Tiel

Tiel, a town in the province of Gelderland, Holland, on the right bank of the Waal (here crossed by a pontoon bridge), 25 m. by rail west of Nijmwegen. Pop. (1900), 10,788. It possesses fine streets and open places, but of its fortifications the Kleiberg Gate (1647) alone remains. The principal buildings are St Martin's church (15th century), the town hall, court-house and the historical castle of the family of van Arkel. In 1892 a harbour was built, but the shipping of Tiel is now chiefly confined to craft for inland navigation. It carries on a flourishing trade, especially in fruit, and is an important market for horses and cattle. It also manufactures agricultural implements, furniture, paper, tobacco, &c.

Five miles W.N.W. of Tiel is the small town of Buren, which contains some interesting old houses and is an important market for horses. Buren was the seat of an independent lordship which is mentioned as early as 1152. In later times it was held in fief, first from the dukes of Brabant, then from the dukes of Gelderland. In 1492 the emperor Charles V. raised it to a countship, and in 1551 it passed by marriage to Prince William of Orange Nassau. The title is now sometimes used by the royal family of the Netherlands when travelling incognito. The castle was destroyed in the beginning of the 19th century, and the site of it is now marked by the park on the west side of the town. It contained not less than 170 apartments and was memorable for the imprisonment within its walls of Arnoud duke of Gelderland (d. 1473), and as the birthplace of Philip William of Orange in 1554.