WIJK BIJ DUURSTEDE

'Wijk bij Duurstede' is a municipality and a city in the central Netherlands.

Contents

Population centres

The city of Wijk bij Duurstede

External link

Population centres

★ Cothen

★ Langbroek

★ Wijk bij Duurstede

The city of Wijk bij Duurstede

The city (population as of 2007: 23,377) is located on the Rhine. At Wijk bij Duurstede, the Kromme Rijn (Crooked Rhine) branches off, and the main branch is called Lek River downstream from Wijk bij Duurstede.
The name 'Wijk bij Duurstede' means 'neighbourhood near Duurstede'. Duurstede is the name of the nearby castle/ruin, where the bishop of Utrecht used to live. Wijk bij Duurstede is located at the place where Dorestad used to be, an important trade settlement, that was pillaged around 850 by the Vikings.
In Wijk bij Duurstede is the only drive-through mill in the world. The mill was made famous bij Ruysdael's 1670 painting. A big church tower is situated at the main street of the city. As one of the few in the Netherlands, this tower has a flat roof, because the bishop couldn't afford to make a high roof.
Wijk bij Duurstede received city rights in 1300.

External link

★ Official Website