Genemuiden is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

located in the north western part of the Province of Overijssel. It received

city rights Town privileges or borough rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium. The city law customary in Central Europe probably dates back to Italian models, which in turn were oriented towards the tradition ...

in 1275, which is also the first time Genemuiden gets mentioned in history.Frits David Zeiler (2007) ''Genemuiden, een zorgenkind van de bisschop'' in: Overijsselse Historische Bijdragen 122e stuk p.66-6
Online
It stayed independent up until 2001 when, despite fierce opposition of its inhabitants, it was forced to merge with the smaller, neighbouring villages of Zwartsluis and

Hasselt Hasselt (, , ) is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of Limburg (Belgium), Limburg in the Flemish Region of Belgium. As of 1 August 2023, Hasselt had a total population of 80,846. The old ...

to form the municipality of Zwartewaterland. The town itself doesn't have any buildings over 150 years old as two fires destroyed the town completely in 1866. These fires could not be controlled due to the great number of hay stacks in one street, 'de Achterweg' or 'Nachtweg'. This street still holds a non smoking sign, which is unique for a street in Europe. Since the 18th century, the people from Genemuiden have been producing floor mats made of the

bulrush Bulrush is a vernacular name for several large wetland graminoid, grass-like plants *Sedge family (Cyperaceae): **''Cyperus'' **''Scirpus'' **''Blysmus'' **''Bolboschoenus'' **''Scirpoides'' **''Isolepis'' **''Schoenoplectus'' **''Trichophorum'' ...

that grows on the shores of the

Zuiderzee The Zuiderzee or Zuider Zee (; old spelling ''Zuyderzee'' or ''Zuyder Zee''), historically called Lake Almere and Lake Flevo, was a shallow bay of the North Sea in the northwest of the Netherlands. It extended about 100 km (60 miles) inla ...

. When the quality of the bulrush deteriorated in the 20th century, due to the change from salt water to fresh water (see

), the industry switched over to using

coir Coir (), also called coconut fibre, is a natural fibre extracted from the outer husk of coconut, and used in products such as floor mats, doormats, brushes, and mattresses. Coir is the fibrous material found between the hard, internal shell ...

imported from India to produce mats and carpets. In the sixties the first tufting machines were imported and currently Genemuiden is one of Europe's main production centres of tufted

carpet A carpet is a textile floor covering typically consisting of an upper layer of Pile (textile), pile attached to a backing. The pile was traditionally made from wool, but since the 20th century synthetic fiber, synthetic fibres such as polyprop ...

and artificial grass. Genemuiden is a Protestant stronghold, having five

Reformed Reform is beneficial change. Reform, reformed or reforming may also refer to: Media * ''Reform'' (album), a 2011 album by Jane Zhang * Reform (band), a Swedish jazz fusion group * ''Reform'' (magazine), a Christian magazine Places * Reform, Al ...

Protestant denominations and no Roman Catholic church. It's on the north-eastern tip of the so-called Dutch

Bible Belt The Bible Belt is a region of the Southern United States and the Midwestern state of Missouri (which also has significant Southern influence), where evangelical Protestantism exerts a strong social and cultural influence. The region has been de ...

Notable people

* Cor Pierik, politician

References

External links

Official Website
(Dutch)
Website Tapijt Museum / Carpet Museum Genemuiden
(Dutch)
News from Genemuiden
(Dutch)
Pictures of Genemuiden
(Dutch) {{Authority control Cities in the Netherlands Municipalities of the Netherlands disestablished in 2001 Populated places in Overijssel Former municipalities of Overijssel Zwartewaterland