Reeuwijk () is a former municipality in the western

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

South Holland South Holland ( nl, Zuid-Holland ) is a province of the Netherlands with a population of over 3.7 million as of October 2021 and a population density of about , making it the country's most populous province and one of the world's most densely ...

. The former municipality covers an area of 50.11 km² (of which 11.89 km² is water). Since January 1, 2011 Reeuwijk merged with

Bodegraven Bodegraven () is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The former municipality covers an area of of which is water. The former municipality of Bodegraven also includes the communities Me ...

Bodegraven-Reeuwijk Bodegraven-Reeuwijk () is a municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland with a population of in . It was established by a merger of Bodegraven and Reeuwijk on 1 January 2011. The municipality covers of which is wate ...

. The former municipality of Reeuwijk includes the communities of

Driebruggen Driebruggen is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the former municipality of Reeuwijk, and lies about 6 km east of Gouda. According to the 1615 map of Rijnland, there were indeed three bridge in Driebruggen. Dr ...

, Hogebrug,

Langeweide Langeweide is a hamlet in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the former municipality of Reeuwijk, and lies about 6 km east of Gouda Gouda may refer to: * Gouda, South Holland, a city in the Netherlands ** Gouda (pottery), ...

, Middelburg,

Oud-Reeuwijk Oud-Reeuwijk is a hamlet in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the former municipality of Reeuwijk Reeuwijk () is a former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The former municipality covers ...

, Oukoop,

Platteweg Platteweg is a hamlet in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the former municipality of Reeuwijk Reeuwijk () is a former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The former municipality covers an ...

, Randenburg,

Reeuwijk-Brug Reeuwijk-Brug is a village in the municipality of Bodegraven-Reeuwijk in the province of South Holland, the Netherlands. Reeuwijk-Brug is a stretched out peat excavation village from the Middle Ages which was later developed from Reeuwijk-Dorp Re ...

Reeuwijk-Dorp Reeuwijk-Dorp is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is part of what used to be the municipality of Reeuwijk. It lies about 5 km north of Gouda. "Dorp" is Dutch for village, the name distinguishes from Reeuwijk-Brug which is ...

Sluipwijk Sluipwijk is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the former municipality of Reeuwijk, and lies about 3 km northeast of Gouda. The villages is surrounded by the lakes of the Reeuwijkse Plassen. The village was f ...

Tempel Tempel (German or Dutch: ''temple'') may refer to: __NOTOC__ Surname * Wilhelm Tempel (1821–1889), German astronomer * Russel Tempel, American politician Nekpur Galla Mandi, Near Muni Mandir, Bareilly Uttar Pradesh 243001 Synagogues * Tempel S ...

Waarder Waarder is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the former municipality of Reeuwijk, and lies about 5 km southwest of Woerden. The village was first mentioned in 1108 as Werdere and means "(river) island". Waarde ...

and Westeinde.

History

Reeuwijk was established as a good location for

peat Peat (), also known as turf (), is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs. The peatland ecosystem covers and is the most efficien ...

harvesting. The earliest known reference to the town is from 1248. The area prospered in the 18th century when layers of peat were dug up, dried, and used as fuel for industries in

Gouda Gouda may refer to: * Gouda, South Holland, a city in the Netherlands ** Gouda (pottery), style of pottery manufactured in Gouda ** Gouda cheese, type of cheese originally made in and around Gouda ** Gouda railway station * Gouda, Western Cape, a s ...

. Eventually these peat quarries struck a fresh-water spring, forming the Reeuwijk Ponds (''Reeuwijkse Plassen''). Reeuwijk added neighboring municipalities: in 1855, Middelburg was added, in 1857, Oukoop, in 1870, Sluipwijk and Stein. On January 1, 1989, when the municipality Driebruggen (formed in 1964) was dissolved, its communities Waarder and Driebruggen were added to Reeuwijk.

External links

Official Website
{{Authority control Bodegraven-Reeuwijk Former municipalities of South Holland Populated places in South Holland Municipalities of the Netherlands disestablished in 2011