Altena, North Brabant

Last updated
Altena
Boven merwede on a misty winter morning.jpg
Snowy view of Altena near the Boven Merwede
Flag of Altena.svg
Altena wapen.svg
Map - NL - Municipality code 1959 (2019).svg
Location in North Brabant
Coordinates: 51°46′N4°58′E / 51.77°N 4.97°E / 51.77; 4.97
Country Netherlands
Province North Brabant
Established1 January 2019
Government
  Body Municipal council
   Mayor Egbert Lichtenberg (CDA)
Area
  Total226.64 km2 (87.51 sq mi)
  Land200.63 km2 (77.46 sq mi)
  Water26.02 km2 (10.05 sq mi)
Population
 (July 2019) [3]
  Total55,718
  Density250/km2 (640/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
  Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
Website www.gemeentealtena.nl OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Rural area near Dussen De Korn Boezemweg in de hooitijd bij Dussen.jpg
Rural area near Dussen
Woudrichem quay Woudrichem 047.JPG
Woudrichem quay
Entrance to old Woudrichem Vesting Woudrichem Koepoortstraat.jpg
Entrance to old Woudrichem
The centre of Woudrichem Woudrichem Panorama 6.JPG
The centre of Woudrichem
Dutch Reformed church of Saint Martin in Woudrichem 39576 Sint-Martinuskerk (3).jpg
Dutch Reformed church of Saint Martin in Woudrichem
Fort Giessen near Giessen Fort Giessen met gracht.jpg
Fort Giessen near Giessen
De Biesbosch National Park De Wassende Maan.jpg
De Biesbosch National Park
Northern Merwede Bridge, which connects Gorinchem with Altena Merwedebrug bij Gorinchem.jpg
Northern Merwede Bridge, which connects Gorinchem with Altena
Southern Keizersveer Bridge, which connects Geertruidenberg with Altena Keizersveersebrug.jpg
Southern Keizersveer Bridge, which connects Geertruidenberg with Altena
Dussen castle P1070451Kasteel van Dussen.JPG
Dussen castle
View of Veen on the Afgedamde Maas Netherlands, Noord-Brabant, Veen (1).JPG
View of Veen on the Afgedamde Maas
View of Nieuwendijk Vanaf de Karnemelksesteeg zien we het dijkdorp Nieuwendijk.jpg
View of Nieuwendijk
Windmills near Almkerk Zandwijkse Molen.jpg
Windmills near Almkerk
The Anna Jacominaplaat peninsula forms the western extremity of Altena Anna Jacominaplaat.jpg
The Anna Jacominaplaat peninsula forms the western extremity of Altena

Altena is a municipality in the Netherlands, on a river island in the very north of the province of North Brabant, bordering the provinces of Gelderland and South Holland. Nearby cities are Dordrecht in the west, Gorinchem in the north (both in South Holland), and Waalwijk in the south.

Contents

Approximately 56,000 people live in an area of about 201 km², making Altena the largest municipality of North Brabant in terms of land area (surpassing Meierijstad).

Geography

The municipality was formed on 1 January 2019, by the merger of the municipalities of Aalburg, Werkendam, and Woudrichem. [4] Aalburg was only a municipality, Werkendam and Woudrichem are also population centres. Werkendam is the largest town, and the small city of Woudrichem is the historical centre of Altena. The village of Almkerk serves as the municipal seat and lies in the middle of the municipality.

Altena is a rural community with population centres mainly concentrated along the surrounding waterways. These waterways are (clockwise, starting in the west): Nieuwe Merwede, Boven Merwede, Afgedamde Maas, Heusdensch Kanaal, Bergsche Maas, and Amer.

De Biesbosch National Park is partially situated in the western part of Altena.

The municipality of Altena is nearly identical to the region of the Land van Heusden en Altena. Only the De Biesbosch area, consisting of the De Biesbosch National Park and polders above, falls outside. The waterway Steurgat largely forms the boundary.

Population centres

The municipality of Altena officially has 1 city, 18 villages, and 27 hamlets. [5] However, many villages are the size of a hamlet, and Werkendam and Woudrichem are the size of towns, the latter also having city rights.

City
Villages
Hamlets

Topography

Gem-Altena-OpenTopo.jpg

Map of the municipality of Altena, 2020

Transport

Altena is accessible by bridges and ferries. Important bridges are the northern Merwede Bridge and the southern Keizersveer Bridge. Both bridges are part of motorway A27, which crosses the municipality from north to south.

A car ferry in the very western part connects the city of Dordrecht with Altena.

Nearest railway station is Gorinchem railway station in the municipality of Gorinchem, above Altena on the other side of the Boven Merwede river.

History and religion

Altena is the southernmost part of the Dutch Water Line, an obsolete defensive line, which contains several fortresses in this municipality like Fort Steurgat, Fort aan de Uppelse Dijk, and Fort Giessen, and with Woudrichem as a fortified city.

Contrary to most other North Brabant municipalities, Protestantism is dominant in the Altena municipality, especially the Reformed branch. Church attendance is high, and Christian-oriented political parties receive many votes.

Politics

After the 2022 municipal elections, the municipal council consisted of: [7]

PartySeats
in 2022
Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA)8
Altena Lokaal6
Reformed Political Party (SGP)5
ChristianUnion (CU) [8] 4
Progressief Altena4
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD)2
Vrije Volkspartij Altena2
Total31

The municipal executive consists of CDA, Altena Lokaal, SGP, and Progressief Lokaal. The Mayor has been CDA politician Egbert Lichtenberg since 9 December 2019.

Sports

Several football clubs have their home base in the municipality:

Each year the 7-Dorpenomloop Aalburg, a prestigious women's road bicycle race, is held in the southeast corner of Altena (the area of the former municipality of Aalburg, hence the name).

Notable people

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waal (river)</span> River in the Netherlands

The Waal is the main distributary branch of the river Rhine flowing approximately 80 km (50 mi) through the Netherlands. It is the major waterway connecting the port of Rotterdam to Germany. Before it reaches Rotterdam, it joins with the Afgedamde Maas near Woudrichem to form the Boven Merwede. Along its length, Nijmegen, Tiel, Zaltbommel and Gorinchem are towns of importance with direct access to the river.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aalburg</span> Former municipality in North Brabant, Netherlands

Aalburg is a former municipality in the southern Netherlands, in the province of North Brabant. The municipality had been formed in 1973 by the merging of the former municipalities of Eethen, Veen, and Wijk en Aalburg. On January 1, 2019 it joined Werkendam and Woudrichem in the new municipality of Altena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Werkendam</span> Place in North Brabant, Netherlands

Werkendam is a town and a former municipality in southern Netherlands. The municipality, part of Land van Heusden en Altena, contained a large part of De Biesbosch area as it is located in the province of North Brabant. On January 1sth 2019 it joined Woudrichem and Aalburg in the new municipality of Altena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woudrichem</span> City and former municipality in North Brabant, Netherlands

Woudrichem is a city and former municipality in the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boven Merwede</span>

The Boven Merwede is a stretch of river in the Netherlands, mainly fed by the river Rhine. The Afgedamde Maas river joins the Waal at Woudrichem to form the Boven Merwede, which at Hardinxveld-Giessendam splits into the Beneden Merwede river on the right and the Nieuwe Merwede river on the left. Its length is 8.8 km (5.5 mi). The Merwede is part of the main shipping route between Rotterdam and Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nieuwe Merwede</span> Canal in the Netherlands

The Nieuwe Merwede is a Dutch canal, mainly fed by the river Rhine, that was constructed in 1870 to form a branch in the Rhine–Meuse delta. It was dug along the general trajectories of a number of minor Biesbosch creeks to reduce the risk of flooding by diverting the water away from the Beneden Merwede, and to facilitate navigation and regulate river traffic in the increasingly silted-up delta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">De Biesbosch National Park</span>

De Biesbosch National Park is one of the largest national parks in the Netherlands and one of the last extensive areas of freshwater tidal wetlands in Northwestern Europe. The Biesbosch consists of a large network of rivers and smaller and larger creeks with islands. The vegetation is mostly willow forests, although wet grasslands and fields of reed are common as well. The Biesbosch is an important wetland area for waterfowl and has a rich flora and fauna. It is especially important for migrating geese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Land van Altena</span> Former fiefdom in North Brabant province, Netherlands

The Land of Altena is a historical region and former fiefdom of the Lords of Altena, historically part of the County of Holland, but since 1815 located in the Dutch province of North Brabant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grote Hollandse Waard</span> Former farming region in the County of Holland, Netherlands

The Grote Waard or Hollandse Waard was a farming region in the County of Holland at the border of the Duchy of Brabant, that disappeared in the St. Elizabeth's flood. Parts of this polder are now separated by water: Hoekse Waard, Eiland van Dordrecht, De Biesbosch, and parts of North Brabant. The Grote Waard was a damp peat region, which was roughly limited by what now is the Afgedamde Maas between Heusden and Woudrichem, the Boven Merwede and Beneden Merwede, Dordrecht, Maasdam, the Keizersdijk between Maasdam and Strijen, Strijensas, Lage Zwaluwe, and Hooge Zwaluwe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleeuwijk</span> Village in North Brabant, Netherlands

Sleeuwijk is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant and part of the municipality of Altena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merwede</span> River in the Netherlands

The Merwede is the name of several connected stretches of river in the Netherlands, between the cities of Woudrichem, Dordrecht and Papendrecht. The river is part of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta and is mostly fed by the river Rhine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Almkerk</span> Village in North Brabant, Netherlands

Almkerk is a village in the municipality of Altena, in the Netherlands. It is located about 7 km south of Gorinchem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andel, Netherlands</span> Village in North Brabant, Netherlands

Andel is a village in the municipality of Altena, North Brabant, in the Netherlands. It is located about 7 km southeast of Gorinchem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giessen, Netherlands</span> Village in North Brabant, Netherlands

Giessen is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rijswijk, North Brabant</span> Village in North Brabant, Netherlands

Rijswijk is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of Altena, about 5 km southeast of Gorinchem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carola Schouten</span> Dutch politician (born 1977)

Cornelia Johanna "Carola" Schouten is a Dutch politician of the Christian Union (CU). She was Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and Third Deputy Prime Minister in the third Rutte cabinet from 2017 to 2022. She continued to serve as Third Deputy Prime Minister in the fourth Rutte cabinet alongside her position as Minister for Poverty Policy, Participation and Pensions until July 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Land van Heusden en Altena</span> Region in North Brabant, Netherlands

The Land of Heusden and Altena is a region located in the Dutch province of North Brabant. In 1904 it consisted of the historical regions Land van Altena and Land van Heusden. Historically this region has been a part of North Brabant since 1815. During the Dutch Republic it belonged to Holland. It resembles comparable landscapes in the latter one, like e.g. the Alblasserwaard, which is situated just north of the region.

Honswijk is a historic municipality in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It was located to the west of the city of Woudrichem, in the Land van Altena. Between 1812 and 1950 the territory was divided between as many as four municipalities, namely Almkerk, Rijswijk, De Werken en Sleeuwijk and Woudrichem. In the 21st century Honswijk belonged for most of its former area to Woudrichem, with a small section belonging to Werkendam. The territory consists of three polders, namely Ruigenhoek, P. Honswijk and Oudbroek, the latter also being a small hamlet. Honswijk has an estimated population of 35.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waardhuizen</span> Village in North Brabant, Netherlands

Waardhuizen is a village in the municipality of Altena, in the province of North Brabant, Netherlands. It is about 4 km south of Woudrichem, as well as just south of Uitwijk. As of 2020, Waardhuizen had a population of 275.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willem VI of Horne</span>

Willem VI of Horne was a Dutch Nobleman, the Lord of Horne.

References

  1. "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2020" [Key figures for neighbourhoods 2020]. StatLine (in Dutch). CBS. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  2. AlleCijfers.nl
  3. "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  4. "Gemeentelijke indeling op 1 januari 2019". CBS (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  5. Altena, Plaatsengids.nl
  6. Keizersveer is partially situated in the municipality of Geertruidenberg.
  7. "Altena municipal election 2022". www.verkiezingsuitslagen.nl (in Dutch). 16 March 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  8. 1 2 Carola Schouten's younger sister Marjan van der Meij-Schouten is a member of the municipal council, like her older sister on behalf of the ChristianUnion.