Meppel

Meppel (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈmɛpəl] (listen)) is a municipality and a city in the northeast of the Netherlands, in the south-west of the province Drenthe.

Meppel
Municipality
Meppeler toren (Tower of Meppel)
Flag
Coat of arms
Location in Drenthe
Coordinates: 52°42′N 6°11′E
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceDrenthe
Government
 • BodyMunicipal council
 • MayorRichard Korteland (VVD)
Area
 • Total57.03 km2 (22.02 sq mi)
 • Land55.53 km2 (21.44 sq mi)
 • Water1.50 km2 (0.58 sq mi)
Elevation2 m (7 ft)
Population
 (January 2019)[4]
 • Total33,564
 • Density604/km2 (1,560/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Meppeler
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
7940–7949, 7965–7969
Area code0522
Websitewww.meppel.nl
Dutch Topographic map of Meppel (city), March 2014

Meppel is the smallest municipality in the province of Drenthe, with a total area of 58 km².

People born in Meppel are occasionally referred to as 'Meppeler Muggen';[5] this translates as mosquitos/gnats from Meppel. This is due to a traditional folk tale. The people of Meppel thought the church tower was on fire. After closer inspection it was only a swarm of mosquitos.[6]

History

It developed in the 16th century as an inland harbour for peat transport and distribution. There used to be a lot of waterways in the town, but now only one remains. Meppel received city rights in 1644.

Geography

Meppel is located at 52°42′N 6°11′E in the south-west of the province of Drenthe in the east of the Netherlands.

The Meppelerdiep, the Drentsche Hoofdvaart and the Hoogeveense Vaart connect Meppel to Zwartsluis, Assen and Hoogeveen. To offload professional transport vessels the Omgelegde Hoogeveense Vaart was dug out south of the city. The Meppelerdiep is accessible for boats with a size of 2000 ton.

The streams Reest and Wold Aa run through the city. The Reest end in the Meppeler Diep.

The population centres in the municipality are:

Transportation

Meppel is served by train connections with Zwolle to the south, which leads to the rest of the country, and Leeuwarden and Groningen to the north and north-east.

Main article: Meppel railway station

There are regular and frequent bus lines within Meppel and towards Zwolle, Hoogeveen and Assen. The bus station is situated in front of the classic railway station.

By car, the town is accessible via the A28 motorway (Netherlands) towards Zwolle in the south and Groningen to the north-east, A32 motorway (Netherlands) (that begins at the motorway crossing Lankhorst south of the city) towards Leeuwarden in the north.

International relations

Meppel is twinned with:

Notable people
Louise Fresco, 2009
Petrus Kiers

The Arts
  • Square in town centre
  • City Hall
  • Windmill (molen de Weert)
  • Two drawbridges
  • Ship the Vereeniging III
  • Watertower
  • Historical Centre of Meppel

References
  1. "Richard Korteland" (in Dutch). Gemeente Meppel. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
  2. "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2020" [Key figures for neighbourhoods 2020]. StatLine (in Dutch). CBS. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  3. "Postcodetool for 7941BJ". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
  4. "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 1 January 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  5. "CBOEK363 - EENIGE SCHELDNAMEN VAN DE EENE PLAATS OP DE ANDERE". Nederlandse Volksverhalenbank. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  6. "De toren". Vrienden van de Grote of Mariakerk. Archived from the original on 30 December 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  7. Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement, Duveen, Joseph Joel retrieved 17 November 2019


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