,De houtwerker ("The Woodworker"), was installed on 20 June 2004.
Zaandam is historically linked with thewhaling industry.[citation needed]
In 1697, TsarPeter I of Russia spent some time in Zaandam, where he studied shipbuilding. He stayed in a little wooden house built in 1632 but was soon forced to leave because he attracted too much attention from the local population. He moved to Amsterdam, where he studied at one of the wharves of theDutch East India Company. His home in Zaandam was preserved and turned into a museum, theCzar Peter House.[3] A statue honoring him was placed on the nearby Dam Square in 1911,[4] and was declared aRijksmonument.[5]
In 1871, the impressionist painterClaude Monet lived in Zaandam for approximately half a year. During that time, he made 25 paintings of the area, includingHouses on the Achterzaan,Bateaux en Hollande pres de Zaandam andA windmill at Zaandam.
The first EuropeanMcDonald's restaurant opened in Zaandam in 1971.[6] TheAlbert Heijn supermarket chain (founded in nearbyOostzaan in 1887), now grown into theAhold Delhaize retail company, is headquartered in Zaandam. Chocolate manufacturerVerkade also hails from Zaandam. There were 6,910 business establishments in Zaandam in 2019.[7]
Football clubAZ (Alkmaar Zaanstreek) was founded in Zaandam on May 10, 1967.
There are two railway stations in Zaandam:Zaandam railway station andZaandam Kogerveld railway station. Plans exist by the province of North Holland to extend theAmsterdam Metro to Zaandam.[8]
Zaandam travel guide from Wikivoyage| International | |
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