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Antonio Moro

Antonio Moro

:For the musician of the same name, see Anthony More (musician). Sir Anthony More (born c. 1520, Utrecht, Netherlands, died between 1576 and 1578, Antwerp, Belgium) was a Dutch portrait painter. He has been referred to as Antoon, Antonis or Anthonius, Mor or Van Dashort Mor, and also called Antonio Moro. In 1552 he painted the Emperor Charles V. In 1554 he was in London painting the portrait of Queen Mary.

Life

Of his early life we only know that his artistic education was commenced under Jan van Scorel, and his earliest work is probably the portrait at Stockholm, dated 1538. It is indicated that the group of knights of St. John, at Utrecht, supposed to have been painted about 1541, and a picture of two pilgrims at Berlin, dated 1544, together with the portrait of a woman unknown, in the Lille gallery, were probably among his earliest works, although their authenticity has not been proven. In 1547, he was received as a member of the Venerable Guild of St. Luke at Antwerp, and shortly afterwards (about 1548) he attracted the attention of Cardinal Granvelle, Bishop of Arras, who became his steady patron, and presented him to the Emperor Charles V. Of the portraits excuted during the commencement of his Granvella career, two are especially notable: of the bishop himself in the imperial gallery at Vienna, and of the Duke of Alba, which now belongs to the Hispanic Society of New York. He probably visited Italy first in 1550, for we hear of him in Rome, where he copied some works by Titian, notably the "Danae". He was sent by Queen Mary of Hungary to Portugal, doubtless his first visit to that country, and among its notable results are a portrait of the Infanta Maria and one of Queen Catharine of Portugal, both in the Prado, and those of King John III and his wife Catherine, preserved at Lisbon. After this he returned to Madrid, where he painted the portrait of Maximilian of Bohemia; he was in Rome again in 1552. It has been gravely suggested, but on insufficient evidence, that one of the masterpieces of the Prado gallery, the portrait of the unknown young Cardinal, hitherto attributed to Rafael, and regarded as one of his noblest works, should be credited to Mor. From Rome, he went to Genoa, and thence to Madrid. In 1553 he was sent to England, where he painted the portrait of Mary Tudor, perhaps one of his very noblest works; and in all probability the portraits of Sir Henry Sidney, and of Ambassador Simon Renard. That of Renard's wife was not painted until three years later. To this period should be attributed the miniature of Mary Tudor in the Duke of Buccleuch's collection, two portraits of Elizabeth at the age of twenty-one, one of which once belonged to Dr. Propert, and another even more notable, of Roger Ascham, now in the collection of Mr. Pierpont Morgan. This was at one time the property of Ascham's college, and later, of the Marquess of Hastings.

Later work

Henry Sidney At about this time More married, but we know little of his wife, save that her name was Metgen, and she is supposed to have been a widow. He became a man of large means, acquired property, and was known as Moro van Dashorst when residing in Utrecht. He had one son, Philip, afterwards a canon, and two daughters. At the end of 1554, he was back in Holland, where he painted a portrait of Prince William I of Orange (William the Silent), and other notable works. A little later he executed his own portrait, now in the Uffizi Gallery, one of his wife, now in the Prado, a portrait of a knight of St. James at Budapest, one of Alexander Farnese at Parma, the portrait of an unknown man in Verona, and a very extraordinary religious picture of the Resurrection, now at Nijmegen in a private collection. His portrait of Jean Le Cocq [Gallus], one of his wife, and that called, Don Carlos, in the gallery at Cassel, those of the Duchess de Feria (?), and of a widow, in the Prado, of himself in Lord Spencer's collection, and of Campana, the Brussels painter, in the Basle gallery, are of a subsequent period. Several very important works, executed towards the close his life are, Elizabeth Queen of Spain, in the Bischoffs-heim collection (London), Jacopo da Trezzo and three other fine portraits, in the Stuers gallery (Paris), and the famous portrait of his own master, Jan van Scorel, belonging to the Society of Antiquaries (London). Other noted works are those representing a Professor of the University of Oxford in the Brunswick Gallery, and the very famous portraits of Sir Thomas and Lady Gresham, at one time at Strawberry Hill, now in the Hermitage collection (St. Petersburg). After the disgrace of Cardinal Granvelle, Mor remained in Spain for a while, and the following portraits belong to this period of his life: The Jeweller, in the gallery of The Hague, Sir Henry Lee, in Lord Dillon's collection, Antonio del Rio, his sons, and his wife, in the Louvre, the Duke of Alba, at Brussels, Ferdinand of Toledo, at Vienna, and several others of unknown people. His last portrait appears to be that of "Goltzius", in the Brussels gallery. The last document that refers to him was one issued at Antwerp, in 1573. The many references to him and the numerous essays on his career, have been summed up by Henry Hymans in his memoir of Mor (Brussels, 1910).

External links

- [http://gallery.euroweb.hu/html/m/mor/index.html Paintings]
- [http://www.bildindex.de/rx/apsisa.dll/registerinhalt?sid=&cnt=&rid=2&aid=
- &query=+xdbpics%3Aalle%20+r1a_name%3A'M
- '%20%20+r1a_name%3A%22mor,%20anthonis%22&no=1&count=50&sort=no&rid=2 More Paintings] More, Anthony More, Anthony More, Anthony More, Anthony

Anthony More (musician)

Anthony Moore (aka Anthony More) (born 1948) is a British experimental music composer and performer. He was a founding member of the band Slapp Happy, collaborated with Pink Floyd on two of their albums and has made a number of solo albums, including Flying Doesn't Help (1979) and World Service (1981). In 1986 he was appointed sound and music research professor at the Academy of Arts and the Media in Cologne, Germany.

External links

- [http://music.com/person/anthony_moore/1 music.com]. Anthony Moore.
- [http://www.khm.de/personen/staff/moore_e.htm Academy of Media Arts]. Prof. Anthony Moore.
- . Moore, Anthony Moore, Anthony

Utrecht (city)

:There is also Utrecht, South Africa Utrecht is a municipality and the capital city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands.

Population centres

- The city of Utrecht (population: 244,000)
- Vleuten-De Meern (population: 26,000)
- De Meern
- Vleuten
- Haarzuilens (population: 500) Vleuten-De Meern was a separate municipality until 2001, which included the village of Haarzuilens. Population data are approximations as of early 2004.

The city of Utrecht

2004 Utrecht is famous for the Dom Tower of Utrecht and the canal structure in the inner city. It is the center of the Dutch railroad network and the location of the head office of the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (Dutch Railways), which is the largest brick building in the Netherlands (the "UFO" gracing its facade stems from an art program in 2000). A large indoor shopping center called Hoog Catharijne is located between the central railway station and the city center. The corridors have been considered public places like streets, and the main route from station to city center is therefore open all night. Over the next 20 years (counting from 2004), parts of Hoog Catharijne will disappear in connection with the [http://www2.utrecht.nl/smartsite.dws?id=4537 Aanpak Stationsgebied] scheme. Parts of the city's network of canals, which were filled to create the shopping center and central station area, are being recreated. Utrecht University is the largest university of The Netherlands. Utrecht is also home to the FC Utrecht football club, which plays in Stadium Nieuw Galgenwaard.

History

The origin of the city was the erection of a Roman fortification (castellum) around AD 47. It was built at the river Rhine, which followed a more northern route than it does now and was the border of the Roman Empire. The name of the place was Traiectum, which means fordable place. During the ages around 500 Romans were encamped here. Near the fort there was a settlement with artisans, traders and soldiers' women and children. In the middle of the 2nd century Germanic peoples regularly invaded the territories that Romans had conquered from them, and around 270 the Romans left Utrecht. About the period 270-500 little is known. In the 6th century Utrecht came under the influence of the Franks. During the Middle Ages Utrecht was the most important city of the Northern Netherlands. Willibrordus is usually considered to be its first bishop. In 695 he was appointed archbishop of the Frisians and in 703 or 704 Pepin II of Herstal gave him Utrecht as see for his missionary activities further north. Utrecht received city rights in 1122. Later the bishops of Utrecht exercised as prince-bishops worldly power not only in the province of Utrecht (Nedersticht) but also further to the northeast. The Veluwe soon became part of Gelre but Overijssel remained the Oversticht. In 1528 the wordly power over both Neder- and Oversticht was transferred to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, who became the Lord of the 17 Netherlands (the current Benelux plus the 'Nord' of France). 17 Netherlands, 1945]] In 1579 the northern seven provinces of these Low Countries signed the Union of Utrecht. They decided to join forces against Spanish rule. The Union of Utrecht is seen as the beginning of the Dutch Republic. In 1580 this predominantly Protestant state abolished the bishoprics, including the one in Utrecht, which had become an archiepiscopal see in 1559. Only in 1853 was the see reinstated. The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 settled the War of the Spanish Succession. Its most lasting result was the cession by Spain of Gibraltar to Great Britain. In 1843, a railway that connected Utrecht with Amsterdam was opened. After that, Utrecht gradually became the centre of the Dutch railway network. During World War II, Utrecht was held by the Germans until the general German surrender of the Netherlands on May 5, 1945. Canadian troops entered the city on May 7, 1945. Since World War II, the city has grown considerably when new neighbourhoods such as Kanaleneiland, Hoograven, Lunetten, and (recently) Leidsche Rijn were built.

Education

Utrecht University is the largest university of The Netherlands (26.787 students as of 2004). The university is based in the inner city and in the Uithof campus area, on the east of the city. It's the 41th best university in the world, according to Shanghai Jiaotong University's [http://ed.sjtu.edu.cn/ranking.htm university ranking] in 2005. Utrecht is also home to two other large institutions of higher education: the HvU University of Professional Education Utrecht (30,000 students), and the HKU Utrecht School of the Arts (3,000 students).

Transport

The public transport network of Utrecht includes:
- The Utrecht Centraal railway station (NS (dutch railways) internal abbreviation:ut), which is a main node of the Dutch railway network and also serves as a major regional bus station. There are three minor railway stations in Utrecht: Utrecht Overvecht (uto), Utrecht Lunetten (utl), and Utrecht Terwijde (utt). Additionally, at least three new railway stations are planned.
- Local GVU buses, including a high-quality bus line to the Uithof university district to the east of the city, served by bi-articulated buses.
- Regional Connexxion buses
- BBA buses to and from the region northwest of the city, and to Breda and Oosterhout (Interliner).
- A light-rail (sneltram in Dutch) line which runs from the Utrecht Centraal station, through the neighbourhoods of Lombok and Kanaleneiland, to Nieuwegein and IJsselstein. This line is also operated by Connexxion. Utrecht also has a harbour on the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal, which is connected to the Rhine river. The CTU container terminal has a capacity of 80,000 containers a year. In 2003, the port facilitated the transport of four million tons of cargo; mostly sand, gravel, fertilizer, and fodder.

Museums

- [http://www.aamu.nl/ Aboriginal Art Museum]
- [http://www.centraalmuseum.nl/ Centraal Museum] (arts and municipal history)
- [http://www.catharijneconvent.nl/ Museum Catharijneconvent] (history of Christian culture and arts in the Netherlands)
- [http://www.museumspeelklok.nl/ National museum 'From musical clock to street organ'] (several centuries of mechanical musical instruments)
- [http://www.spoorwegmuseum.nl/engels/algemeen Railroad museum] (history of Dutch railroad)
- [http://www.museum.uu.nl/ University museum] (see Utrecht University) Utrecht University

Famous people from Utrecht

- Pope Adrian VI
- Louis Andriessen (composer)
- Marco van Basten (soccer player)
- Dick Bruna (writer, illustrator)
- C.H.D. Buys Ballot (meteorologist)
- Theo van Doesburg (painter, artist)
- Anton Reinhard Falck (politician and lawyer)
- Anton Geesink (Olympic judo champion)
- Gerhard van Honthorst (painter)
- Trijn van de Leemput (local female hero of the Eighty Years' War)
- Gerrit Rietveld (designer, architect)
- Tineke Schouten (comedian, singer, actor)
- Wesley Sneijder (soccer player)
- Herman van Veen (comedian, singer)
- Jochem Uytdehaage (ice skater)
- Henk Westbroek (singer, DJ, local politician, bar owner)
- Jan Wouters (soccer player)

External links

- [http://www.utrecht.nl/ Official website of the city]
- [http://www.aartsbisdom.nl/ Official website of the archdiocese]
- Maps:
- [http://www.utrecht.nl/vgi/zoek.cfm?straatnaam=Domplein_(_Utrecht_)&xco=136775.243&yco=455868.011&schaal=1200 City map]
- [http://geocement.esrinl.com/viewer.htm Map of the whole province, but showing about equal detail]
- [http://www.gvu.nl/(kp5a3i45wb3yycbzgyvywpfo)/lijnnetkaart.aspx?baseID=2&subID=51 GVU line map of bus routes (does not show lines of other companies)]
- [http://www.plattegronden.nl/gemeentevleuten-demeern/ Map of the western part of the municipality ]
- [http://members.lycos.nl/ovhome/ut151202.jpg Overview of the bus station] (southern part, for regional buses, as opposed to city buses at the north side)
- [http://www.busesintl.com/May_2003.htm Article on the Busway Program] (bus route between the station and the Uithof)
- [http://www.antonenmarieke.demon.nl/panoramas.html Panorama photography in the center of the city] Category:Utrecht Category:Cities in the Netherlands Category:Cities on the Rhine ja:ユトレヒト

Netherlands

The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland; IPA pronunciation: /"ne:dərlant/) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands that is formed by the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden). The Netherlands is a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch, located in northwestern Europe. It borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east. In many countries, the Netherlands is often referred to by the name Holland, and even within the Netherlands itself this name is occasionally used as an acceptable translation of the country's name. However widespread, this usage is technically incorrect, as "Holland" is actually a region in the central-western part of the Netherlands, divided into two provinces. Also, the English plural form 'the Netherlands' is a remnant from times when the country was not yet independent and united. See below under 'naming conventions'. The Netherlands is one of the most densely populated and geographically low-lying countries in the world (its name literally means "low country") and is famous for its dikes, windmills, wooden shoes, tulips, bicycles and social tolerance. Its liberal policies (towards drugs and prostitution among other things) receive international attention. The country is host to the International Court of Justice. The English adjective and noun for "of or relating to the Netherlands" is "Dutch," which is also the name of the Dutch language. In the Netherlands, "Netherlands" is sometimes used as an adjective. The origin of this local usage may be that the Dutch word for "Dutch" is Nederlands and to avoid confusion with the words "Duits" (in Dutch) and "Deutsch" (in German) that refer to the country Germany and its language.

Capital

Amsterdam is the hoofdstad ("capital city"), where according to the constitution, the sovereign must be sworn in. The Hague is the Netherlands regeringszetel or residentie (seat of government, residence of the monarch). It is the seat of government, the home of the monarch, and the location of most foreign embassies.

History

:For more details on this topic, see History of the Netherlands and Dutch monarchy. Under Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and king of Spain, the region was part of the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands, which also includes most of present-day Belgium, Luxembourg, and some land of France and Germany. In 1568 the Eighty Years' War started after the entire population had been condemned to death by the Holy See and confirmed by the king, and in 1579, the northern half of the Seventeen Provinces declared itself independent and formed the Union of Utrecht, which is seen as the foundation of the modern Netherlands. Philip II, the son of Charles V, was not prepared to let them go that easily. It would not be until 1648 that Spain would recognize Dutch independence. After gaining formal independence from the Spanish Empire under King Philip IV, the Dutch grew to become one of the major seafaring and economic powers of the 17th century during the period of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. In the era, referred to as the Dutch Golden Age, colonies and trading posts were established all over the globe. (See Dutch colonial empire) Many economic historians regard the Netherlands as the first thoroughly capitalist country in the world. In early modern Europe it featured the wealthiest trading city (Amsterdam) and the first full-time stock exchange. The inventiveness of the traders led to insurance and retirement funds as well as such less benign phenomena as the boom-bust cycle, the world's first asset-inflation bubble, the tulip mania of 1636-1637, and according to Murray Sayle, the world's first bear raider - Isaac le Maire, who forced prices down by dumping stock and then buying it back at a discount ("Japan Goes Dutch", London Review of Books [April 5, 2001]: 3-7). After briefly being incorporated in the First French Empire under Napoleon, the Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815, consisting of the present day Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. In addition, the king of the Netherlands became hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Belgium rebelled and gained independence in 1830, while the personal union between Luxembourg and the Netherlands was severed in 1890 as a result of ascendancy laws which prevented Queen Wilhelmina from becoming Grand Duke. The Netherlands possessed several colonies, most notably the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) and Suriname (the latter was traded with the British for New Amsterdam, now known as New York). These 'colonies' were first administered by the Dutch East India Company and the Dutch West India Company, both collective private enterprises. Three centuries later these companies got into financial trouble and the territories in which they operated were taken over by the Dutch government (in 1815 and 1791 respectively). Only then did they become official colonies. During the 19th century, The Netherlands was slow to industrialize compared to neighboring countries, mainly due to its unique infrastructure of waterways and reliance on wind power. After remaining neutral in World War I, over 100,000 Dutch Jews were murdered in the Holocaust of World War II, along with significant numbers of Dutch Roma (gypsies). After the war, the Dutch economy prospered again, being a member of the Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) and European Economic Community unions. The Netherlands was among the twelve founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and among the six founding members of the European Coal and Steel Community, which would later evolve into the European Union.

Naming conventions

The name Holland is often used, incorrectly, for The Netherlands, especially in other languages. The origin of the misnomer lies in the fact that the region of Holland was the economic powerhouse during the time of the United Provinces (1581-1795). After the Napoleonic era, Holland became a mere province of the Kingdom and was split into North and South Holland in 1840. Many people, especially from the northern and southern provinces, object to the use of the name Holland for The Netherlands. But to avoid confusion when addressing other nationals, the Dutch themselves often use the name 'Holland'. The plural "Netherlands" is actually an archaic term, referring to the time when it was a collection of regions that were not yet fully united. In The Netherlands itself the country is called Nederland (literally meaning "low country"), the people are called Nederlanders ("Dutch" in English) and the language is called Nederlands (again, "Dutch" in English); the -s in Nederlands is not a plural ending, but rather is cognate to the English suffix -ish. The English word "Dutch" is akin to the German word Deutsch, which originally meant "(Language) of the (common) people" in contrast with the medieval elite who spoke Latin. An old term for the language of The Netherlands is Diets or Nederdietsch. All these terms derive from what in Latin was known as Theodisca, from Germanic
- Þeudiskaz.

Politics

The Netherlands has been a parliamentary democracy since 1848 and a constitutional monarchy since 1815; before that it had been a republic from 1581 to 1806 (it was occupied by France between 1806 and 1815). The pro forma head of state, since 1980, is Queen Beatrix of the House of Orange-Nassau. The Dutch monarch has little political power, but serves mostly as a ceremonial figurehead to represent the nation. Dutch governments always consist of a coalition, as there is not (and has never been) a single political party large enough to get the majority vote. Formally, the queen appoints the members of the government. In practice, once the results of parliamentary elections are known, a coalition government is formed (in a process of negotiations that can take several months), after which the government formed in this way is officially appointed by the queen. The head of the government is the Prime Minister, in Dutch Minister President or Premier, a primus inter pares who is usually also the leader of the largest party in the coalition. The degree of influence the queen has on actual government decision making is a topic of ongoing speculation. The parliament consists of two houses. The 150 members of the Lower House (Tweede Kamer, or Second Chamber) are elected every four years in direct elections. The provincial parliaments are directly elected every 4 years as well. The members of the provincial parliaments vote (indirectly) for the less important Senate (Eerste Kamer, or First Chamber). Together, the First and Second Chamber are known as the Staten Generaal, the States General. Political scientists consider The Netherlands a classic example of a consociational state, at least in part caused by the necessity in the Netherlands since the middle ages for different cities to cooperate in order to fight the water (different cities were at the time like different countries by today's standards, and often at war). This necessity to reach an agreement despite differences is called the polder model in Dutch. Also, the Netherlands has long been a nation of traders and for international trade one has to be tolerant of the other person's culture. The Netherlands is a neutral country in most international affairs and thus managed to keep out of World War I (although this did not work in World War II). As a result, the Dutch have a 'friendly' reputation in other countries, to the point that bearers of a Dutch passport often have relatively little difficulty getting into other countries, for visits or even for emigration purposes. However, the early years of the 21st century have seen a political change with the right wing in politics gaining on the left. This is illustrated by the quick rise (and fall) of the LPF. Pim Fortuyn, its founder, held former cabinets responsible for the failing integration of immigrants. The present government is led by the cabinet Balkenende II. This cabinet got some critique about economic reforms and the immigration policies. On June 1 2005 the Dutch electorate voted in a referendum against the proposed EU Constitution by a majority of 61.6%, three days after the French had also voted against. See also: Prime Minister of the Netherlands, List of Prime Ministers of the Netherlands

Provinces

List of Prime Ministers of the Netherlands The Netherlands is divided into twelve administrative regions, called provinces, each under a Governor, who is called Commissaris van de Koningin (Commissionair of the Queen).
- Friesland - north west; capital Leeuwarden
- Groningen - north east; capital Groningen
- Drenthe - south of Groningen; capital Assen
- Overijssel - east central, south of Drenthe; capital Zwolle
- Flevoland - central, north of Utrecht; capital Lelystad
- Gelderland - east central, south of Overijssel; capital Arnhem
- Utrecht - central; capital Utrecht
- North Holland - (Noord-Holland) north west (including Amsterdam); capital Haarlem
- South Holland - (Zuid-Holland) west central, south of North Holland (including Rotterdam); capital The Hague (s-Gravenhage or Den Haag)
- Zeeland - south west; capital Middelburg
- North Brabant - (Noord-Brabant) south central; capital 's-Hertogenbosch (or Den Bosch)
- Limburg - south east; capital Maastricht. All provinces are divided into municipalities (gemeenten), together 467; see Municipalities in the Netherlands, and also List of cities in the Netherlands by province. The country is also subdivided in water districts, governed by a water board (waterschap or hoogheemraadschap), each having authority in matters concerning water management. As of 1 January 2005 there are twenty seven. The creation of water boards actually pre-dates that of the nation itself, the first appearing in 1196. In fact, the Dutch water boards are one of the oldest democratic entities in the world still in existence. See also: Ranked list of Dutch provinces.
Geography
Ranked list of Dutch provinces Ranked list of Dutch provinces A remarkable aspect of the Netherlands is the flatness of the country. About half of its surface area is less than 1 m above sea level, and large parts of it are actually below sea level (see [http://www.minbuza.nl/default.asp?CMS_ITEM=MBZ302750 map showing these areas]). An extensive range of dikes and dunes protect these areas from flooding. Numerous massive pumping stations keep the ground water level in check. The highest point, the Vaalserberg, in the south-eastern most point of the country, is 321 m above sea level. A substantial part of the Netherlands, for example, all of Flevoland and large parts of Holland, has been reclaimed from the sea. These areas are known as polders. This has led to the saying "God created the world, but the Dutch created the Netherlands." In years past, the Dutch coastline has changed considerably due to human intervention and natural disasters. Most notable in terms of land loss are the 1134 storm, which created the archipelago of Zeeland in the south west, and the 1287 storm, which killed 50,000 people and created the Zuyderzee (now dammed in and renamed the IJsselmeer - see below) in the northwest, giving Amsterdam direct access to the sea. The St. Elizabeth flood of 1421 and the mismanagement in its aftermath destroyed a newly reclaimed polder, replacing it with the 72 km² Biesbosch tidal floodplains in the southcentre. The most recent parts of Zeeland were flooded during the North Sea Flood of 1953 and 1,836 people were killed, after which the Delta Plan was executed. The disasters were partially man-made; the people drained relatively high lying swampland for use as farmland. This drainage caused the fertile peat to compress and the ground level to drop, locking the land users in a vicious circle whereby they would lower the water level to compensate for the drop in ground level, causing the underlying peat to compress even more. The vicious circle is unsolvable and remains to this day. Up until the 19th century peat was dug up, dried, and used for fuel, further adding to the problem. To guard against floods, a series of defences against the water were contrived. In the first millennium, villages and farmhouses were built on man-made hills called terps. Later these terps were connected by dikes. In the 12th century, local government agencies called "waterschappen" (English "waterbodies") or "hoogheemraadschappen" ("high home councils") started to appear, whose job it was to maintain the water level and to protect a region from floods. (The waterbodies are still around today performing the exact same function.) As the ground level dropped, the dikes by necessity grew and merged into an integrated system. In the 13th century, windmills came into use to pump water out of the areas by now below sea level. The windmills were later used to drain lakes, creating the famous polders. In 1932, the Afsluitdijk (English "Closure Dike") was completed, blocking the former Zuyderzee (Southern Sea) off from the North Sea and thus creating the IJsselmeer (IJssel Lake). It became part of the larger Zuiderzee Works in which four polders totalling 1,650 km² were reclaimed from the sea. After the 1953 disaster, the Delta project, a vast construction effort designed to end the threat from the sea once and for all, was launched in 1958 and largely completed in 2002. The official goal of the Delta project was to reduce the risk of flooding in Holland to once per 10,000 years. (For the rest of the country, the protection-level is once per 4,000 years). This was achieved by raising 3,000 km of outer sea-dikes and 10,000 km of inner, canal, and river dikes to "delta" height, and by closing off the sea estuaries of the Zeeland province. New risk assessments occasionally incur additional Delta project work in the form of dike re-enforcements. The Delta project is the single largest construction effort in human history and is considered by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Because of the high cost of maintaining the polders some have argued that maybe some of the deepest polders should be given up. Additionally, the Netherlands is one of the countries that may suffer most from climatic change. Not only is the rising sea a problem, but also erratic weather patterns may cause the rivers to overflow. These flooded polders might then be used as water catchments to take part of the blow. The country is divided into two main parts by three rivers Rhine (Rijn), Waal, and Meuse (Maas). The south western part of the Netherlands is actually one big river delta of these rivers. These rivers not only function as a natural barrier, but also as a cultural divide, as is evident in the different dialects spoken north and south of these great rivers and the (previous) religious dominance of Catholics in the south and Calvinists in the north. The predominant wind direction in the Netherlands is south west, which causes a moderate maritime climate, with cool summers and mild winters. See also: National parks (Netherlands).
Economy
The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy in which the government has reduced its role since the 1980s. Industrial activity is predominantly in food-processing (for example Unilever and Heineken), chemicals (for example DSM), petroleum refining (for example Royal Dutch Shell), and electrical machinery (for example Philips). A highly mechanised agricultural sector employs no more than 4% of the labour force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. The Dutch rank third worldwide in value of agricultural exports, behind the US and France. Other important parts of the economy are international trade (Dutch colonialism started with cooperative private enterprises such as the VOC), banking and transport (for example the Rotterdam harbour). The Netherlands successfully addressed the issue of public finances and stagnating job growth long before its European partners. As a founding member of the Euro, the Netherlands replaced its former currency, the Gulden, on January 1 1999 along with the other adopters of the single European currency, with the actual Euro coins and banknotes following on January 1, 2002. However, in the first years of the third millennium, economic and employment growth came to a standstill, which the government tried to resolve by cutting into its expenses. In 2003 the economy shrunk 0.9%. In 2004, the recession was over and the economy began its slow recovery with a meager 1.3% growth. The CPB ("Centraal Plan Bureau", Central Planning Bureau), a think tank of leading Dutch economists linked with the government, expects a recovery of the economy in 2005, with a growth of 2.25%. In 2004, inflation was 1.2%, the lowest level since 1989.
- Economic data for the Netherlands: [http://statline.cbs.nl Dutch] [http://statline.cbs.nl/StatWeb/start.asp?lp=Search/Search&LA=EN English]
- List of Dutch companies
Demographics
The Netherlands is the 15th most densely populated country in the world, with 393 inhabitants per square km (or 482/km² if only the land area is counted, 20% is water). Partly because of this it is also one of the most densely cabled countries in the world. Internet penetration [http://www.internetworldstats.com/top25.htm] is at 66.2% the 7th highest in the world. According CBS Statline, the official statistics bureau of the Netherlands, the ethnic origins of the citizens are very diverse. The vast majority of the population however still remains Dutch. They were: 80.8% Dutch, 8.7% other European, 2.2% Turkish, 1.9% Moroccan, 6.4% other There are no cities with a population over 1 million in the Netherlands, but the 'four big cities' as they are called (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht) can in many ways be regarded as one 'big city' agglomeration, the Randstad ('fringe city'), with an agricultural 'green heart' (het Groene Hart). This is illustrated by the idea to create a circular train network with a frequency and carriages similar to a metropolitan railway.
Languages
The official language is Dutch, which is spoken by practically all inhabitants. Another official language is Frisian, which is spoken in the northern province of Friesland and has a strong resemblance to English. Frisian is co-official only in the province of Friesland, although with a few restrictions. Several dialects of Plattdüütsch are spoken in much of the north and are recognised as regional languages, as protected by the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. To the south, the Dutch language shifts into other varieties of Low Franconian and German, which may or may not be best classified as Dutch, most notably West Flemish. One of these, Limburgish, which is spoken in the south-eastern province of Limburg has been recognised as a minority language since 1977.
Religion
According to the governmental statistics agency (CBS) 30% of the population consider themselves to be Roman Catholic, 20% Protestant (predominantly Dutch Reformed) and 8% 'other denominations'. 42% consider themselves not to belong to any religious denomination. Church attendance however is much lower than these figures may suggest: some 70% of the population 'rarely or never' visit a house of worship (be it a church, mosque, synagogue or temple). The most protestants live in the northern provinces while the southern provinces (Noord-Brabant and Limburg) are mainly Roman Catholic. The largest part of the 'other denominations', at 920,000, are Muslim immigrant workers mainly living in the bigger cities, mostly from Morocco and Turkey, and their offspring. The other denominations also include some 200,000 (1.3%) Hindu, mostly descendants of indentured servants who migrated from India to the former Dutch colony of Surinam around 1900. Prior to the Holocaust about 140,000 Jews lived in the Netherlands, however the vast majority of [http://www.worldjewishcongress.org/communities/weurope/comm_netherlands.html Dutch Jewry] was murdered in the Holocaust. About 30,000 Dutch Jews now live in The Netherlands.
Culture
The Netherlands has had many well-known painters. The 17th century, when the Dutch republic was prosperous, was the age of the "Dutch Masters" such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen and many others. Famous Dutch painters of the 19th and 20th century are Vincent van Gogh and Piet Mondriaan. M. C. Escher is a well-known graphics artist. Willem de Kooning was born and trained in Rotterdam, although he is considered to have reached acclaim as an American artist. A (in)famous Dutch master art forger is Han van Meegeren. The Netherlands is the country of philosophers Erasmus of Rotterdam and Spinoza, and all of Descartes' major work was done there. Christiaan Huygens(1629-1695) is a famous astronomer and mathematician. He discovered Saturn's moon Titan and invented an accurate clock. In the Dutch Golden Age, literature flowered as well, with Joost van den Vondel and P. C. Hooft as the two most famous writers. In the 19th century, Multatuli wrote about the bad treatment of the natives in Dutch colonies. Important 20th century authors include Harry Mulisch, Jan Wolkers, Simon Vestdijk, Cees Nooteboom, Gerard van het Reve and Willem Frederik Hermans. The Diary of Anne Frank was also written in the Netherlands. See also: List of museums in The Netherlands, Sport in the Netherlands, Music of the Netherlands, List of Dutch people, Public holidays in the Netherlands Replicas of Dutch buildings can be found in Huis ten Bosch, Nagasaki, Japan. A similar Holland Village is being built in Shenyang, China. Windmills, tulips, wooden shoes, cheese and Delftware pottery are among the numerous items associated with the Netherlands. Dutch policies on recreational drugs, prostitution, same-sex marriage and euthanasia are among the most liberal in the world.
Miscellaneous topics

- City rights in the Netherlands
- Communications in the Netherlands
- Drug policy of the Netherlands
- Dutch colonial empire
- Dutch people
- Dutch-Belgian War
- Education in the Netherlands
- Euthanasia in the Netherlands
- Foreign relations of the Netherlands
- General Intelligence and Security Office (AIVD)
- Income tax in the Netherlands
- List of football clubs in the Netherlands
- Military of the Netherlands
- Netherlands and weapons of mass destruction
- New Netherland
- Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) of the Netherlands
- Prostitution in the Netherlands
- Public holidays in the Netherlands
- Reporters Without Borders worldwide press freedom index 2004 — first place
- Same-sex marriage in the Netherlands
- Statistics Netherlands
- Telephone numbers in the Netherlands
- Television networks in the Netherlands
- Tourism in the Netherlands
- Transportation in the Netherlands
External links

-
- [http://www.statoids.com/unl.html Provinces of Netherlands]
- [http://www.amsterdam-netherlands.info/ Amsterdam / Netherlands info] - Information about the Netherlands, its provinces and Amsterdam.
- [http://www.haganum.nl Best School of The Netherlands- The Gymnasiun Haganum in the Hague]
- [http://www.cbs.nl/en-GB/menu/cijfers/default.htm CBS] - Key figures from the Dutch bureau of statistics
- [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/nl.html CIA - The World Factbook -- Netherlands]
- Dutch news: [http://www.rnw.nl/ Radio Netherlands], [http://www.expatica.com/source/site_content_subchannel.asp?subchannel_id=1 Expatica]
- [http://www.colonialvoyage.com Dutch Portuguese Colonial History] Dutch Colonial History in Sri Lanka, Ceylon, Brazil, India, Malacca (Malaysia), Bengal, Formosa(Taiwan), South Africa, New York, Caribbean, Indonesia. Language Heritage. Maps, chronologies, bibliographies.
- [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761572410/Netherlands.html Encarta entry on the Netherlands]
- [http://flagspot.net/flags/nl-index.html Flagspot.net - The Netherlands]- site about flags, but also with province maps showing municipalities, and some other info
- Foreign government info about the Netherlands and their relations with it:
[http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/netherlands/index.html Australia] | [http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/canadaeuropa/country_net-en.asp Canada] | [http://meaindia.nic.in/foreignrelation/netherland.htm India] | [http://www.esteri.it/eng/3_22_40_214.asp Italy] | [http://www.mfat.govt.nz/foreign/regions/europe/countrypapers/netherlands.html New Zealand] | [http://www.dfa.gov.za/foreign/bilateral/netherlands.html South Africa] | [http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029394365&a=KCountryProfile&aid=1019061813313 UK] | [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3204.htm US]
- [http://www.government.nl Government.nl] - official Dutch government web site
- [http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Dutch] Dutch for English speakers (from Wikibooks)
- [http://www.skyscrapercity.info/200.php?id=4&country=NL&limit=0 List of ca. 1500 tall buildings in the Netherlands]
- [http://www.nlplanet.com/ NL Planet] - English language resources, background information and free forums
- [http://overheid.nl/guest/sites/ Overheid.nl] - official Dutch government portal (includes official publications from 1995; older ones are only available in some libraries, on paper or microfiche)
- [http://www.sdu.nl/staatscourant/gemeentes/gemprovin.htm Province maps showing subdivision in municipalities, and linking each municipality to its basic data page]
- [http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/english/index.jsp The Dutch Royal House]
- [http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=1104447749&men=gmap&lng=en&gln=xx&dat=32&geo=-160&srt=npan&col=aohdq Maps and data]
- [http://www.track.nl/ Track.nl] - An Internet search-engine that specialises in the Netherlands.
- [http://www.world66.com/europe/netherlands World66 Guide to The Netherlands] A travel guide written by its users.
- [http://www.deltaworks.org Deltaworks Online - Flood protection and watermanagement in the Netherlands] Category:European Union member states Category:Monarchies als:Niederlande zh-min-nan:Kē-tē-kok [[got:

1578

Events

- January 31 - Battle of Gemblours - Spanish forces under Don John of Austria and Alexander Farnese defeat the Dutch. Don John begins to recover control of the French-speaking Southern Netherlands
- August 4 - Battle of Al Kasr al Kebir - The Moroccans defeat the Portuguese. King Sebastian I of Portugal is defeated and killed in North Africa, leaving his elderly uncle, Cardinal Henry, as his heir. This initiates a succession crisis in Portugal.
- October 1 - Alexander Farnese, Prince of Parma, succeeds Don John as Spanish Governor-General of the Netherlands.
- Martin Frobisher held the first celebration of Thanksgiving by Europeans in North American at Newfoundland by the Frobisher Expedition.
- Tibet - Sonam Gyrso receives from prince Atlan Khan the title of "Talaï" and becomes the third Dalai Lama.
- Battle of Wenden - The Russians are defeated by the Swedes, who proceed to take Polotsk.
- The Ottoman Empire conquers Abkhazia.
- Sixth and so far the last outbreak of the sweating sickness in England

Births

- March 2 - George Sandys, English traveller (died 1644)
- April 1 - William Harvey, English physician (died 1657)
- April 14 - King Philip III of Spain (died 1621)
- May 16 - Everard Digby, English conspirator (died 1606)
- July 9 - Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor (died 1637)
- August 17 - Francesco Albani, Italian painter (died 1660)
- November 1 - Dmitry Pozharsky, Russian prince (died 1642)
- December 2 - Agostino Agazzari, Italian composer (died 1640)
- Giambattista Andreini, Italian actor and playwright (died 1650)
- Yamada Arinaga, Japanese retainer of Shimazu clan
- Benedetto Castelli, Italian scientist (died 1643)
- Thomas Coventry, 1st Baron Coventry, English lawyer (died 1640)
- Robert Cushman, Plymouth Colony settler (died 1625)
- Matahei Iwasa, Japanese painter (died 1650)
- Samuel Jordan, American colonial legislator (died 1623)
- Charles de Luynes, first duke of Chaulnes (died 1621)
- Grzegorz IV Radziwill, Polish magnate (died 1613)
- François Ravaillac, killer of Henry IV of France (died 1610)
- Ambrose Rokewood, English Gunpowder Plot conspirator (died 1606)
- Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland (died 1632)
- Horio Tadauji, Japanese daimyo (died 1604) See also :Category: 1578 births.

Deaths

- February 5 - Giambattista Moroni, Italian painter (born 1510)
- March 7 - Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox (b. 1515)
- March 29 - Arthur Champernowne, English admiral (b. 1524)
- March 29 - Louis I, Cardinal of Guise, French cardinal (b. 1527)
- April 14 - James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, consort of Mary I of Scotland (born 1535)
- April 19 - Uesugi Kenshin, Japanese samurai and warlord (born 1530)
- August 4 - King Sebastian I of Portugal (born 1554)
- August 4 - Thomas Stucley, English adventurer (born 1525)
- August 11 - Pedro Nunes, Portuguese mathematician (b. 1502)
- October 1 - Don John of Austria, military leader (born 1547)
- Giorgio Giulio Clovio, Italian painter (born 1498)
- Cornelis Cort, Dutch engraver (born 1536)
- Thomas Doughty, English explorer
- Nicholas Heath, Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor (born 1501)
- Amago Katsuhisa, Japanese nobleman (born 1553)
- Ikeda Katsumasa, Japanese military commander (born 1539)
- Juraj Julije Klovic, Dalmatian painter (born 1498)
- Pierre Lescot, French architect (born 1510)
- Giovanni Battista Moroni, Italian painter (born 1520)
- Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik I Saadi, King of Morocco See also :Category: 1578 deaths. Category:1578 ko:1578년

Antwerp

, in the old quarter of Antwerp is the largest cathedral in the Low Countries and home to a number of triptychs by Renaissance Belgian painter Rubens. It remains the tallest building in the city.]] Antwerp (Dutch name: Antwerpen; French name: Anvers) is a city and a municipality in Belgium, its chief centre of commerce and a strong fortified position; it is capital of Antwerp province, in Flanders, one of Belgium's three regions. Antwerp's total population is ca. 457,749 (January 2005). Its total area is 204.51 km² with a population density of 2,238.23 inhabitants per km². The agglomeration has a population of ca. 800,000 (municipality: 457,749 (2005), metropolitan area: ca. 1,225,000 (2004)).

Overview

Antwerp is, historically, one of Belgium and the Low Countries' most important cities in terms of economy and culture. It is one of the three primary centers of the global diamond industry (along with New York City's "diamond district", and South Africa), traditionally controlled by the city's Hassidic Jewish population, the largest outside of New York. Antwerp is also well-known for its seaport with a high level of cargo shipping and oil refineries. Since the 1990s it has been recognised internationally as an important city for fashion design, as several graduates of the (Belgian) Royal Academy of Fine Arts have become internationally successful designers. Antwerp is situated on the right bank of the river Scheldt. It is one of the largest ports in the world (in Europe it is second only to the Dutch city of Rotterdam), linked to the North Sea by the Scheldt and the Westerschelde. Westerschelde] Antwerp is also notable for its zoo, one of the oldest and most famous in the world. The Antwerp Zoo is located in the middle of the city, near the railway station and is home to more than 4,000 animals. The Royal Society for Zoology focused on ensuring the welfare of numerous animals and helping to protect threatened species for more than 100 years. Next to the Antwerp Zoo is the Centraal Station, the city's main railway station. Designed by architect Louis Delacenserie (1838-1909) and completed in 1905, the station's architecture features two monumental neo-baroque facades, topped by a large metal and glass dome (60m/197ft). The dome covers the train platforms which is typical for turn-of-the-century railway stations in Europe. Antwerp is the end of the oldest railway line in continental Europe (between Brussels and Antwerp through the city of Mechelen). Designed with all glit and marble, the interior has been called a Renaissance painters fantasy of what classical design should be. A few years ago, the Centraal Station was used in the British television series 'Hercule Poirot.' In the series, the famous 'Belgian' detective visited Brussels and many Belgians were surprised to see that, during the filming, the Antwerp station had changed its name to 'Gare de Bruxelles' (Brussels Station). Modern Antwerp is a finely laid out city with a succession of broad avenues which mark the position of the first enceinte. There are long streets and terraces of fine houses belonging to the merchants and manufacturers of the city which amply testify to its prosperity, and recall the 16th century distich that Antwerp was noted for its moneyed men ("Antwerpia nummis"). Despite the ravages of war and internal disturbances it still preserves some memorials of its early grandeur, notably its fine cathedral. This church was begun in the 14th century, but not finished till 1518. Its tower of over 400 feet is a conspicuous object to be seen from afar over the surrounding flat country. A second tower which formed part of the original plan has never been erected. 1518 The proportions of the interior are noble, and in the church are hung three of the masterpieces of Rubens, viz. "The Descent from the Cross," "The Elevation of the Cross," and "The Assumption." Another fine church in Antwerp is that of St James, far more ornate than the cathedral, and containing the tomb of Rubens, who devoted himself to its embellishment. The Bourse or exchange, which claims to be the first distinguished by the former name in Europe, is a fine new building finished in 1872, on the site of the old Bourse erected in 1531 and destroyed by fire in 1858. Fire has destroyed several other old buildings in the city, notably in 1891 the house of the Hansa League on the northern quays. A curious museum is the Maison Plantin, the house of the great printer C. Plantin and his successor Moretus, which stands exactly as it did in the time of the latter. The new picture gallery close to the southern quays is a fine building divided into ancient and modern sections. The collection of old masters is very fine, containing many splendid examples of Rubens, Van Dyck, Titian and the chief Dutch masters. Antwerp, famous in the middle ages and at the present time for its commercial enterprise, enjoyed in the 17th century a celebrity not less distinct or glorious in art for its school of painting, which included Rubens, Van Dyck, Jordaens, the two Teniers and many others. "Antwerpenaren", or people of Antwerp tend to be very proud of their city. Their dialect is recognised by Dutch-speaking people because of its A-sound, wich sounds more like oa (as in boar). Because of this and their habit of being assertive, they have earned the reputation of "having a big mouth".

Commerce

C. Plantin Since 1863, when Antwerp was opened to the trade of the outer world by the purchase of the Dutch right to levy toll, its position has completely changed, and no place in Europe made greater progress in that period than the ancient city on the Scheldt. The eight principal basins or docks already existing in 1908 were # the Little or Bonaparte dock; # the Great dock, also constructed in Napoleon's time; # the Kattendijk, built in 1860 and enlarged in 1881; # the Wood dock; # the Campine dock, used especially for minerals; # the Asia dock, which is in direct communication with the Meuse by a canal as well as with the Scheldt; # the Lefebvre dock; and # the America dock, which was only opened in 1905. Two new docks, called "intercalary" because they would fit into whatever scheme might be adopted for the rectification of the course of the Scheldt, were still to be constructed, leading out of the Lefebvre dock and covering 70 acres. With the completion of the new maritime lock, ships drawing 30 feet of water would be able to enter these new docks and also the Lefebvre and America docks. In connexion with the projected grande coupure (that is, a cutting through the neck of the loop in the river Scheldt immediately below Antwerp), the importance of these four docks would be greatly increased because they would then flank the new main channel of the river. When the Belgian Chambers voted in February 1906 the sums necessary for the improvement of the harbour of Antwerp no definite scheme was sanctioned, the question being referred to a special mixed commission. The improvements at Antwerp were not confined to the construction of new docks. The quays flanking the Scheldt are 3-½ miles in length. They are constructed of granite, and no expense has been spared in equipping them with hydraulic cranes, warehouses, &c.

Fortifications

Besides being the chief commercial port of Belgium, Antwerp is the greatest fortress of that country. Nothing, however, remains of the former enceinte or even of the famous old citadel defended by General Chassé in 1832, except the Steen, which has been restored and contains a museum of arms and antiquities. After the establishment of Belgian independence Antwerp was defended only by the citadel and an enceinte of about 2-½ miles round the city. No change occurred till 1859, when the system of Belgian defence was radically altered by the dismantlement of seventeen of the twenty-two fortresses constructed under Wellington's supervision in 1815-1818. At Antwerp the old citadel and enceinte were removed. A new enceinte 8 miles in length was constructed, and the villages of Berchem and Borgerhout, now parishes of Antwerp, were absorbed within the city. This enceinte still exists, and is a fine work of art. It is protected by a broad wet ditch, and in the caponiers are the magazines and store chambers of the fortress. The enceinte is pierced by nineteen openings or gateways, but of these seven are not used by the public. As soon as the enceinte was finished eight detached forts from 2 to 2-½ miles distant from the enceinte were constructed. They begin on the north near Wyneghem and the zone of inundation, and terminate on the south at Hoboken. In 1870 Fort Merxem and the redoubts of Berendrecht and Oorderen were built for the defence of the area to be inundated north of Antwerp. In 1878, in consequence of the increased range of artillery and the more destructive power of explosives, it was recognized that the fortifications of Antwerp were becoming useless and out of date. It was therefore decided to change it from a fortress to a fortified position by constructing an outer line of forts and batteries at a distance varying from 6 to 9 miles from the enceinte. This second line was to consist of fifteen forts, large and small. Up to 1898 only five had been constructed, but in that and the two following years five more were finished, leaving another five to complete the line. A mixed commission selected the points at which they were to be placed. With the completion of this work, which in 1908 was being rapidly pushed on, Antwerp might be regarded as one of the best fortified positions in Europe, and so long as its communications by sea are preserved intact it will be practically impregnable. Two subsidiary or minor problems remained over. # The much-discussed removal of the existing enceinte in order to give Antwerp further growing space. If it were removed there arose the further question, should a new enceinte be made at the first line of outer forts, or should an enceinte be dispensed with? An enceinte following the line of those forts would be 30 miles in length. Then if the city grew up to this extended enceinte the outer forts would be too near. To screen the city from bombardment they would have to be carried 3 miles further out, and the whole Belgian army would scarcely furnish an adequate garrison for this extended position. A new enceinte, or more correctly a rampart of a less permanent character, connecting the eight forts of the inner line and extending from Wyneghem to a little south of Hoboken, was decided upon in 1908. # The second problem was the position on the left bank of the Scheldt. All the defences enumerated are on the right bank. On the left bank the two old forts Isabelle and Marie alone defend the Scheldt. It is assumed (probably rightly) that no enemy could get round to this side in sufficient strength to deliver any attack that the existing forts could not easily repel. The more interesting question connected with the left bank is whether it does not provide, as Napoleon thought, the most natural outlet for the expansion of Antwerp. Proposals to connect the two banks by a tunnel under the Scheldt have been made from time to time in a fitful manner, but nothing whatever had been done by 1908 to realize what appears to be a natural and easy project.

History

According to folklore, the city got its name from a legend involving a mythical giant called Antigoon that lived near the river Scheldt. This giant exacted a toll from passers-by who wished to navigate the river. On refusal, the giant often severed one of their hands and threw them into the Scheldt. Eventually, the giant was slain by a young hero named Brabo, who cut off the giant's hand and threw it into the river. Hence the name Antwerpen from Dutch Hand werpen (hand-throwing). There's a statue of Brabo and the slain Antigoon on the Grote Markt in front of the town hall as can be seen on the picture of the Antwerp Stadhuis above. In addition you are apt to come across sculptures of hands in various sizes and forms throughout the city, and hand-shaped cookies can be bought in any chocolate shop. Dutch This suggested origin of the name Antwerp appeared to Motley rather farfetched, but it is less reasonable to trace it, as he inclines to do, from an t werf (on the wharf), seeing that the form Andhunerbo existed in the 6th century on the separation of Austrasia and Neustria. Moreover, hand-cutting was not an uncommon practice in Europe. It was perpetuated from a savage past in the custom of cutting off the right hand of a man who died without heir, and sending it as proof of main-morte to the feudal lord. Moreover, the two hands and a castle, which form the arms of Antwerp, will not be dismissed as providing no proof by any one acquainted with the scrupulous care that heralds displayed in the golden age of chivalry before assigning or recognizing the armorial bearings of any claimant. In the 4th century Antwerp is mentioned as one of the places in the second Germany, and in the 11th century Godfrey of Bouillon was for some years best known as marquis of Antwerp. Antwerp was the headquarters of Edward III during his early negotiations with van Artevelde, and his son Lionel, earl of Cambridge, was born there in 1338. It was not, however, till after the closing of the Zwyn and the decay of Bruges that the Brabantine city of Antwerp became of importance. At the end of the 15th century the foreign trading gilds or houses were transferred from Bruges to Antwerp, and the building assigned to the English nation is specifically mentioned in 1510. Antwerp became, as Fernand Braudel pointed out "the center of the entire international economy—something Bruges had never been even at its height." (Braudel 1985 p. 143.) He dates the opening of the new order with the arrival of the first Portuguese ship laden with pepper and cinnamon in 1501. Antwerp's "Golden Age" is tightly linked to the "Age of Exploration". Over the first half of the 16th century Antwerp grew to become the second largest European city north of the Alps by 1560. In 1560, a year which marked the highest point of its prosperity, six nations, viz. the Spaniards, the Danes and the Hansa together, the Italians, the English, the Portuguese and the Germans, were named at Antwerp, and over 1000 foreign merchants were resident in the city. Guicciardini, the Venetian envoy, describes the activity of the port, into which 500 ships sometimes passed in a day, and as evidence of the extent of its land trade he mentioned that 2000 carts entered the city each week. Venice had fallen from its first place in European commerce, but still it was active and prosperous. Its envoy, in explaining the importance of Antwerp, states that there was as much business done there in a fortnight as in Venice throughout the year. During this period Antwerp clung to some disadvantages. Without a long-distance merchant fleet, and governed by an oligarchy of banker-aristocrats forbidden to engage in trade, the economy of Antwerp was in the hands of the foreigners who made the city very international. Ships from Venice, Ragusa, Catalonia or Portugal met in the port where Portuguese pepper and silks met German silver. Antwerp wisely embraced a policy of toleration: even today Antwerp is nicknamed "The Jerusalem of the West" because of its large orthodox Jewish (hasidic) community. Antwerp in its greatness was not even a "free" city; it had been reabsorbed into the duchy of Brabant in 1406 and was controlled from Brussels. Brussels Antwerp experienced three booms during its century, the first based on the pepper market, a second launched by American silver coming from Seville that came to an abrupt end with the bankruptcy of Spain in 1557. A third boom, after the stabilising Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis, in 1559, was based on industrial production of textiles. The boom-and-bust cycles and inflationary cost-of-living put a squeeze on Antwerp's less-skilled workers, and the profound religious revolution of the Reformation erupted in violent iconoclastic riots in August 1566, here as in every other part of the Netherlands. The conciliating presence of the regent Margaret, duchess of Parma was swept aside when Philip II sent the Duke of Alva to restore peace and orthodoxy at the head of an army the following summer. The Eighty Years' War broke out in earnest in 1572, and commercial communication between Antwerp and the Spanish port of Bilbao was essentially terminated. On November 4, 1576, the Spanish soldiery plundered the town during what was called the Spanish Fury, and 6000 citizens were massacred. Eight hundred houses were burnt down, and over two millions sterling of damage was wrought in the town on that occasion. Antwerp became the capital of the Dutch revolt. In 1585 a severe blow was struck at the prosperity of the city when Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza captured it after a long siege and sent all its Protestant citizens into exile. Antwerp's banking was assumed for a generation by Genoa and its mercantile supremacy passed to Amsterdam. The recognition of the independence of the United Provinces by the treaty of Munster in 1648 carried with it the death-blow to Antwerp's prosperity as a place of trade, for one of its clauses stipulated that the Scheldt should be closed to navigation. This impediment remained in force until 1863, although the provisions were relaxed during French rule from 1795 to 1814, and also during the time Belgium formed part of the kingdom of the Netherlands (1815 to 1830). Antwerp had reached the lowest point of its fortunes in 1800, and its population had sunk under 40,000, when Napoleon, realizing its strategical importance, assigned two millions for the construction of two docks and a mole. One other incident in the chequered history of Antwerp deserves mention. In 1830 the city was captured by the Belgian insurgents, but the citadel continued to be held by a Dutch garrison under General Chasse. For a time this officer subjected the town to a periodical bombardment which inflicted much damage, and at the end of 1832 the citadel itself was besieged by a French army. During this attack the town was further injured. In December 1832, after a gallant defence, Chasse made an honourable surrender. During World War II the city was occupied by Germany and was liberated on September 4, 1944 when the British 11th Armored Division entered the city. After this, the Germans attempted to destroy the port of Antwerp, which was used by the Allies to bring new material ashore. The city was hit by more V-2 rockets than any other target during the entire war, but the attack did not succeed in destroying the port. However, the city itself was severely damaged. Antwerp also hosted the 1920 Summer Olympics and was the first city to host the World Gymnastics Championships, in 1903.

Historical population

1500: around 44/49,000 inhabitants (Braudel 1985)
1575: around 100,000 inhabitants
1590: fewer than 40,000 inhabitants
1800: 45,500 inhabitants
1830: 73,500
1856: 111,700
1880: 179,000
1900: 275,100
1925: 308,000

Municipality

The municipality comprises the city of Antwerp proper and several towns. So it can be divided into nine entities (districten in Dutch): right #Antwerp (town) #Berchem #Berendrecht-Zandvliet-Lillo #Borgerhout #Deurne #Ekeren #Hoboken, Antwerp #Merksem #Wilrijk Wilrijk

Sports

The major football club are R. Antwerp F.C. and K.F.C. Germinal Beerschot.

Famous Antwerp people

- Peter Paul Rubens, painter

- Anthony Van Dyck, painter

- Jacob Jordaens, painter

- David Teniers the Younger, painter

- Abraham Ortelius, humanist and cartographer

- Christoffel Plantijn, humanist and book printer

- Hendrik Conscience, Flemish writer and author of the famous De leeuw van Vlaanderen ("The lion of Flanders")

- Paul Van Ostaijen, Flemish poet

- Willem Elsschot, Flemish novel writer

- Tom Barman, rock singer and film director

- The "Antwerp Six": Dries Van Noten, Dirk Bikkembergs, Dirk Van Saene, Ann Demeulemeester, Walter Van Beirendonck and Marina Yee (fashion designers)

References

- J. L. Motley's Rise of the Dutch Republic
- C. Scribanii, Origines Antwerpiensium
- Gens, Hist. de la ville d'Anvers
- Mertens and Torfs, Geschiedenis van Antwerp
- Genard, Anvers a travers les ages
- Annuaire_statisgue de la Belgigue.
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External links

- [http://en.antwerpen.be Official website]
- [http://stadsplan.antwerpen.be/ Map]
- [http://www.zooantwerpen.be/ Antwerp Zoo's official web site], only available in Dutch and French
- [http://www.visitantwerpen.be/ Tourism Antwerp]
- [http://www.dekathedraal.be/en/ Antwerp Cathedral website]
- [http://www.use-it.be/antwerpen/eng/ Tourist Office for Young People]
- [http://sg.travel.yahoo.com/guide/europe/belgium/antwerp/ Yahoo Travel]
- [http://www.modenatie.be/ Flanders Fashion Institute]
- [http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51.246758,4.357452&spn=0.219177,0.310827&t=k&hl=en Google maps satellite view]
- Education Institutions
- [http://www.ais-antwerp.be Antwerp International School]
- [http://www.ua.ac.be Universiteit Antwerpen] – University of Antwerp (UA)
- [http://www.ha.be Hogeschool Antwerpen] – College of Antwerp (HA)

Reference

- Braudel, Fernand The Perspective of the World, 1985 Category:Antwerp Category:Host cities of the Summer Olympic Games Category:Municipalities of Antwerp Category:World Book Capital Category:Port cities Category:Orthodox Jewish communities ja:アントワープ