Giessen is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of Altena, about 7 km southeast of Gorinchem.
Giessen | |
---|---|
Village | |
Coordinates: 51°47′19″N 5°1′58″E / 51.78861°N 5.03278°E | |
Country | Netherlands |
Province | North Brabant |
Municipality | Altena |
Area | |
• Total | 5.46 km2 (2.11 sq mi) |
Elevation | 1.7 m (5.6 ft) |
Population (2021)[1] | |
• Total | 1,645 |
• Density | 300/km2 (780/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Postal code | 4283[1] |
Dialing code | 0183 |
History
editThe village was first mentioned in 1178 as Giscen. It is named after a river, however the etymology is unclear.[3] Giessen developed in the Middle Ages along the Afgedamde Maas.[4]
The Dutch Reformed church was dates was built on a terp (artificial living hill) in the 14th century. In 1755, the tower collapsed due to frequent flooding. The church was enlarged in 1856.[4][5]
Giessen was home to 360 people in 1840.[5] Giessen was a separate municipality until 1973, when it became a part of the former municipality of Woudrichem.[6] Giessen nowadays forms a single urban area with Rijswijk.[4]
Sights
editGiessen is part of the New Dutch Water Line. Fort Giessen has been preserved, and was constructed between 1878 and 1881.[4]
In 2013 Giessen Castle was rediscovered in the village.[5] There are no visible traces of this castle, except for a small monument that marks its location.
Notable inhabitants
edit- Carola Schouten (born 1977), politician
Gallery
edit-
Dutch Reformed church
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Farm in Giessen
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Fort Giessen
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Painting of Giessen by Eugen Jettel (1886)
References
edit- ^ a b c "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021". Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^ "Postcodetool for 4283EB". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^ "Giessen". Etymologiebank (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^ a b c d Chris Kolman & Ronald Stenvert (1997). Giessen-Rijswijk (in Dutch). Zwolle: Waanders. ISBN 90 400 9945 6. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^ a b c "Giessen". Plaatsengids (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^ Ad van der Meer and Onno Boonstra, Repertorium van Nederlandse gemeenten, KNAW, 2011.