Zwolle

For other places with the same name, see Zwolle (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with Zvolen or Zwolen.

City and municipality in Overijssel, Netherlands

Zwolle

City and municipality

Sassenstraat

Grote Markt

Museum de Fundatie

Luttekestraat

Binnenstad

Flag

Coat of arms

Brandmark

Location in Overijssel

Zwolle

Location within the Netherlands

Show map of Netherlands

Zwolle

Location within Europe

Show map of Europe

Coordinates: 52°31′N 6°6′E﻿ / ﻿52.517°N 6.100°E﻿ / 52.517; 6.100
Country| Netherlands
Province| Overijssel
Government

[1]

• Body| Municipal council
• Mayor| Peter Snijders (VVD)
Area

[2]

• Municipality

| 119.36 km2 (46.09 sq mi)
• Land| 111.10 km2 (42.90 sq mi)
• Water| 8.26 km2 (3.19 sq mi)
Elevation

[3]

| 4 m (13 ft)
Population

(Municipality, January 2021; Urban and Metro, May 2014)[4][5]

• Municipality

| 129,840
• Density| 1,169/km2 (3,030/sq mi)
• Urban

| 123,507
• Metro

| 181,440
Demonym| Zwollenaar
Time zone| UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)| UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode|

8000–8049

Area code| 038
Website| www.zwolle.nl
Click on the map for a fullscreen view

Zwolle (Dutch: [ˈzʋɔlə] ⓘ) is a city and municipality in the Northeastern Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Overijssel and the province's second-largest municipality, after Enschede, and has a population of 132,441 as of December 2023. Zwolle borders the province of Gelderland and lies on the eastern side of the River IJssel.

## History

[edit]

Historical populationYear| Pop.| ±% p.a.

|
|

1404| 3,500| —
1525| 4,500| +0.21%
1599| 6,500| +0.50%
1628| 7,700| +0.59%
1670| 10,932| +0.84%
1675| 6,963| −8.63%
1680| 9,388| +6.16%
1682| 7,800| −8.85%
1748| 11,931| +0.65%
1795| 12,220| +0.05%
Source: Lourens & Lucassen 1997, pp. 83–84

Archaeological findings indicate that the area surrounding Zwolle has been inhabited since ancient times. A woodhenge found in the Zwolle-Zuid suburb in 1993 was dated to the Bronze Age period.[6][7] During the Roman era, the area was inhabited by Salian Franks.

The modern city was founded around 800 CE by Frisian merchants and troops of Charlemagne.[8] Previous spellings of its name include the identically pronounced Suolle, which means "hill" (cf. the English cognate verb "to swell"). This refers to an incline in the landscape between the four rivers surrounding the city, IJssel, Vecht, Aa and Zwarte Water. The hill was the only piece of land that would remain dry during the frequent floodings of the rivers. Zwolle was established on that incline.

A document mentions the existence of a parish church dedicated to St Michael. That church, the Grote of Sint Michaëlskerk (St. Michael's church), was renovated in the first half of the 15th century and exists to this day. The church contains a richly carved pulpit, the work of Adam Straes van Weilborch (about 1620), some good carving, and an exquisite Baroque organ from 1721 designed by master organ builder Arp Schnitger and completed by his sons Franz Caspar and Johann Georg.

On 31 August 1230, the bishop of Utrecht granted Zwolle city rights. Zwolle became a member of the Hanseatic league in 1294, and in 1361 joined the war between the Hanseatic League and Valdemar IV of Denmark. In the 1370 Treaty of Stralsund that ended the war, Zwolle was awarded a vitte, a trade colony, in Scania, then part of Denmark. Zwolle's golden age came in the 15th century. Between 1402 and 1450, the city's Gross Regional Product multiplied by about six.[9]

In July 1324 and October 1361, regional noblemen set fire to Zwolle. In the 1324 fire, only nine buildings escaped the flames.[10]

Map of Zwolle by Joan Blaeu in Blaeu's "Toonneel der Steden", 1652

Zwolle was also, with Deventer, one of the centers of the Brethren of the Common Life, a monastic movement. 5 km (3 mi) from Zwolle, on a slight eminence called the Agnietenberg, (hill of St Agnes), once stood the Augustinian convent in which Thomas à Kempis spent the greatest part of his life and died (in 1471).[11]

At least as early as 1911, Zwolle had a considerable trade by river, a large fish market, and the most important cattle market in the Netherlands after Rotterdam. The more important industries comprised cotton manufactures, iron works, boat-building, dyeing and bleaching, tanning, rope-making, and salt-making.[11]

De Librije

In World War II, Zwolle was single-handedly liberated from the Nazis by Canadian soldier Léo Major.[12][13] He was made an honorary citizen of Zwolle on 14 April 2005, the 60th anniversary of his liberating of the city. He also has a street named after him, Leo Majorlaan.[14][15][16]

### 21st century

[edit]

In 2004, Zwolle's De Librije restaurant was honored with 3 stars by Michelin Guide; as of 2018, it is one of only three restaurants so honored in the entire country.[citation needed]

In 2023, Tewelde Goitom, an Eritrean convicted in Ethiopia of migrant smuggling, kidnapping in Sinai and human trafficking appeared at a pretrial hearing in Zwolle, which made international headlines.[17]

### Blauwvingers

[edit]

Citizens of Zwolle are colloquially known as Blauwvingers (Bluefingers). According to legend, the name dates back to 1682, when the St Michael's church tower collapsed. The authorities were strapped for cash and saw no option but to sell the church bells to the neighbouring city Kampen. To make sure that Kampen would not make too much profit from the deal, the local authorities asked a high price for the church bells. Kampen accepted, but when the bells arrived it became clear that they were too damaged to be played. In revenge, Kampen paid in copper coins of four duiten (the equivalent of two-and-a-half cents). Zwolle distrusted Kampen and wanted to be sure they truly paid the entire price. After the meticulous counting of the vast number of copper coins, their fingers had turned blue.[18][19]

In reality, the name Blauwvinger stems from 1521, when the governors of Zwolle broke the oath of loyalty they made to the Duke of Gelre. The name Blauwvinger refers to the raised fingers with which the governors had promised their loyalty to the Duke at his inauguration. At that time, Zwolle and Kampen were embroiled in a dispute over toll collection on the IJssel River. Zwolle initially aligned with the Duke of Gelre, Charles of Egmont, but eventually returned to the Bishop of Utrecht. During this period of political unrest, Duke Charles of Gelre was captured when he entered Zwolle. Ultimately, he was allowed to depart under the condition that Zwolle would retain its independence. The name Blauwvingers stems from the fact that the residents committed perjury twice, first to the bishop and then to the duke. [20]

## Sites

[edit]

Topographic map of Zwolle in 2022

The Grote of Sint Michaëlskerk (St. Michael's church) has a baroque organ built by Arp Schnitger. The Roman Catholic Onze Lieve Vrouwe ten Hemelopneming-basilica (Our Lady of the Assumption) dates back to 1399. The church tower, called Peperbus (pepperpot), is one of the tallest and most famous church towers in the Netherlands. The modernized town hall was originally built in 1448.[11]

The Broerenkerk church was part of a Dominican monastery founded in 1465. The monastery was closed in 1580 and the monks were expelled. From 1640 until 1982 the church was used for Protestant services. Following a restoration in 1983–1988 it was used for cultural events and became a bookstore.[21][22]

### Image gallery

[edit]

* Thorbeckegracht and Wijndragerstoren

* Peperbus from the Eekwal

* Praubstraat, inner city

* Sassenpoort

* Thorbeckewal and Vispoortbridge

* Rich Friar House, a center of Devotio Moderna and later home of teacher Willem Bartjens (nl)

* Zwolle city centre

* The organ in Broerenkerk

* Herman Brood Museum & Experience

* Art Nouveau gate from 1902 on Prins Hendrikstraat.

* Fountain near Museum de Fundatie

## Notable residents

[edit]

See also People from Zwolle
Arts, culture, entertainment and the media

* Willem Victor Bartholomeus (1825–1892), organist and conductor
* Hein Boele (born 1939), actor, Dutch voice of Elmo
* Jonnie Boer (1965–2025), chef with three Michelin stars
* Gerard ter Borch (1617–1681), painter[23]
* Gerard ter Borch the Elder (1583–1662), painter
* Moses ter Borch (1645–1667), painter
* Rolf Bremmer (born 1950), scholar of Old Frisian, and of Old and Medieval English
* Tooske Breugem (born 1974), television host actress
* Herman Brood (1946–2001), painter/rock star
* Funda Eryiğit (born 1984), Turkish actress
* Willem Grasdorp (1678–1723), painter
* Aleida Greve (1670–1742), painter
* Anna Cornelia Holt (1671–1692), painter
* Sophia Holt (1658–1734), painter
* Antonina Houbraken (1686–1736), draughtswoman
* Marnix Kappers (1943–2016), actor
* Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380–1471), canon and mystic
* Master I. A. M. of Zwolle (c. 1440–1490), engraver
* Ton Koopman (born 1944), a conductor, organist, and harpsichordist
* Yuri Landman (born 1973), experimental musical instrument builder, comic book artist
* Cornelia van Marle (1661–1698), painter
* Michael Minsky (1918–1988), singer and conductor
* Leonard van Munster (born 1972), artist
* Opgezwolle (since 2001), rap crew
* Jan Vayne (Jan Veenje) (born 1966), pianist
* Charlotte Wessels (born 1987), former singer for Delain
* Aleijda Wolfsen (1648–1692), painter

Authors

* Eef Brouwers (1939–2018), journalist and former head of the Netherlands Government Information Service
* A. den Doolaard (1901–1994), author
* Rhijnvis Feith (1753–1824), author
* Everhardus Johannes Potgieter (1808–1875), author

Business

* Willem Jan van Dedem (1776–1851), landowner and founder of the canal and town of Dedemsvaart[24]
* Hendrikus Jacobus Gorter (1874-1918), ice skates manufacturer, cyclist and speed skater[25]

Religion

* Johannes Busch (1399–c. 1480), church reformer and provost of the Augustinian monastic order
* Alanus de Rupe (1428–1475), Roman Catholic theologian and Dominican promotor of the rosary
* Andreas Ignatius Schaepman (1815–1882), Archbishop of Utrecht

Politics

* Laurens Jan Brinkhorst (born 1937), former Minister of Economic Affairs
* Joan van der Capellen tot den Pol (1741–1784), role in the Batavian Republic
* Wybo Fijnje (1750–1809), Mennonite minister, publisher, exile, coup perpetrator, politician
* Willem Johan Lucas Grobbée (1822–1907), Minister of Finance from 1883 to 1885
* Johannes van Heerdt tot Eversberg (1829–1893), former governor of Suriname and Curaçao[26]
* Piet Kasteel (1901–2003), ambassador and former governor of Curaçao[27]
* Johan Rudolf Thorbecke (1798–1872), Prime Minister of the Netherlands (1849 - 1853, 1862 - 1866, 1871 - 1872)[28]

Sports

* Anna van der Breggen, Olympic and World Champion cyclist
* Jeroen Dubbeldam (born 1973), 2000 Olympic Equestrian champion
* Marten Eikelboom (born 1973), hockey player
* Maarten Grobbe (1901–1961), football player
* Martin Haar (born 1952), former football defender and current trainer
* Rinus Israël (born 1942), former football player and current scout
* Ron Jans (born 1958), former football player and current coach
* Bert Konterman (1971), football player
* Hennie van Nee (1939–1996), football player
* Eric Pierik (born 1959), field hockey player
* Tijjani Reijnders (born 1998), football player
* Johnny Rep (born 1951), football player
* Piet Schrijvers (1946–2022), football player
* Johannes Smeekens (born 1987), Olympic speedskater
* Jaap Stam (born 1972), former football player and current coach
* Bart Verbruggen (born 2002), football player
* Gerrit Voges (1932–2007), football player
* Peter Wessels (born 1978), tennis player

Science

* Christianus Carolus Henricus van der Aa (1718–1793), secretary of the Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities
* Derk-Jan Dijk (Born 1958), researcher of sleep and circadian rhythms
* Thomas Joannes Stieltjes (1856–1894), mathematician, civil engineer and politician

## Educational institutions

[edit]

Zwolle is home to several universities of applied sciences and colleges:

* Artez
* Christelijke Hogeschool Windesheim
* Deltion College Zwolle [nl]
* Hogeschool Zwolle [nl]
* Landstede Zwolle
* Cibap Zwolle [nl]
* Groene Welle Zwolle [nl]
* Hogeschool viaa [nl]
* Thorbecke Scholengemeenschap [nl]
* Windesheim Honours College

## Transport

[edit]

Zwolle railway station with ICMm train

### Cycling

[edit]

Nearly half of all trips in Zwolle were cycled as of 2013.[29]

### Road transport

[edit]

The A28 serves Zwolle with 4 exits, and runs from Utrecht to Groningen. It was being widened to 8 lanes across the IJssel River and 6 lanes from Zwolle to Meppel in 2010 and 2011. The motorway initially opened between 1964 and 1970.[30]

### Rail transport

[edit]

* Zwolle railway station

## International relations

[edit]

Main article: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Netherlands

### Twin towns—sister cities

[edit]

Zwolle is currently twinned with:

* Lünen, Germany

In the past, Zwolle had partnerships with:[citation needed]

* Érsekhalma, Hungary
* Rutobwe, Rwanda
* Vologda, Russia
* Kaliningrad, Russia

There is also a small rural town in the U.S. State of Louisiana named after Zwolle. The two cities maintain close informal ties.[31]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Portefeuille burgemeester Peter Snijders" [Tasks of mayor Peter Snijders] (in Dutch). Gemeente Zwolle. Archived from the original on 6 October 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
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 8011PK". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
4. ^ "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
5. ^ "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; Regionale kerncijfers Nederland" [Regional core figures Netherlands]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 1 January 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
6. ^ Theo Holleman (1996), Een verleden op de schop, University Press, Amsterdam, ISBN 90-5356-189-7
7. ^ Hove, ten J. (2005). Geschiedenis van Zwolle Zwolle: Waanders. ISBN 90-400-9050-5
8. ^ F.C. Berkenvelder (1980). "Het begin". Zwolle 750 jaar stad (in Dutch). Waanders. Archived from the original on 16 August 2006. Retrieved 17 March 2007.
9. ^ F.C. Berkenvelder (1980). "De handel en de Hanze". Zwolle 750 jaar stad (in Dutch). Waanders. Archived from the original on 23 May 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2007. "De stedelijke geldmiddelen, het nationaal inkomen zouden wij nu zeggen, die in 1402 nog 6.000 gulden bedroegen waren in 1450 bijna verzesvoudigd tot 34.000 gulden. (Translated: The city's financial resources, the national income as we would now call it, which were 6,000 guilders in 1402, had by 1450 multiplied by six to 34,000 guilders.)"
10. ^ "Zwolle op keerpunt van bestaan" (in Dutch). De Stentor. 2 March 2005.
11. ^ a b c One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Zwolle". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 1064.
12. ^ "Léo Major | Canadian soldier".
13. ^ "The One-Eyed Scout Who Liberated a Whole Town By Himself by Simple History". YouTube. Archived from the original on 13 November 2021.
14. ^ "Canada Remembers Times Veterans' Week Special Edition". Veterans Affairs Canada. 24 August 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
15. ^ Goyjer, Jim (2 October 2020). "Visit Zwolle: Home of the Bluefingers and a French-Canadian Hero". Dutch Review. Archived from the original on 24 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
16. ^ Moncure, Billy (11 March 2019). "A Mad Major: The Canadian Hero Who Captured A City". War History Online. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
17. ^ "Alleged Eritrean People Smuggler Appears in Dutch Court". 10 January 2023.
18. ^ Boxma, Willem (2001). "Steuren, blauwvingers, kwekweschudders en tukkers. Schimpnamen in Overijssel". Traditie. Tijdschrift over Tradities en Trends. (in Dutch). 2: 26–27\. ISSN 1382-4104.
19. ^ "In welke stad wonen de blauwvingers?" (in Dutch). Nederlands Centrum voor Volkscultuur. Archived from the original on 11 January 2006. Retrieved 21 March 2007.
20. ^ "De Blauwvingers van Zwolle". Historiek (in Dutch). 8 November 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
21. ^ "Zwolle (Ov): Broerenkerk". archimon.nl. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
22. ^ Scholten, Rick. "Waanders in the Broerenkerk". Archived from the original on 11 August 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
23. ^ "Ter Borch, Gerard" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). 1911.
24. ^ "Willem Jan baron van Dedem (1776-1851)". Wie is wie in Overijssel (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 March 2022.
25. ^ Waarom kent u deze beroemde Zwollenaar niet?. Marco van den Berg, De Stentor, 4 January 2019.
26. ^ "J.H.A.W. baron van Heerdt tot Eversberg". Dutch Parliament (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 February 2022.
27. ^ Jan Kuijk en Pieter van der Ven (17 December 2003). "Leven met Kuyper, Gerbrandy en zoon Karel". Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 February 2022.
28. ^ "Thorbecke, Jan Rudolf" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). 1911.
29. ^ "Cycling and urban qualities" (PDF). MOBILE 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 24 Jan 2025.
30. ^ "completion dates A28 at autosnelwegen.nl".
31. ^ "Going Dutch - in Zwolle, Louisiana". Natasha Sanchez. 14 June 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2024.

### Literature

[edit]

* Lourens, Piet; Lucassen, Jan (1997). Inwonertallen van Nederlandse steden ca. 1300–1800. Amsterdam: NEHA. ISBN 9057420082.

## External links

[edit]

* Media related to Zwolle at Wikimedia Commons
* Zwolle travel guide from Wikivoyage
* Official website

Places adjacent to Zwolle

|  | Zwartewaterland | Staphorst

|
|

|  |
Kampen |

Zwolle

| Dalfsen
|  |
Hattem (GE) | Heerde (GE), Olst-Wijhe | Raalte

* v
* t
* e

Members of the Hanseatic League by quarter, and trading posts of the Hanseatic League

* Chief cities shown in smallcaps.
* Free Imperial Cities of the Holy Roman Empire shown in italics.

Wendish|

| Lübeck|

* Anklam
* Demmin
* Greifswald
* Hamburg
* Kolberg (Kołobrzeg)
* Lüneburg
* Rostock
* Rügenwalde (Darłowo)
* Stettin (Szczecin)
* Stolp (Słupsk)
* Stargard
* Stockholm
* Stralsund
* Visby
* Wismar

|

Saxon|

Brunswick
Magdeburg

* Berlin
* Bremen
* Erfurt
* Frankfurt an der Oder
* Goslar
* Mühlhausen
* Nordhausen

|

Baltic|

Danzig
(Gdańsk)

* Breslau (Wrocław)
* Dorpat (Tartu)
* Elbing (Elbląg)
* Königsberg (Kaliningrad)
* Cracow (Kraków)
* Reval (Tallinn)
* Riga (Rīga)
* Thorn (Toruń)

|

Westphalian|

Cologne 1
Dortmund 1

* Deventer
* Groningen
* Kampen
* Münster
* Osnabrück
* Soest
* Zutphen
* Zwolle

|

* * *

Kontore|

* Bryggen (Bergen)
* Kontor of Bruges
* Bruges
* Antwerp2
* Steelyard (London)
* Peterhof (Novgorod)

Vitten|

* Falsterbo
* Malmö

Factories|

* Bishop's Lynn
* Bristol
* Boston
* Ipswich
* Kaunas
* Leith
* Herford
* Hull
* Newcastle
* Polotsk
* Pskov
* Yarmouth
* York

* 1 Cologne and Dortmund were both chief city of the Westphalian Quarter at different times.
* 2 The kontor was moved to Antwerp once Bruges became inaccessible due to the silting of the Zwin channel.

* v
* t
* e

Overijssel province

Municipalities|

* Almelo
* Borne
* Dalfsen
* Deventer
* Dinkelland
* Enschede
* Haaksbergen
* Hardenberg
* Hellendoorn
* Hengelo
* Hof van Twente
* Kampen
* Losser
* Oldenzaal
* Olst-Wijhe
* Ommen
* Raalte
* Rijssen-Holten
* Staphorst
* Steenwijkerland
* Tubbergen
* Twenterand
* Wierden
* Zwartewaterland
* Zwolle

Regions|

* Kop van Overijssel
* Salland
* Twente

See also
Netherlands
Provinces
Municipalities
Regions and subregions

* v
* t
* e

Capital cities of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

National capital: Amsterdam
Seat of government: The Hague

| Constituent countries| Provinces| Public bodies

|
|

* Oranjestad, Aruba
* Willemstad, Curaçao
* Amsterdam, Netherlands
* Philipsburg, Sint Maarten

* Assen, Drenthe
* Lelystad, Flevoland
* Leeuwarden, Friesland
* Arnhem, Gelderland
* Groningen, Groningen
* Maastricht, Limburg

* 's-Hertogenbosch, North Brabant
* Haarlem, North Holland
* Zwolle, Overijssel
* The Hague, South Holland
* Utrecht, Utrecht
* Middelburg, Zeeland

* Kralendijk, Bonaire
* The Bottom, Saba
* Oranjestad, Sint Eustatius

See also: List of cities in the Netherlands by province

* v
* t
* e

Populated places in the municipality of Zwolle

Towns|

* Zwolle

Villages|

* Windesheim
* Wijthmen [nl]

Hamlets|

* Baarlo
* Frankhuis
* Herfte
* Haerst
* Harculo
* Langenholte
* De Lichtmis
* Mastenbroek
* Oldeneel
* Schelle
* Spoolde
* Zalné

List of cities, towns and villages in Overijssel

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Czech Republic
* Latvia
* Israel

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz area

Other|

* Yale LUX

*[Pop.]: Population
*[±% p.a.]: Per annum growth rate
*[c.]: circa
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*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template