Leusden () 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

Utrecht Utrecht ( , , ) is the fourth-largest city and a municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, in the very centre of mainland Nethe ...

. It is located about 3 kilometres southeast of

Amersfoort Amersfoort () is a city and municipality in the province of Utrecht, Netherlands, about 20 km from the city of Utrecht and 40 km south east of Amsterdam. As of 1 December 2021, the municipality had a population of 158,531, making it the secon ...

. The western part of the municipality lies on the slopes of the Utrecht Hill Ridge and is largely covered by forest and heathlands. The eastern parts lie in the Gelderse Vallei and are mostly agricultural. Former Amersfoort concentration camp lies just within the northern municipal border with Amersfoort.

Population centres

The municipality of Leusden contains four villages: * Leusden, originally named "Hamersveld" and later "Leusden-Centrum"; * Leusden-Zuid, formerly "Leusbroek" * Achterveld * Stoutenburg There are also a number of hamlets in the municipality:ANWB, "Topografische atlas Nederland 1:50000", 2005. Cartography by the Topografische Dienst, Emmen.

The town of Leusden

The place that is now called Leusden was first mentioned as ''Villa Lisiduna'' in a charter in 777. The exact location of that settlement, which is considered to have been a rather extensive farm complex with defenses, is unknown to us. It is possible that the old village of Oud-Leusden once was the location of Villa Lisiduna but excavations in the 1980s have not provided any evidence. However, the church tower of Oud-Leusden is one of the oldest towers in the Netherlands, dating back at least to the 11th century A.D. Close to Leusden is the site of the former monastery Heiligenberg, founded around the year 1000 by bishop Ansfridus of Utrecht, who died here in 1010. In the 1970s, the agricultural villages of Leusbroek and Hamersveld grew together into a larger, mainly residential town. What once was Hamersveld is now called Leusden-Centrum, now commonly Leusden, and Leusbroek was to become Leusden-Zuid. In the original plans, Leusden was to grow into a town of around 46,000 inhabitants. After the initial expansion there was a growing resistance from the population, so some of the later phases of expansion have been abandoned.

Shopping areas

In Leusden there are 3 shopping centres: 1.) The Hamershof, this is the biggest mall with about 80 stores in the centre of Leusden. The oldest part opened in 1980 together with the Town Hall nearby the Hamershof. 2.) The Biezenkamp, this is the second shopping centre in the centre of town, there are not more than 20 shops. 3.) The Zuidhoek in the new neighborhood the Tabaksteeg, there are just 5 shops located around the square.

Notable residents

* Gerrit Achterberg (1905-1962 in Leusden) a poet * Arleen Auger (1939-1993 in Leusden) an American soprano * Robby Valentine (born 1968 in Leusden) singer and multi-instrumentalist * Marieke Wijsman (born 1975 in Leusden) former speed-skater, competed at the 1988 and

2002 Winter Olympics The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002 ( arp, Niico'ooowu' 2002; Gosiute dialect, Gosiute Shoshoni: ''Tit'-so-pi 2002''; nv, Sooléí 2002; Shoshoni language, Shoshoni: ''Soó ...

* Marike Jager (born 1979) a Dutch singer-songwriter, guitarist and TV presenter, grew up in Leusden * Haike van Stralen (born 1983 in Leusden) a Dutch former freestyle swimmer, who competed at the

2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...

and 2004 Summer Olympics

Image gallery

File:Leusden-Stad Biezenkamp.jpg, Newer part of the city, near a shopping centre File:Oude villa Leusden.jpg, Old villa in the center File:Leusden, Netherlands - panoramio (4).jpg, Leusden, panoramio File:Stad van Leusden.JPG, Shopping centre, Biezenkamp File:Park Wildenburg in Leusden.JPG, Park Wildenburg in Leusden File:Stadswoningen Leusden.JPG, Row of new houses in the centre of Leusden File:Ganoderma applanatum - Leusderheide, Utrecht, NL 2019 13.jpg, Paddestoelen op de Leusderheide 2019

References

External links

*
Official website
{{Authority control Municipalities of Utrecht (province) Populated places in Utrecht (province) New towns started in the 1970s