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Oudewater is a municipality and a town in the central Netherlands. The modern day Netherlands are divided into twelve provinces (provincies in Dutch), listed below with their capital city: Map of the Netherlands, with provinces and capital cities See also the ranked list of Dutch provinces // Structure A Dutch province represents the administrative layer in between the national government and the...
Utrecht is the smallest province of the Netherlands, and is located in the center of the country. ...
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Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. ...
A municipality or general-purpose district (compare with: special-purpose district) is an administrative local area generally composed of a clearly defined territory and commonly referring to a city, town, or village government. ...
Main street in Bastrop, Texas, a small town In American English, a town is usually a municipal corporation that is smaller than a city but larger than a village. ...
Population centres - Hekendorp
- Oudewater
- Papekop
- Snelrewaard
The city of Oudewater The origin of the city of oudewater is dificult to recover. There is no place where information can be found about the first settlement of citizens in Ouderwater, the place where the river ‘’Linschoten’’ flows out in the “Hollandsche IJssel” . It is also dificult to recover the name of Oudewater. The most used explanation is that the name is a corruption of the “old water meadow”. Oudewater was an important border city between Holland and Utrecht, Oudewater (lit. "Old water") was of great strategic importance. The town was granted city rights in 1265 by Hendrik van Vianden, the bishop of Utrecht. Oudewater took place in the First Free Statescouncil in Dordrecht on July 19, 1572, Oudewater was one of the twelve cities taking part in the first free convention of the States-General in Dordrecht. This was a meeting that laid down the origin of the State of the Netherlands, as we know it now, under the leadership of the House of Orange. This happened at the beginning of the 80 year war (1568-1648) when the Netherlands were still part of the Spanisch kingdom. After a siege of several months, Oudewater was duly sacked by the Spanish on August 7 1575. Holland is a region in the central-western part of the Netherlands. ...
Utrecht is the smallest province of the Netherlands, and is located in the center of the country. ...
City rights are a medieval phenomenon in the history of the Low Countries. ...
Events January 20 - In Westminster, the first English parliament conducts its first meeting. ...
The origin of the Diocese dates back to 695 when St. ...
July 19 is the 200th day (201st in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 165 days remaining. ...
Events January 16 - Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk is tried for treason for his part in the Ridolfi plot to restore Catholicism in England. ...
The Estates-General (Staten-Generaal) is the parliament of the Netherlands. ...
This is about the Dutch city of Dordrecht. ...
In the 16th and 17th century, Oudewater was an important producer of rope. In the surrounding area, hemp was cultivated. There still is a rope manufacturing plant and a rope museum in the town. Coils of rope used for long-line fishing A rope is a length of fibers, twisted or braided together to improve strength, for pulling and connecting. ...
A High-altitude Electromagnetic Pulse, or HEMP, is emanated from the detonation of a single nuclear warhead several kilometers into the atmosphere. ...
Important buildings Oudewater is famous for the Heksenwaag (Witches' weigher). This weigh-house, an official town building, became famous during the 16th century because people accused of witchcraft were offered an honest chance of proving his or her innocence. In many cities and countries such trials were usualy rigged, resulting in the burning or drowning of hundreds of innocent people.
Many people accused of witchcraft from all over Europe (or at least, those who could afford the trip) made a head-over-heels trip to Oudewater to avoid being burned at a stake. After the weighing, they received an official certificate proclaiming them not a witch. Although nobody was ever found to be an actual witch in Oudewater, the weighings were still public spectacle. Even today you can get a certificate that "your body weight is in proportion to your build". The reasoning behind this is that a witch has no soul and therefore weighs significantly less than an ordinary person; this distinction allows the witch to fly on a broomstick.
So in medieval times when accusations of witchcraft (and resultant burnings) were prevalent, the town of Oudewater offered the accused a chance of proving his or her innocence. This was more special than it sounds. It is a sign of the growing power of a third force next to church and nobility, i.e. citizens. In a bid for total domination, the witchhunts were sanctioned by the church to break the power of the local herb doctors (especially the females). The citizens of Oudewater therefore were, simply by being honest, defying the church.
The Waag is still open as a tourist attraction, and official certificates are available. The town hall dates from 1588 and features a stork's nest. Oudewater has a monumental protected city centre with more than 250 protected houses. The church, now protestant, dates from the 15th century. It's tower from round 1300. During the religious wars, until the sacking of Oudewater, both Roman Catholics and protestants used this church. Thereafter catholics were still tolerated (the Spanish oppressors being catholic) but more in low profile.
Thea Beckman's novel "Het wonder van Frieswijck" (The miracle of Frieswijck) features the Waag. Thea Beckman (23 July 1923, Rotterdam – 5 May 2004, Bunnik) was a famous Dutch author of childrens books. ...
External links
| Utrecht Province |
 | | Abcoude | Amerongen | Amersfoort | Baarn | Breukelen | Bunnik | Bunschoten | De Bilt | De Ronde Venen | Doorn | Driebergen-Rijsenburg | Eemnes | Houten | IJsselstein | Leersum | Leusden | Loenen | Lopik | Maarn | Maarssen | Montfoort | Nieuwegein | Oudewater | Renswoude | Rhenen | Soest | Utrecht | Veenendaal | Vianen | Wijk bij Duurstede | Woerden | Woudenberg | Zeist Utrecht is the smallest province of the Netherlands, and is located in the center of the country. ...
Image File history File links Please see the file description page for further information. ...
Abcoude is a municipality and a town in the central Netherlands. ...
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Amersfoort is also a town in South Africa. ...
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De Bilt is a municipality and a town in the central Netherlands. ...
De Ronde Venen is a municipality in the central Netherlands. ...
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Zeist is a municipality and a town in the central Netherlands, located east of the city of Utrecht. ...
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