Leek, Netherlands

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Leek

De Laik  (Gronings)
Former municipality
Nienoord castle
Nienoord castle
Flag of Leek
Flag
Coat of arms of Leek
Coat of arms
Highlighted position of Leek in a municipal map of Groningen
Location in Groningen
Coordinates: 53°10′N 6°23′E / 53.167°N 6.383°E / 53.167; 6.383Coordinates: 53°10′N 6°23′E / 53.167°N 6.383°E / 53.167; 6.383
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceGroningen
MunicipalityWesterkwartier
Merged2019
Area
 • Total64.28 km2 (24.82 sq mi)
 • Land63.33 km2 (24.45 sq mi)
 • Water0.95 km2 (0.37 sq mi)
Elevation2 m (7 ft)
Demonym(s)Leekster
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
9350–9359, 9810–9819, 9827–9829
Area code050, 0594
Websiteleek.nl
Duch topographic map of the municipality of Leek, Groningen, as per June 2015

Leek (Dutch: [leːk] (About this soundlisten); Gronings: De Laik) is a village and former municipality in Groningen province in the northeastern Netherlands. The municipality, which bordered the Drenthe and Friesland provinces, was merged into the municipality of Westerkwartier on 1 January 2019.[4]

The village of Leek is approximately 20 km west of Groningen (city) on the (E22) highway.

The village grew around a fortification that was constructed here during the Eighty Years' War with Spain. The name 'Leek' was derived from a brook, the "Leke". The town is sometimes also called "De Leek". In Dutch, the people from Leek are called "Leeksters".

Every year around Pentecost there is a fair (Pinkstermarkt), drawing thousands of people from the area.

Near the village is a shallow lake, called "Het Leekstermeer" (also called Zulthemeer), with recreational facilities, but the lake is in another municipality and in another province.

Attractions in the Leek Municipality[]

  • Nienoord before its destruction in 1850

  • Church of

  • Tomb monument of Carel Hieronymus von In- und Knyphausen, in the church of Midwolde

  • Church of

The main attraction in the village is the "" estate. The estate was founded in 1508. After a destroying fire, a new manor-house was built in 1887. The gardens and the shell grotto were restored.

The National Carriage Museum is located in this manor-house. In 1958 the National Carriage Museum rented the house and gardens. The National Carriage Museum presents an overall view of the various types of carriages and sleighs from the 18th to the 20th century. The 250 coaches in the museum’s collection were used by farmers, the common man, noblemen and royalty.

In the estate is situated a recreation park (Family-park Nienoord) with model railways in several scales, including live steam.

In Tolbert and Midwolde are churches from the 12th century. The churches are built in the Romano-Gothic style. Typical for this style are the walls and gables of brick that are richly decorated with recesses and patterns of bricks.

In the Church of Midwolde is a tomb monument sculpted by Rombout Verhulst. Rombout Verhulst also decorated the tomb of Michiel de Ruyter in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam.

Population centres[]

, Leek, , , Oostwold, and .

References[]

  1. ^ "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2020" [Key figures for neighbourhoods 2020]. StatLine (in Dutch). CBS. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Postcodetool for 9351BJ". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  3. ^ "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 1 January 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Gemeentelijke indeling op 1 januari 2019". CBS (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 November 2019.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""