Menaldumadeel is a municipality in the northern Netherlands.
Population centres
Population as of January 1, 2004:
Beetgum (759), Beetgumermolen (957), Berlikum (2,530), Blessum (91), Boksum (443), Deinum (1,073), Dronrijp (3,486), Engelum (412), Marssum (1,185), Menaldum (2,682), Schingen (108), Slappeterp (80), and Wier (210).
Dronrijp
History and architecture
A few centuries BC, a settlement developed around where the street Tsjerkebuorren is now in Dronrijp (or Dronryp as it is called in Frisian) (Stenvert et al., 2000). Another settlement came into existence nearby when a canal between Leeuwarden and Harlingen was completed in 1507. (Part of it was filled up in 1940.) Between roughly 1850 and 1950, these two gradually merged.
The oldest known reference to the town dates from 1132, when it was called Denningrip, meaning a "rip" (narrow stretch of land) where a family called Drenninga lived (Groenedijk, 2000). (Presumably, Groenedijk means "Drenningrip" here.)
Of the old mansions in the area only the early 18th century Schatzenburg remains.
Miscellaneous information
The Van Harinxma canal, completed in 1953, runs along the south side of the town. The A31 runs along the north side. Dronrijp also has a railway station.
Painter Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema was born in the house at 2 Dûbelestreek, Eise Eisinga, famous for his planetarium, at 13 Tsjerkebuorren.
References
- Stenvert, R. et al. (2000), Monumenten in Nederland: Fryslân, Waanders Uitgevers, Zwolle, the Netherlands. ISBN 90-400-9476-4.
- Groenedijk, T. (2000). Nederlandse plaatsnamen. Slingenberg Boekproducties, Hoogeveen, 2000. ISBN 90-76113-815.
- Site of the municipality of Menaldumadeel, [1], consulted on August 10th 2004.
External link
