Last updated:
7 May 2006
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The history of my home town Amersfoort

The Origins of Amersfoort

The name 'Amersfoort' (Pronunciation: [ä´mursfOrt] <) derives from 'foort' or 'voorde' (cf. English 'ford') and 'Amer' (i.e. the Eem river, or water in general).
Thanks to it favourable location, both on the water router (over the Eem river to the Zuiderzee) and land route (from Utrecht Eastward and Northward) the agricultural settlement developed into a small town, which in 1259 was granted city rights by the Bishop of Utrecht.
The city had two centres: het Havik, first mentioned in 1390,(which could come from "bend in a river" or "habour area") and de Hof (the Court and first mentioned in 1462). Het Havik was the city's port and its business centre. De Hof, prior to the granting of city rights, was the location of the residence of the Bishop's representatives and the city church, the St. Joriskerk (the Church of St. George). In 1132 there is a chapel mentioned, which later would become the St. Joriskerk (1243 the built was started and in 1534 it would become the church that it is now).
The whole city was walled, orginally by an earthen wall, later by a stone wall. Some remains can still be seen. For instance, in the Langestraat (Lit.: the Longstreet) we find the remains of the Kamperbinnenpoort (The Innergate to Kampen, a city in the nothern part of Holland) and on the Muurhuizen (wallhouses) we see the remains of the Plompetoren, also know as the Dieventoren (lit: Thieves Tower, refering to the city jail located here [first mentioned as a prison in 1434] in the 19th century, last used in 1862).

Why is the city named 'Keistad'?

Amersfoort is called 'Keistad' (lit.:Rocktown or Bouldercity), a name we 'earned' in the 17th century, not because we invented Rock&Roll as a dance, but because of a wager a crazy country squire ('Jonkheer') named Everard Meyster because he wanted to celibrate his new house.
He made a bet with some friends that he could talk the people of Amersfoort into dragging a large boulder, a stone that was deposited on Soester Moor by a glacier, weighting 9 tons, to the city. Four hundred Amersfoorters signed up for this feat. The boulder was pulled into the city over cannon balls. The squire won his wager and grandly spent the 3000 guilders on beer and salty pretzels. This all took place in 1661 but because other cities started to make fun of this event, the Amersfoorters burried the boulder in 1672 secretly in the hope the other cities would forget the event taken place. In 1903 we dug up the boulder again and gave it a prominent place in the city.
The inhabitants of the city are still called 'keientrekkers' (lit.: Boulder towers)

Some of the historical city

The Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren (The Steeple of Our Lady), towering 100 meters above the city, was completed around 1480. The Steeple and the small spire symbolise the Holy Mother and Child.
The occasion for building the tower was the legendof a wooden figurine of the Holy Mary, that in the early Middle Ages was thrown into one of the canals of Amersfoort. When it was found a short while later, a number of miracles took place. For instance, candles would burn without being consumed. These miracles gave rise to pilgrimages to Amersfoort - and an economic boom for the city to boot.

In front of the Steeple there is an X/Y marking showing the exact centre of the Netherlands.

It was 2nd of august 1787, the church was used to store gun powder. You now can imagine what happened with the church that kept us left with only the tower. 400 grenats, one bomb and 2 barrels of gunpowder exploded.

(old gravure from the tower but with church)

De Koppelpoort dates from before 1427. This is a water and land gate which connects to the Eem river and also makes it possible to sluice water out of the canals.
The 15th century expansion can be distinguished here. This gate is part of the second defesive belt that was built after the original ring of walls had become too small for the growing city. The course of the river was diverted and a port was built. The gate was built to span the new course of the river. By aid of a great wooden wheel a huge wooden door could be lowered and so close off the city. The small rooms in the towers originally were intended for the guards. Later, the boatmen's guild were established here. Today, the tower is the home of a puppet theatre.

This is a small detail, located to the left of De Koppelpoort, of the part that is used to control the water level in the canals in the city and to refresh the water.

A few from the site of 't kleine Spui of the Koppelpoort. Over the water gate there is a small bridge, which gives you a perfect few over the canal.

During summer it is a great place to sit and enjoy the view

Inside the Koppelpoort there is a tredmill operated by people to lower and raise the gate

The land gate of the Koppelpoort. On the outside, the proud land gate bears the Great Seal of the city. The old doors that were used to close the land gate are gone, but when you take a close look in the gate itself, you can imagine that they must have been huge!

The Kamperbinnenpoort dates back to before 1425. This gate was part of the first defensive belt built by Amersfoort. Later, the city expanded and a second, lager belt was built around the city. Originally, fish was brought at this gate to the city. The section now located at the Langestraat is only a part of the original mediaeval building. In the rooms under the gate, the guilds used to hold their meetings. In the alcoves on and under the galleries, artisans had their shops. The gate was restored in 1933. The additions date from that time.

The pub De Grote Slok (lit.: The Great Gulp) dates back to the early 17th century and was restored in 1943.

This is the Kapelhuis or Chapel House, on Krankeledenstraat on the corner of the Lieve Vrouwe-Kerkhof. This house was built around 1500. Its Gothic chracteristics are still evident. This building is, what I believe, one of the most beautiful and authentic houses in the city.

The Oude stadsmuur or Old city wall. New military tactics made the old defensive works superflous. The old wall felt into decline and were partly taken down. This is how they look today. In front how it was at the end of the last century and at the back a restored part of the wall.

The Tinnenburg, one of the historic houses (first mentioned in 1414) on the Muurhuizen. Several guilds were housed in this building.
This is a view of the Tinnenburg from Singel. The Singel was the original defensive moat around Amersfoort. Remains of the old water gate still are evident on the side wall of the building.
On the right the backview of Tinnenburg and below the frontview

The Muurhuizen, or wall houses, are typical for Amersfoort. These houses were built on the location of the first original defense ring around the city.This belt was broken down when a second, wider belt was erected around Amersfoort. The stones were used to build houses.
Watch towers were built at regular intervals to defend the city walls and Amersfoort itself. A few of these small towers have survived in the 'wall houses'. The original brick walls were plastered in the last century. In some places this plaster layers survives to this day.

The Monnikendam (first mentioned in 1434), had to be built after the expansion of the defensive belt around Amersfoort. The original gate at Tinnenburg on the Muurhuizen, thus became superfluous. The water from the river Eem flowed past this water gate into the city.
The water gate has two defensive towers, used in time of hostilities.

This map, showing Amersfoort around 1652. Clearly the two moats can be seen forming the first and second defensive belt around the city.

For a MUCH larger image you can click on the map. The link will bring you to a site with much more historical maps of Holland.

The flag of my city looks as follows

Visit also the website of Aljo Wijnands
Lots of good pictures with nice descriptions (in both Dutch and English)

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