Heerenveen

Heerenveen is a town and municipality in the province of Friesland (Fryslân), in the Northern Netherlands. In 2021, the town had a population of 29,790 (1 January) while the municipality had a population 50,859 (1 July).

History
The town was established in 1551 by three lords as a location to dig peat which was used for fuel, hence the name (heer is "lord", veen is "peat"). Heerenveen was not one of the traditional eleven cities in Friesland (Fryslân) as it did not have so-called city rights. However, it is now one of the larger municipalities of the province.

The windmill Welgelegen or Tjepkema's Molen is the only survivor of seventeen which have stood in Heerenveen.

Population centres
Population as of 1 January 2018:

Heerenveen (32,900), Akkrum (3406), Aldeboarn (1479), Bontebok (445), De Knipe (1470), Gersloot (280, together with Gersloot-Polder), Hoornsterzwaag (815), Jubbega (3510), Katlijk (630), Luinjeberd (450), Mildam (740), Nes (1104), Nieuwebrug (210), Nieuwehorne (1500), Nieuweschoot (180), Oranjewoud (1610), Oudehorne (840), Oudeschoot (1480), Terband (265) and Tjalleberd (800).

Hamlets
The hamlets are: Anneburen, Birstum, Brongergea, Easterboarn, Jinshuzen, Meskenwier, Oude Schouw (partially), Pean, Poppenhúzen, Schurega, Soarremoarre, Spitsendijk, Sythuzen, Warniahúzen en Welgelegen (partially).

Museums

 * Museum Belvédère, modern art and contemporary art
 * Museum Heerenveen, local history and culture

Transport
Railway station: Heerenveen

Local government
The Heerenveen municipal council consists of 31 seats, which at the 2022 municipal elections divided as follows:


 * Labour Party – 7 seats
 * VVD – 4 seats
 * Frisian National Party – 3 seats
 * Heerenveen Lokaal – 3 seats
 * Green Left – 3 seats
 * CDA – 3 seats
 * D66 – 3 seats
 * Socialist Party – 2 seats
 * Local Interest (GemeenteBelangen) – 2 seats
 * ChristianUnion – 1 seat

Sports
Heerenveen is notable for its world class sports facilities. These include the Abe Lenstra football stadium and the Thialf speed skating arena which was one of the first indoor 400m ice rinks in the world, and where international events draw large crowds. Thialf is also home to the city's ice hockey team, the Heerenveen Flyers. In 2006, the "Sportstad" (Sport City) project was completed, which included a gymnastics hall, swimming pool and an extension to the football stadium, all clustered together. The Abe Lenstra stadium is unusual because its capacity is larger than the number of inhabitants of the town. One of the few football venues to shares this distinction is Stade Félix Bollaert in Lens, France.

The town's football team, SC Heerenveen, plays in the first tier and has been a steady presence in the Europa League, topped by the team's biggest achievement when they qualified for the UEFA Champions League in 2000.

Notable residents



 * Wilhelm Heinrich, Duke of Saxe-Eisenach (1691 in Oranjewoud – 1741) a Duke of Saxe-Eisenach
 * Hendrik Pasma (1813–1890), Mennonite pastor, writer, politician and farmer
 * Suzanne Manet (born 'Leenhoff', 1829–1906), pianist and opera singer, wife of Édouard Manet
 * Geerhardus Vos (1862–1949), a Dutch-American Calvinist theologian of the Princeton Theology
 * Cissy van Marxveldt (1889 in Oranjewoud – 1948) a Dutch writer of children's books
 * Albert Gillis von Baumhauer (1891–1939) a Dutch aviation pioneer, designed the first Dutch helicopter
 * Eelco van Kleffens (1894–1983) a Dutch politician and diplomat
 * Herman Zanstra (1894 in Schoterland – 1972) a Frisian/Dutch astronomer
 * Fedde Schurer (1898–1968), journalist, poet and politician and poet in the West Frisian language
 * Adrianus van Kleffens (1899–1973) a judge at the European Court of Justice 1952/1958
 * Klaas Runia (1926 in Oudeschoot – 2006) a Dutch theologian, churchman and journalist
 * Wim Duisenberg (1935–2005), politician and President of the European Central Bank 1998/2003
 * T. S. van Albada (born 1936 in Akkrum) a Dutch astronomer and academic
 * Gretta Duisenberg (born 1942) a Dutch pro-Palestinian political activist
 * Jacob de Haan (born 1959), a Dutch contemporary composer known for wind music
 * Tineke Postma (born 1978), a Dutch saxophonist
 * Jan Huitema (born 1984), politician and Member of the European Parliament (MEP)

Sport

 * Abe Lenstra (1920–1985), a Dutch football player with 730 club caps
 * Foppe de Haan (born 1943), football coach and politician
 * Margriet Zegers (born 1954), a retired Dutch field hockey defender, team gold medallist at the 1984 Summer Olympics
 * Franke Sloothaak (born 1958) a German show jumping Olympic champion
 * Nico-Jan Hoogma (born 1968) a former football defender with 517 club caps
 * Falko Zandstra (born 1971), a former Dutch speed skater, silver medallist at the 1992 Winter Olympics and bronze medallist the 1994 Winter Olympics
 * Carien Kleibeuker (born 1978) a Dutch long-distance speed skater, bronze medallist at the 2014 Winter Olympics
 * Epke Zonderland (born 1986), a gymnast and gold medallist at the 2012 Summer Olympics
 * Sven Kramer (born 1986), long track speed skater, three time Olympic champion in the 5000 meters
 * Vladislav Bykanov (born 1989) an Israeli Olympic short track speed skater, lives in Heerenveen
 * Sanne Wevers (born 1991), an artistic gymnast, gold medallist at the 2016 Summer Olympics
 * Antoinette de Jong (born 1995) a Dutch speed skater, bronze medallist at the 2018 Winter Olympics
 * Lisa Top (born 1996), a Dutch artistic gymnast
 * Aafke Soet (born 1997), former short track speed skater, now cyclist
 * Yasser Seirawan (born 1960), American/Syrian chess grandmaster and champion known for his books and commentary on chess games,
 * Andries Noppert (born 1994), Dutch National Team Goalkeeper World Cup 2022.
 * Anna-Maja Kazarian (born 7 January 2000), a Dutch chess player who holds the titles of FIDE Master (FM) and Woman International Master.

Twin cities
Heereveen's longstanding connection with Rishon LeZion, Israel ended in 2016 after the supporting organizations shut down in both countries.