Archaeological findings indicate that the area surrounding Zwolle has been inhabited since ancient times. Awoodhenge found in the Zwolle-Zuid suburb in 1993 was dated to theBronze Age period.[6][7] During the Roman era, the area was inhabited bySalian Franks.
The modern city was founded around 800 CE byFrisian merchants and troops ofCharlemagne.[8] Previous spellings of its name include the identically pronouncedSuolle, which means "hill" (cf. the Englishcognateverb "to swell"). This refers to an incline in the landscape between the four rivers surrounding the city,IJssel,Vecht, Aa andZwarte Water. The hill was the only piece of land that would remain dry during the frequent floodings of the rivers. Zwolle was established on that incline.
A document mentions the existence of a parish church dedicated toSt Michael. That church, the Grote of Sint Michaëlskerk (St. Michael's church), was renovated in the first half of the 15th century and exists to this day. The church contains a richly carvedpulpit, the work of Adam Straes van Weilborch (about 1620), some good carving, and an exquisiteBaroque organ from 1721 designed by master organ builderArp Schnitger and completed by his sons Franz Caspar and Johann Georg.
On 31 August 1230, the bishop ofUtrecht granted Zwollecity rights. Zwolle became a member of theHanseatic league in 1294, and in 1361 joined the war between the Hanseatic League andValdemar IV of Denmark. In the 1370Treaty of Stralsund that ended the war, Zwolle was awarded avitte, a trade colony, inScania, then part ofDenmark. Zwolle's golden age came in the 15th century. Between 1402 and 1450, the city'sGross Regional Product multiplied by about six.[9]
In July 1324 and October 1361, regionalnoblemen set fire to Zwolle. In the 1324 fire, only nine buildings escaped the flames.[10]
Map of Zwolle byJoan Blaeu in Blaeu's "Toonneel der Steden", 1652
Zwolle was also, withDeventer, one of the centers of theBrethren of the Common Life, amonastic movement. 5 km (3 mi) from Zwolle, on a slight eminence called the Agnietenberg (hill of St Agnes), once stood the Augustinian convent in whichThomas à Kempis spent the greatest part of his life and died (in 1471).[11]
At least as early as 1911, Zwolle had a considerable trade by river, a large fish market, and the most important cattle market in the Netherlands afterRotterdam. The more important industries comprised cotton manufactures, iron works, boat-building, dyeing and bleaching, tanning, rope-making, and salt-making.[11]
InWorld War II, Zwolle was single-handedly liberated from the Nazis by Canadian soldierLéo Major.[12][13] He was made anhonorary citizen of Zwolle on 14 April 2005, the 60thanniversary of his liberating of the city. He also has a street named after him, Leo Majorlaan.[14][15][16]
In 2004, Zwolle'sDe Librije restaurant was honored with 3 stars byMichelin Guide; as of 2018, it is one of only three restaurants so honored in the entire country.[citation needed]
In 2023,Tewelde Goitom, an Eritrean convicted in Ethiopia of migrant smuggling, kidnapping in Sinai and human trafficking appeared at a pretrial hearing in Zwolle, which made international headlines.[17]
Citizens of Zwolle are colloquially known asBlauwvingers (Bluefingers). According to legend, the name dates back to 1682, when the St Michael's church tower collapsed. The authorities were strapped for cash and saw no option but to sell thechurch bells to the neighbouring cityKampen. To make sure that Kampen would not make too much profit from the deal, the local authorities asked a high price for the church bells. Kampen accepted, but when the bells arrived it became clear that they were too damaged to be played. In revenge, Kampen paid in copper coins of fourduiten (the equivalent of two-and-a-halfcents). Zwolle distrusted Kampen and wanted to be sure they truly paid the entire price. After the meticulous counting of the vast number of copper coins, their fingers had turned blue.[18][19]
In reality, the name Blauwvinger stems from 1521, when the governors of Zwolle broke the oath of loyalty they made to the Duke of Gelre. The name Blauwvinger refers to the raised fingers with which the governors had promised their loyalty to the Duke at his inauguration. At that time, Zwolle and Kampen were embroiled in a dispute over toll collection on the IJssel River. Zwolle initially aligned with the Duke of Gelre, Charles of Egmont, but eventually returned to the Bishop of Utrecht. During this period of political unrest, Duke Charles of Gelre was captured when he entered Zwolle. Ultimately, he was allowed to depart under the condition that Zwolle would retain its independence. The name Blauwvingers stems from the fact that the residents committed perjury twice, first to the bishop and then to the duke.[20]
The Grote of Sint Michaëlskerk (St. Michael's church) has abaroque organ built byArp Schnitger. The Roman CatholicOnze Lieve Vrouwe ten Hemelopneming-basilica (Our Lady of the Assumption) dates back to 1399. The church tower, calledPeperbus (pepperpot), is one of the tallest and most famous church towers in the Netherlands. The modernizedtown hall was originally built in 1448.[11]
TheBroerenkerk church was part of aDominican monastery founded in 1465. The monastery was closed in 1580 and the monks were expelled. From 1640 until 1982 the church was used for Protestant services. Following a restoration in 1983–1988 it was used for cultural events and became a bookstore.[21][22]
TheA28 serves Zwolle with 4 exits, and runs fromUtrecht toGroningen. It was being widened to 8 lanes across theIJssel River and 6 lanes from Zwolle to Meppel in 2010 and 2011. The motorway initially opened between 1964 and 1970.[30]
^"Postcodetool for 8011PK".Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Archived fromthe original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved25 March 2014.
^Theo Holleman (1996),Een verleden op de schop, University Press, Amsterdam,ISBN90-5356-189-7
^Hove, ten J. (2005).Geschiedenis van Zwolle Zwolle: Waanders.ISBN90-400-9050-5
^F.C. Berkenvelder (1980)."Het begin".Zwolle 750 jaar stad (in Dutch).Waanders. Archived fromthe original on 16 August 2006. Retrieved17 March 2007.
^F.C. Berkenvelder (1980)."De handel en de Hanze".Zwolle 750 jaar stad (in Dutch).Waanders. Archived fromthe original on 23 May 2012. Retrieved17 March 2007.De stedelijke geldmiddelen, het nationaal inkomen zouden wij nu zeggen, die in 1402 nog 6 000 gulden bedroegen waren in 1450 bijna verzesvoudigd tot 34.000 gulden. (Translated: The city's financial resources, the national income as we would now call it, which were 6,000 guilders in 1402, had by 1450 multiplied by six to 34,000 guilders.)
^"Zwolle op keerpunt van bestaan" (in Dutch).De Stentor. 2 March 2005.
^"Alleged Eritrean People Smuggler Appears in Dutch Court". 10 January 2023.
^Boxma, Willem (2001). "Steuren, blauwvingers, kwekweschudders en tukkers. Schimpnamen in Overijssel".Traditie. Tijdschrift over Tradities en Trends (in Dutch).2:26–27.ISSN1382-4104.
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