Hardinxveld-Giessendam

( Listen? / I ) Hardinxveld- Giessendam is a congregation of the Dutch province of South Holland and counted on 1 January 2013 as declared by the CBS 17 722 inhabitants. Their total area is 19.35 km ².

The municipality comprises the twin village Hardinxveld- Giessendam, where the town hall is, and the more east -lying Boven Hardinxveld.

Location and economic

Hardinxveld- Giessendam lies on the north bank of the river Merwede, the polder Alblasserwaard between Sliedrecht and Gorinchem. It has a small railway station on the line Dordrecht - Tiel. The Rijksweg 15 highway between these two cities runs through the community.

Adjacent communities are in the northwest Graafstroom, northeast Giessenlanden, to the east of Gorinchem, in the south Werkendam, southwest and west Sliedrecht Dordrecht.

The riverside location has greatly promoted the industry. In the village there are many companies that produce parts of the ship, some repair and maintenance yards, and as well as in Werkendam many construction companies.

History

Hardinxveld Giessendam and were originally two separate villages, both of which originated in the 13th century. Giessendam was a dam in the small Moorbach Giessen. Hardinxveld known since the Middle Ages flourished: in the 14th century knew the duty, and had its own jurisdiction.

Until the mid- 19th century, these villages were in severe winters particularly threatened by the following circumstances: When Boven Hardinxveld the river was slightly narrower than elsewhere. This more sand from the headwaters to put down, and it emerged sand banks. When the river was frozen and thawed again began forming on these sandbanks strong ice dams from ice floes. This could with great force to crush the river levees and cause flooding. Often there were deaths, the damage was always considerably. This was the repair of the dykes in this region by about 1820 the highest priority, then remained from such disasters.

More about the history of the Alblasserwaard can be found in the local museum " De Knop Koperen ". It is housed in a monumental structure, built around 1700 farm.

Mayor

Pictures

Church

Church

Waterworks

Sons and daughters

• Erik de Bruin ( born 1963 ), former Dutch discus thrower and shot putter
• Keverling Buisman (1890-1944), founder of soil mechanics in the Netherlands, a professor in Delft