Harderwijk Vacations, Harderwijk Vacation Reviews, Tourism Guide

Harderwijk Vacation Guide

(borrowed from wikipedia)
Harderwijk is a municipality and a small city in the eastern Netherlands.

The history of Harderwijk

Harderwijk received city rights from Count Otto II of Guelders in 1231. A defensive wall surrounding the city was completed by the end of that century. The oldest part of the city is near where the streets Hoogstraat and Grote Poortstraat are today. Around 1315 the city was expanded southwards, which included the construction of what is now called the Grote Kerk (Large Church). A second, northward expansion took place around 1425. Particularly along the west side of town much of the wall still exists, although often not in entirely original form. This also goes for the only remaining city gate, the picturesque Vischpoort.

Harderwijk was a member of the Hanseatic League. It lies on what used to be the Zuider Zee shore (Southern Sea, now the IJsselmeer) and consequently its economy was strongly based on fishing and seafaring in general. This dramatically changed after 1932, when the Zuiderzee was cut off from the North Sea for safety reasons.

Between 1648 and 1811 the University of Harderwijk operated in the city. Carolus Linnaeus graduated at this university. The university, together with the universities of Zutphen and Franeker was abolished by Napoleon.

Today, Harderwijk is probably known best for the Dolfinarium, a marine mammal park where dolphin shows are held and various other marine mammals and fish are kept.