Hillegom

Hillegom ( listen? / I ) is a municipality in the Netherlands, South Holland province. Hillegom has 20,866 inhabitants ( 1 January 2013). The total area of the municipality is 13.48 km ².

Location and economic

Hillegom located in the dune area between Haarlem (8 km to the north ) and Lisse. It has a small railway station on the railway line Haarlem - The Hague. The A4 motorway suffering - Schiphol is accessible via the N207 ( a few kilometers ). Hillegom located in the extreme northwest of the province of South Holland.

As in Lisse Hillegoms the economy is dominated by the cultivation of flower bulbs. From the site, the company Bakker comes. Through the local subsidization policy also other small businesses is tightened. Tourism is a little less important than in Lisse.

History

In the area survived the Germanic Caninefaten about 2000 years ago. In the Middle Ages there was a yard, possibly a residence of the counts of Holland. Anyway, thought the councilors of the Count here in 1346 and 1347 important meetings. In the Eighty Years' War, the village was hit hard ( Havoc 1575 and 1577). In 1700, men began to leave the dunes ravens, so were released acreage for tulips. The rights of an official Lord of Hillegom were in 1722 by the famous Amsterdam merchant Jan Six, a son of the famous art collector of the same name, were acquired. This promoted the cultivation of flower bulbs vigorously. Six also bought the old country house " Het Hof " where the Count of Holland are said to have lived. In the 18th century there were in the then still wooded area many such estates and mansions. These had all but in the 19th century to make way for the present day economically profitable flower fields.

Attractions

• Which pulls in the second half of April through the village - The Flower Parade ( Haarlem route Lisse )
• The tulip fields and the polders around (lots of birds)
• The car museum, dedicated to the Ford brand
• The remains of the Count Court (now Town Hall)