Schiedam, The Netherlands von Maarten Kost

Schiedam, The Netherlands

Schiedam is a city and municipality in the Dutch province of South Holland. The municipal council participates in the joint Rotterdam-The Hague Metropolitan Region scheme.

Schiedam is located between Rotterdam and Vlaardingen, originally on the Schie and later on the Nieuwe Maas. As of January 1, 2019, the municipality had 77,999 inhabitants (source: CBS). The city is known worldwide for its gin production, the historic city center with historic harbors (in other Dutch cities they would be called 'canals') and the highest windmills in the world.

The history of the city of Schiedam dates back to the 13th century. Near the mouth of the Schie, around probably 1230, a dam was built by Mr van Wassenaar and / or Mr Dirk Bokel of the Mathenesse craft to protect the polder land against seawater. In 1247, when Aleid van Holland married Jan van Avesnes, she received the eastern part of the dam (and the polder) as a wedding gift. In 1275 city rights were granted by Lady Aleid van Holland (Aleida van Avesnes), the sister of Count Willem II of Holland.

The eighteenth century was Schiedams Golden Age: the stalled beverage import from France made the emergence of the Schiedam gin distillery possible. Schiedam jenever was exported all over the world from dozens of distilleries and distilleries. The gin industry gave Schiedam the nickname 'Black Nazareth'. The industry has now largely disappeared, but six mills still determine the cityscape: Mill De Walvi