Medemblik () is a municipality and a town in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia. It lies immediately south of the polder and former municipality of

Wieringermeer Wieringermeer () is a former municipality and a polder in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Since 2012 Wieringermeer has been a part of the new municipality of Hollands Kroon. Population centres The former municipality of Wie ...

History

Medemblik was a prosperous trading town, when in 1282, Floris V, Count of Holland, successfully invaded West Friesland. He built several fortresses to control the region, one of which was

Kasteel Radboud Radboud Castle (Dutch: ''Kasteel Radboud'') is a castle on the east bank of the harbour in Medemblik. Radboud Castle is one of a number of castles in North Holland. The building was commissioned by Floris V, Count of Holland. When exactly it was ...

in Medemblik, and awarded Medemblik city rights in 1289. After Floris V was murdered in 1296, the local Frisian besieged the castle, but in 1297 an army from Holland thwarted their efforts to starve out the inhabitants, which included Medemblik citizens.Ben Dijkhui
The Castle at Medemblik
/ref> Several more attacks took place in the following centuries. The most notorious of these happened in June 1517, when Medemblik was attacked from mainland Frisia by about 4000 pirates known as the

Arumer Zwarte Hoop The Arumer Zwarte Hoop, meaning "Black Army of Arum" ( fry, Swarte Heap) was an army of peasant rebels and mercenaries in Friesland fighting against the Habsburg authorities from 1515 to 1523. For four years they were successful under the former f ...

, led by Pier Gerlofs Donia and

Wijard Jelckama Wijerd Jelckama (also spelled Wierd and Wijard)Eekhoff, W.(1851). ''Beknopte geschiedenis van Friesland'' (in Dutch). Leeuwarden: W. Eekhoff. 138–139. (c. 1490–1523) was a Frisian military commander, warlord and member of the ''Arumer Zwarte Ho ...

. Many citizens fled to the castle, which the pirates unsuccessfully besieged. Eventually, they took out their fury on the town, which burned to the ground. After this the band continued their marauding path on land throughout present day North Holland. After Medemblik town walls were constructed in 1572, the castle lost its role as a refuge for the citizens, which led to its partially dismantling in 1578. Over the centuries the castle fell into decay, but in 1889 it became property of the crown and was restored to be used as a courthouse, which function it served until 1934. Anticipating the German invasion, the Rijksmuseum in September 1939 chose the castle as the initial hiding place of Rembrandt's Night Watch. On January 1, 2007, Medemblik merged with the municipalities of

Noorder-Koggenland Noorder-Koggenland () is a former municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Abbekerk, located in the municipality of Noorder-Koggenland, received city rights in 1414. The municipality merged into Medemblik in 2007. Pop ...

and Wognum, yet retained its own name in the surviving municipality, even though it was the smallest of the three in population. Again on January 1, 2011, Medemblik merged with

Andijk Andijk (; fy, Andìk) is a former municipality and a village bordering Lake IJssel in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia. Since 1 January 2011 Andijk has been part of Medemblik municipality. The nam ...

and

Wervershoof Wervershoof (; West Frisian: ''Werfershouf'') is a former municipality and a town in the north-western Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia. Since 1 January 2011 it has been part of the municipality of Medem ...

into the municipality Medemblik. The new city hall is the former office building of the DSB Bank in Wognum.

Tourism

Medemblik is best known in Europe for its

sailing Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, windsurfer, or kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (land yacht) over a chosen cou ...

events. Medemblik further has a picturesque small innercity with many houses from the 17th and 18th century, two big churches, an old

orphanage An orphanage is a residential institution, total institution or group home, devoted to the care of orphans and children who, for various reasons, cannot be cared for by their biological families. The parents may be deceased, absent, or ab ...

, a town hall and, of course, castle Radboud, which is just at the border of the innercity.

Transport

A heritage railway connects Medemblik with Hoorn.

Local government

The municipal council of Medemblik consists of 29 seats, which are divided as follows: * Hart voor Medemblik - 6 seats *

VVD The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy ( nl, Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie ; VVD) is a Conservative liberalism, conservative-liberalRudy Andeweg, Andeweg, R. and G. Irwin ''Politics and Governance in the Netherlands'', Basingsto ...

- 5 seats * CDA - 5 seats * Gemeentebelangen - 5 seats * Morgen! in Medemblik - 4 seats * D66 - 2 seats * GroenLinks - 1 seat * ChristenUnie - 1 seat

Notable people

* Jan Albertsz Rotius (1624 in Medemblik – 1666) a Dutch painter *

A. C. Baantjer Albert Cornelis "Appie" Baantjer (16 September 1923 – 29 August 2010) was a Dutch author of detective fiction and police officer. He is mainly known for his large series of detective novels revolving around police inspector De Cock (also tran ...

(1923 in Urk – 2010) a Dutch author of detective fiction and police officer *

Jan Vriend Jan Vriend (born November 1938 in Benningbroek) is a Dutch classical music composer, conductor, organist and pianist. He lives in Gloucestershire, England since 1984. Studies and career Vriend studied at the Amsterdam Conservatory from 1960 to 19 ...

(born 1938 in Benningbroek) a Dutch classical music composer, conductor, organist and pianist * Wim Cool (born 1943 in Gieten) a Dutch business consultant, mediator and politician * Bep Vriend (born 1946 in Andijk) a Dutch bridge player and teacher *

Willem Vogelsang Willem Vogelsang (born 1956 in Medemblik) is the deputy director of the International Institute for Asian Studies at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. He is also a colonel in the Dutch armed forces as Project Coordinator for Cultural Af ...

(born 1956 in Medemblik) academic and reserve soldier * John Appel (born 1958 in Wognum) a Dutch documentary filmmaker IMDb Database
retrieved 9 August 2019

Sport

* Edith van Dijk (born 1973 in Haastrecht) a Dutch swimmer and 6-fold world champion. * Yvonne Spigt (born 1988 in Wervershoof) a Dutch marathon skater and inline skater *

Irene Schouten Irene Schouten (; born 21 June 1992) is a Dutch speed skater who competes in allround marathon and inline-skating events. She is a five-time Olympic medalist and a triple Olympic Champion, having won the 3,000m, 5,000m, and mass start events at t ...

(born 1992 in Andijk) a Dutch speed skater, bronze medallist in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games

Gallery

Image:Medemblik, de Sint Martinuskerk RM502377 foto3 2015-10-11 13.29.jpg, Medemblik, church: de Sint-Martinuskerk Image:Medemblik,_bij_spoortram-station_2006-08-06_13.18.JPG, Medemblik, near spoortram station Image:Medemblik, de Bonifaciuskerk met een monumentale toren RM28362 foto6 2015-10-11 13.20.jpg, Medemblik, church: Grote of Sint Bonifaciuskerk File:Johannes Blaeu KasteelTeMedemblik.JPG, Medemblik Castle on a drawing by Johannes Blaeu File:Exterieur OVERZICHT - Medemblik - 20284820 - RCE.jpg, The Lely pumping station, Gemaal Lely

References

External links

* *
Official websiteOfficial tourist website
{{Authority control Municipalities of North Holland Populated places in North Holland