Purmer is a

polder A polder () is a low-lying tract of land that forms an artificial hydrology, hydrological entity, enclosed by embankments known as levee, dikes. The three types of polder are: # Land reclamation, Land reclaimed from a body of water, such as a ...

and reclaimed lake in the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

province of

North Holland North Holland (, ) is a Provinces of the Netherlands, province of the Netherlands in the northwestern part of the country. It is located on the North Sea, north of South Holland and Utrecht (province), Utrecht, and west of Friesland and Flevola ...

, located between the towns of Purmerend and Edam-Volendam. It is also a village located in the municipalities of

Waterland Waterland () is a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands, in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Holland. It is situated north of Amsterdam, on the western shore of the Markermeer. It includes t ...

and Edam-Volendam.

Purmer polder

Windmill reclamation activity began in 1618. Hydraulic engineer Jan Adriaanszoon Leeghwater also had stakes in the reclamation, although he was not directly involved in the project itself.Poldersporen.nl webpage on Purmer history
Accessed 12 October 2008. In 1622 all 26.8 km² (10.3 sq mi) were clear of water. The original lake of Purmer formed part of a small number of landlocked minor seas located in North Holland. Other examples of such minor seas are the lakes of

Beemster Beemster () is a former Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The Beemster is the first polder in the Netherlands land reclamation, reclaimed from a lake, the water extracted by windmi ...

and Schermer. All these lakes were directly connected to open sea, so salt water could flow in and tidal movements occurred. Purmer lake was connected to both the Zuyderzee inlet and to Beemster lake. The Purmer's being directly connected to open sea resulted in large-scale shoreline erosion due to wave dynamics and water currents. The high rate of erosion and the need for arable land gave rise to plans for reclamation. Once reclaimed, Purmer was given to farming, but the polder is now highly urbanised. Most of this urban sprawl is due to the town of Purmerend, which has derived its name from Purmer (the "end of Purmer"). During the 1980s and '90s Purmerend had two residential areas built in Purmer, Purmer-Noord and Purmer-Zuid. In contrast to Beemster and Schermer, Purmer is not a municipality in its own right, being divided among the municipalities of Purmerend, Edam-Volendam, and

Gallery

Image:Buyckslooter +2 1664 Blaeu.jpg, the newly reclaimed Purmer polder at bottom left, map drawn by Willem Blaeu File:Kruispunt in de Purmer.JPG, Crossing in the Purmer

References

*This article is based on the Dutch language article. Hydraulic engineering Lakes of the Netherlands Polders of North Holland Geography of Edam-Volendam Geography of Purmerend Waterland {{northHolland-geo-stub