Dokkum is a Dutch fortified city in the municipality of Noardeast-Fryslân in the province of

Friesland Friesland ( ; ; official ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia (), named after the Frisians, is a Provinces of the Netherlands, province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen (p ...

. It has 12,669 inhabitants (February 8, 2020). The fortifications of Dokkum are well preserved and are known as the ''bolwerken'' (bulwarks). It is the fifth most popular shopping city in Friesland. It also had the smallest hospital in the Netherlands. __TOC__

History

The best-known event in Dokkum's history is the martyrdom of the Anglo-Saxon missionary

Saint Boniface Boniface, OSB (born Wynfreth; 675 –5 June 754) was an English Benedictines, Benedictine monk and leading figure in the Anglo-Saxon mission to the Germanic parts of Francia during the eighth century. He organised significant foundations of ...

in 754. Oliver of Cologne preached the

Fifth Crusade The Fifth Crusade (September 1217 - August 29, 1221) was a campaign in a series of Crusades by Western Europeans to reacquire Jerusalem and the rest of the Holy Land by first conquering Egypt, ruled by the powerful Ayyubid sultanate, led by al- ...

in Dokkum in 1214 and Dokkum sent a contingent; the crescent in the coat of arms of Dokkum refers to this event. Dokkum acquired city rights in 1298. In 1572 Dokkum was sacked by the Spaniards after it had joined the

Dutch Revolt The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt (; 1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish government. The causes of the war included the Reformation, centralisation, exc ...

. In 1597, the Admiralty of Friesland was established in Dokkum. However, it was moved to Harlingen in 1645. In 1971 the city was included in the list of Dutch 'Urban and village conservation areas'. In 1923, when Catholics in the Netherlands were not allowed to engage in public expressions of faith such as

procession A procession is an organized body of people walking in a formal or ceremonial manner. History Processions have in all peoples and at all times been a natural form of public celebration, as forming an orderly and impressive ceremony. Religious ...

s, a processional park was built south-east of the city center, the Boniface park. Central in the park is the so-called Brouwersbron, the brewers' well, which Titus Brandsma and others (incorrectly) identified as the well that sprang up after the saint's martyrdom. A chapel dedicated to Boniface was built in 1934. Brandsma, a Carmelite priest who was murdered by the Nazis in Dachau in 1942, also designed the park's

Stations of the Cross The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, also known as the Via Dolorosa, Way of Sorrows or the , are a series of fourteen images depicting Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ on the day of Crucifixion of Jesus, his crucifixion and acc ...

, which were finished in 1949. Before 2019, the city was part of the Dongeradeel municipality.

Architecture

City hall

The city hall in Dokkum was built in 1610.

Churches

* Grote of Sint-Martinuskerk which is from the 16th century. * Sint-Bonifatiuskerk from 1871. * Bonifatiuskapel is from 1934

Transport

Dokkum had a station (''Dokkum-Aalsum'') on the North Friesland Railway, which opened in 1901. It became the terminus for passenger services in May 1935 and closed to passengers in July 1936. The station reopened to passengers in May 1940 and closed to passengers in July 1942. Freight services ceased in 1975. There is still a bus station in Dokkum.

Urban development

The latest neighbourhood is called the 'Trije Terpen'. At the Trije Terpen is also the newest shopping area of Dokkum called, Zuiderschans. Other construction works in other parts of the city are also taking place, such as the Lyceumpark, the Fonteinslanden, the Veiling and the Hogedijken. In the future the industrial park, Betterwird, will expand even more to the west. It's an industrial park with more than 70 companies. In 2013, the construction of the Central Axis began. This is a road with a fast connection and few obstacles between Dokkum and Drachten. The road was delivered in 2016.

Population

The population of Dokkum increased by 5,378 people between 1960 and 2013. In recent years, the population has fluctuated around 12,500 inhabitants.

Sport

In the 200 km ice skating marathon known as the Elfstedentocht, Dokkum is known as the ''keerpunt'' (turning-point in Dutch), because it is where the speedskaters turn and head back to

Leeuwarden Leeuwarden (; ; ; ) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in Friesland, Netherlands, with a population of 127,073 (2023). It is the provincial capital and seat of the Provin ...

. There are two different soccer clubs in Dokkum, VV Dokkum and Be Quick Dokkum.

Windmills

In 1652, Dokkum had five windmills, these were all

post mill The post mill is the earliest type of European windmill. Its defining feature is that the whole body of the mill that houses the machinery is mounted on a single central vertical post. The vertical post is supported by four quarter bars. These ar ...

s.Tonneel der Steden; Blaeu, 1652 Dokkum has two windmills, cap mills, that are preserved and both of them are open to the public by appointment. They are named ''Zeldenrust'' and ''De Hoop''. A third mill, ''De Marmeerin'' stood by the Woudvaart outside the town. Since 2014 the mill was moved to be restored to working order. After restoration it is to be rebuilt at De sûkerei open-air museum in

Damwâld Damwâld is a village in the Dantumadiel municipality of Friesland, in the Netherlands. In 2020 it had 5630 citizens. This number of citizens makes Damwâld the largest village in the municipality of Dantumadiel. History The present day village ...

. File:Zeldenrust Molen Dokkum 08.JPG, ''Zeldenrust'' File:De Hoop Molen Dokkum 06.JPG, ''De Hoop'' Dokkum, molen Zeldenrust. 20-09-2021. (actm.) 04.jpg, ''Zeldenrust'' Dokkum, woonhuis naast molen Zeldenrust. 20-09-2021. (actm.) 01.jpg, house next to mill Zeldenrust

Gallery

File:Dokkum, straatzicht Suupmarkt met RM13187 IMG 7697 2020-09-20 14.24.jpg, Inner harbour File:Dokkum, straatzicht4 foto1 2009-09-19 13.04.JPG, View to a street File:De Zijl over the Dokkumer Grootdiep.jpg, City's center around De Zijl, Dokkumer Grootdiep flowing underneath File:De Oud Stadhuis Dokkum.jpg, Old townhouse in the city centre File:Bonifatiusbyld by de Bonifatiuskapel, Dokkum.jpg, Statue of Saint Boniface near Saint Boniface Chapel File:Dokkum - Vleesmarkt, Ecke Wortelhaven.jpg, Numerous footbridges in the centre File:Zuiderbollwerk 95, Dokkum.jpg, Wharf of the former Frisian Admiralty File:Bonifatiustsjerke, Dokkum.jpg, Saint Boniface Church (1871) in the centre of Dokkum File:Grote of Sint-Martinuskerk - Dokkum.jpg, Grote of Sint-Martinus Church (Dokkum)

Notable Dokkumers

Dokkum was the residence of the pioneering midwife Catharina Geertruida Schrader (1656–1746) for much of her career. Other famous Dokkumers include: *

Gemma Frisius Gemma Frisius (; born Jemme Reinerszoon; December 9, 1508 – May 25, 1555) was a Dutch physician, mathematician, cartographer, philosopher, and instrument maker. He created important globes, improved the mathematical instruments of his day ...

(1508–1555), scientist * Lieuwe van Aitzema (1600–1669), prominent diplomat and historian * Ulrik Huber (1636–1694), lawyer * Rein Jan Hoekstra (1941–2025), lawyer, member of the

Council of State of the Netherlands The Council of State () is a constitutionally established advisory body in the Netherlands to the government and States General that officially consists of members of the royal family and Crown-appointed members generally having political, comm ...

* Jan Posthuma (1963), 1996 volleyball Olympic gold medalist * Sipke Jan Bousema (1976), TV-presenter * Theo Pijper (1980), international speedway rider *

(672–754) Exeter, Dokkum * Dirk Rafaelsz Camphuysen (1586–1627) Gorinchem, Dokkum * Catharina Geertruida Schrader (1656–1746) Bentheim, Dokkum * Focko Ukena (1370–1435), East Frisian chieftain (hoveling), conquered Dokkum

Mayors

* Albert Jonker (1878- 1954) *

Sybren van Tuinen Sybren van Tuinen (5 March 1913 – 29 April 1993) was a Dutch politician and public servant. Trained as a history teacher during World War II, he was acting mayor of Bolsward and mayor of Dokkum, and then for twenty years a representative in the ...

(1913-1993)

References

Literature

* {{Authority control Noardeast-Fryslân Cities in the Netherlands Cities in Friesland Populated places in Friesland