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Brunssum

2025-10-21T08:49:22Z

2A02:B023:41:8B2:A15E:286:A159:FCC6: /* Sport */

{{Infobox settlement


| name = Brunssum
| native_name = {{native name|li|Broensem|icon=no}}
| settlement_type = [[List of municipalities of the Netherlands|Municipality]]

| image_skyline = Vijverpark_Brunssum_NL.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Vijverpark (Pond park) in Brunssum centre
| image_flag = Brunssum vlag.svg
| flag_size = 100x67px
| flag_a lt =
| image_shield = Brunssum wapen.svg
| shield_size = 100x80px
| shield_alt =

| image_map = Map - NL - Municipality code 0899 (2009).svg
| map_alt = Highlighted position of Brunssum in a municipal map of Limburg
| map_caption = Location in Limburg
| coordinates = {{coord|50|57|N|5|58|E|region:NL|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name = [[Netherlands]]
| subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of the Netherlands|Province]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]]
| government_footnotes = <ref name="mayor_now">{{cite web
|url=http://www.brunssum.nl/De_gemeente_en_gemeentebestuur/Het_college_van_B_en_W/College_en_portefeuille
|title=College en portefeuille
|trans-title=Members and tasks of the executive board
|language=nl
|publisher=Gemeente Brunssum
|access-date=14 October 2013
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131010024150/http://www.brunssum.nl/De_gemeente_en_gemeentebestuur/Het_college_van_B_en_W/College_en_portefeuille
|archive-date=10 October 2013
}}</ref>
| governing_body = [[Municipal council (Netherlands)|Municipal council]]
| leader_party = [[Christian Democratic Appeal|CDA]]
| leader_title = [[Burgemeester|Mayor]]
| leader_name = [[Gerd Leers]] (acting)

| unit_pref = Metric


| area_footnotes = <ref>{{Dutch municipality total area|dataref}}</ref>

| area_total_km2 = {{Dutch municipality total area|Brunssum}}
| area_land_km2 = {{Dutch municipality land area|Brunssum}}
| area_water_km2 = {{Dutch municipality water area|Brunssum}}
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name="AHN">{{cite web
|url = http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool
|title = Postcodetool for 6444AT
|language = nl
|author = 
|work = Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland
|publisher = Het Waterschapshuis
|access-date = 14 October 2013}}</ref>
| elevation_m = 81
| elevation_max_footnotes = 
| elevation_max_m =
| elevation_min_footnotes = 
| elevation_min_m =

| population_footnotes = <ref>{{Dutch municipality population|dataref}}</ref>
| population_total = {{Dutch municipality population|Brunssum}}
| population_as_of = {{MONTHNAME|{{Dutch municipality population|popbasemonth}}}} {{Dutch municipality population|popbaseyear}}
| population_density_km2 = {{Dutch municipality population density|Brunssum}} 
| population_demonym = Brunsummer

| timezone1 = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset1 = +1
| timezone1_DST = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST = +2
| postal_code_type = [[Postal codes in the Netherlands|Postcode]]
| postal_code = 6440–6446
| area_code_type = [[Telephone numbers in the Netherlands|Area code]]
| area_code = 045
| website = {{URL|1=http://www.brunssum.nl}}
| footnotes =
}}
[[File:Brunssum, het stadhuis RM518600 IMG 8248 2021-02-21 11.55.jpg|Brunssum, townhall|thumb|270px]]
'''Brunssum''' ({{IPA|nl|ˈbrʏnsʏm|lang|128 Brunssum.ogg}}; {{langx|li|Broensem}}) is a [[Municipalities of the Netherlands|municipality]] and a [[town]] in the province of [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]] in the [[Netherlands]]. The municipality of Brunssum has {{formatnum:{{Dutch municipality population|Brunssum}}}} residents as of {{YEAR|{{Dutch municipality population|popbaseyear}}}}.

Brunssum was a center of coal mining until 1973.

==Population centres==
{{columns-list|colwidth=10em|
* Brunssum
* Bouwberg
* De Kling
* Haansberg
* Kruisberg
* Langeberg
* Onder-Merkelbeek
* Rumpen
* Treebeek
}}
== Topography ==
[[File:Gem-Brunssum-OpenTopo.jpg|none|450px|thumb|''Dutch Topographic map of Brunssum, June 2015'']]

==History==
There are indications that there was activity in the area around Brunssum going back to prehistory. This also applies to the neighboring municipalities of [[Heerlen]] and [[Landgraaf]]. Little is known about this habitation. Soil findings and medieval records indicate a continuous occupation of this area over the past 2,000 years.

In the Middle Ages, ground fortification were erected in the [[Schutterspark]] for protection.

The parish of Brunssum has been known since 1150, and together with Schinveld and Jabeek it formed a magistrate within the Land of Valkenburg. In 1557 the magistrate of Brunssum, consisting of Brunssum, Schinveld and Jabeek, was pledged by the Spanish government to the Hoen van Amstenrade family, and in 1609 sold to Arnold III Huyn van Geleen. In 1664 the fiefdom Brunssum was absorbed in the land of Geleen and Amstenrade. At the end of the Ancien Régime in 1794, Brunssum became an independent municipality.

In 1150 there was already a Saint Gregorius church in the city center and in 1579 it was elevated to a parish church. The Saint Gregorius church has been rebuilt 4 times. The current church was built in 1961, in part financed by the Dutch State Mines, as the third church was severely damaged by soil settling as a result of coal mining activities.

The Brunssum city-arms is composed of the weapon of the Huyn family and the parish saint.

==NATO Joint Force Command Headquarters==
{{Main|Joint Force Command Brunssum}}
Brunssum is the current home of [[Joint Force Command Brunssum|Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum]] (JFC Brunssum), an operational level [[NATO]] headquarters one level below military-strategic level [[Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe|SHAPE]] in the integrated military command structure. There are three operational levels NATO headquarters; the other two are [[Allied Joint Force Command Naples|Allied Joint Force Command, Naples]] and Allied Joint Force Command Norfolk. The headquarters was known as Headquarters, Allied Forces Central Europe (HQ AFCENT) from its inception in [[Fontainebleau]], [[France]] and relocation to Brunssum in 1967. The name was changed to Regional Headquarters, Allied Forces Northern Europe (RHQ AFNORTH) when a restructuring in 2000 led to the closing of [[Allied Forces Northern Europe|HQ AFNORTH]] in [[Kolsås]], [[Norway]]. The current title was adopted in 2004 to add flexibility to the military command structure by removing regional restrictions. The main base area, Hendrik Camp, was built on a former coal mine called Hendrik Mine.<ref>[http://www.jfcbs.nato.int/htm/about/history.htm]{{dead link|date=March 2012}}</ref>

Brunssum is also the home of the [[AFNORTH International School]], located just outside Hendrik Camp. AFNORTH International School is a K-12 school that mainly provides service to [[People of the United States|American]], [[British people|British]], [[Canadians|Canadian]], and [[Germany|German]] dependents<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.afnorth-is.com/Directorate/curriculum.html |title=AFNORTH International School - Curriculum |publisher=Afnorth-is.com |access-date=2012-03-07 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223210410/http://www.afnorth-is.com/Directorate/curriculum.html |archive-date=2012-02-23 }}</ref> of military personnel assigned to JFC Brunssum, the [[United States Army|US Army base]] in Brunssum, and [[NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen|NATO Air Base]] in [[Geilenkirchen]], Germany; as well as the former [[Soesterberg Air Base]], Netherlands.

[[File:Brunssummerheide.JPG|thumb|right|Brunssumerheide]]

==Nature==
The ''Brunssummerheide'' is a sloping natural landscape with many trails for hiking and running. It is bisected by a brook called ''Roode Beek'' (Red Brook). The Brunssumerheide is a protected [[nature preserve]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

It is the type locality of the fossil species ''[[Euryale lissa]]''.<ref name = "Reid & Reid, 1915">Reid, Clement, & Reid, Eleanor Mary. (1915). The Pliocene floras of the Dutch-Prussian border. M. Nijhoff. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/38317018</ref>

==Sports==
{{Main|SV Limburgia}}
One of the local [[Association football|football]] teams is [[SV Limburgia|BSV Limburgia]], formerly known as SV Limburgia, which competes at an amateur level. As SV Limburgia, the club competed in the [[Eredivisie]] (Honorary Division) at various times and finished first in 1950. Upon the introduction of professional football in the Netherlands in 1954, SV Limburgia had little success and was relegated to the lowest level of [[Royal Dutch Football Association|Dutch football]], [[Tweede Divisie]] (Second Division).

The annual [[Parelloop]] ten kilometer [[road running]] race is held in Brunssum. [[Micah Kogo]] from [[Kenya]] won the race in 2009, breaking the [[World records in athletics|world record]] for that distance.<ref>IAAF, March 29, 2009: [http://iaaf.org/news/kind=100/newsid=49996.html Kogo breaks World 10 km record in Brunssum] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214032433/http://iaaf.org/news/kind=100/newsid=49996.html |date=2012-02-14 }}</ref>

==People from Brunssum==
[[File:Werner_Theunissen_along_with_band_members_of_Sweet_Reaction.jpg|250px|thumb|Pussycat, 1973]]
* [[Eugène Gerards]] (1940–2018) a Dutch-Greek footballer, manager and scout
* [[Jan Dietz]] (born 1945) a Dutch Information systems researcher and academic
* [[Toni Willé]] (born 1953) a Dutch country pop artist, former member of ''[[Pussycat (band)|Pussycat]]''
* [[Pussycat (band)|Pussycat]] a Dutch country and pop group (formed 1973) by the sisters Kowalczyk (''Toni, Betty, Marianne'')
=== Sport ===
* [[Ferenc Kocsur]] (1930–1990) a French-Hungarian footballer with 270 club caps
* [[Patrick Dybiona]] (born 1963) a former freestyle swimmer, competed at the [[1988 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Frits de Graaf]] (1926–1998) a Dutch professionale footballer
* [[Nadine Hanssen]] (born 1993) a Dutch professional footballer
* [[Peter Hellenbrand]] (born 1985) a Dutch sport shooter, competed at the [[2012 Summer Olympics]]
* [[Kevin Hofland]] (born 1979) a Dutch professional footballer
* [[Tom Daemen]] (born 1985) a Dutch professional footballer with 360 club caps
* [[Bob Altena]] (born 1986) a Dutch decathlete

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Brunssum-Sint-Clemenskerk (13).JPG|Brunssum, Sint Clemenskerk
File:Brunssum-Groeneweg 10 (4).JPG|Brunssum, Groeneweg
File:Brunssum-Akerstraat 5-7 (1).JPG|Brunssum, Akerstraat
</gallery>

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline}}
*[http://www.brunssum.nl Official website]
*[http://www.jfcbs.nato.int/ Website for Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum]



{{Geographic location
|Centre = Brunssum
|Northeast = [[Gangelt]] ([[Germany|DE]]-[[North Rhine-Westphalia|NW]])
|East = [[Übach-Palenberg]] ([[Germany|DE]]-[[North Rhine-Westphalia|NW]])
|Southeast = [[Landgraaf]]
|South = [[Heerlen]]
|Northwest = [[Beekdaelen]]
}}
{{Limburg Province (Netherlands)}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Brunssum| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Limburg (Netherlands)]]
[[Category:Populated places in Limburg (Netherlands)]]
[[Category:South Limburg (Netherlands)]]

Sittard

2025-10-21T08:47:27Z

2A02:B023:41:8B2:A15E:286:A159:FCC6: /* Notable people */ expanded

{{Short description|City in Limburg, Netherlands}}
{{refimprove|date=June 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Sittard
| native_name = ''Zitterd''
| settlement_type = City
| image_skyline = Sittard Panorama 4.JPG
| image_caption = The ''Markt'' (market square) of Sittard
| image_flag = Sittard stadsvlag.svg
| image_shield = Sittard wapen.svg
| image_map = LocatieSittard.png
| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name = [[Netherlands]]
| subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of the Netherlands|Province]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[COROP]]
| subdivision_type3 = Municipality
| subdivision_name1 = [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[South Limburg]]
| subdivision_name3 = [[Sittard-Geleen]]
| population_as_of = 1 January 2011
| postal_code = 6130-6137
| blank_name_sec1 = Transport
| blank1_name_sec1 = Major roads
| blank1_info_sec1 = [[Provinciale weg 276|N276]], [[Provinciale weg 294|N294]], [[Provinciale weg 297|N297]]
| population = 37730
| area_code_type = Dialling code
| area_code = 046
}}
[[Image:Sittard Michaelskerk.jpg|thumb|right|St Michael's Church on Sittard's market square.]]

'''Sittard''' ({{IPA|nl|ˈsɪtɑrt}}; {{Langx|li|Zitterd}} {{IPA|li|ˈzɪtəʀt|}}) is a city in the [[Netherlands]], situated in the southernmost province of [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]].

The town is part of the municipality of [[Sittard-Geleen]] and has almost 37,500 inhabitants in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sittard-geleen.incijfers.nl/dashboard/|title=Gemeente Dashboard|website=sittard-geleen.incijfers.nl|access-date=2019-06-15}}</ref>

In its east, Sittard borders the [[Germany|German]] municipality of [[Selfkant]] (in the [[States of Germany|state]] of [[North Rhine-Westphalia]]).

The city centre is located at 45 m above sea level.

==History==
Archaeological discoveries have dated the first settlement in the Sittard area around 5000 B.C. Present day Sittard is assumed to have been founded around 850 A.D. and to have been built around a [[motte-and-bailey|motte]]. Sittard was first mentioned in 1157. It was granted [[City rights in the Netherlands|city rights]] by the [[Duchy of Limburg|Duke of Limburg]] in 1243. In 1400 it was sold to the [[Duchy of Jülich]], and remained in its possession until 1794.<ref name=stenvert>{{cite book|url=https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/sten009monu08_01/sten009monu08_01.pdf|title=Monumenten in Nederland. Limburg|last1=Stenvert|first1=Ronald|publisher=Rijksdienst voor de Monumentenzorg|year=2003|pages=328–339}}</ref> The city was destroyed and rebuilt repeatedly, due to fires and various conflicts during the 15th-17th century. It was a stronghold until it was largely destroyed in 1677, during the [[Franco-Dutch War]]. Under [[First French Empire|French occupation]] (1794-1814), Sittard was part of the [[Roer (département)|Roer]] department. Since 1814, it has been part of the [[Netherlands]], except for the years 1830–1839, when it joined the [[Belgian Revolution]]. During the [[World War|Second World War]], it was occupied by the Germans, who incorporated several small municipalities, like [[Broeksittard]], into Sittard. The city was liberated September 18–19, 1944 by the [[2nd Armored Division (United States)|2nd Armored Division]]. The historic town was mostly spared destruction, despite lying in the frontline for over four months, in which over 4000 shells and rockets struck the city.

After World War II, Sittard expanded rapidly and many new neighbourhoods were built. The coal mines in the region were the driving force of a booming economy, until closed in the 1960s and 70s. It now has large industrial zones and office premises.

==Main sights==
[[File:Petruskerk 24-04-2021.jpg|thumb|right|St Peter's church.]]
[[File:Sittard Agnetenwal.jpg|thumb|right|City wall and nunnery St.-Agnetenberg.]]
[[File:Sittard Begijnenhofstraat.jpg|thumb|right|Stylish buildings of a street in the ancient city centre.]]
[[File:Park in Sittard 2006.JPG|thumb|right|The city park.]]
Sittard has a small historic city centre with numerous architectural monuments, including several old churches, monasteries and a few half-timbered houses. The city centre is a protected area (''beschermd stadsbezicht'').<ref name=stenvert/>

The most important monuments are:<ref name=stenvert/>
*St Peter's Church, 14th-16th century, [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] style. The 16th-century tower received its current steeple in 1875.
*[[Dominican Order|Dominican]] monastery, 17th century, with the [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]] St Michael's Church
*Dominican nunnery St.-Agnetenberg, 17th century
*[[Dutch Reformed Church|Reformed]] Church, 17th century
*[[Ursulines]] nunnery and boarding school, 16th-19th century
*Basilica of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (1875–77) and Mariapark (1891), pilgrimage sites
*The medieval [[city wall]]
*[[Half-timbered]] houses, 16th-17th century
*The Jacob Kritzraedt house, 17th century, [[Mannerism#Architecture|Mannerist]] style
*[[Watermill]]s, 16th-17th century
*City park, 1921–27

The central market square has many restaurants and bars. The city has retained part of its [[city wall]]. On the south-eastern side of the city centre, the [[Rose of Lima|St Rosa]] chapel crowns the Kollenberg hill. Museum "Het Domein" is situated in a converted nineteenth century school building in the city centre. It focuses on contemporary art, urban history and archaeology. There is also a Commonwealth War Cemetery, where 239 soldiers of the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth Nations]] lie buried. Among them [[Dennis Donnini]], the youngest to have received the [[Victoria Cross]] in World War II.

==Economy==
[[File:SABIC office Sittard.jpg|thumb|right|[[SABIC]] European head office.]]
Sittard houses the [[SABIC]] European head office and a large [[DSM (company)|DSM]] office; both companies having large chemical production facilities in nearby [[Geleen]]. The head office of the [[plant hire]] company [[Boels Rental]] is also located in Sittard.

==Education==

There are several schools for higher vocational education and training ([[Vocational university|hbo]]) in the city, including faculties of the [[Hogeschool Zuyd]] and [[Fontys Hogescholen]]. Large schools for [[secondary education]] in Sittard are 'Trevianum Scholengroep' ([[Hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs|havo]] and [[Voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs|vwo]]) and 'Da Capo College' ([[voorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs|vmbo]]).

==Sports==

Sittard is the home of the professional [[Association football|football]] club [[Fortuna Sittard]] and of the handball club [[HV Sittardia|Sittardia]].

The biggest [[Kennedy march]] of the Netherlands starts and ends in Sittard.

== Notable people ==
*[[Charles Beltjens]], poet
*[[Eddy Beugels]], cyclist
*[[Rens Blom]], athlete competing in pole vault
*[[Harry Brüll]], professional football player
*[[Mike van Diem]], film director
*[[Willy Dullens]], professional football player
*[[Gerard Gruisen]], professional football player
*[[Toon Hermans]], comedian
*[[Frederic Adolph Hoefer]], lieutenant-general
*[[Wim Hof]], ''The Iceman'', motivational speaker and extreme athlete
*[[Germ Hofma]], professional football player
*[[Leo Horn]], football referee
*[[Francine Houben]], architect, director of [[Mecanoo]]
*[[Willy Janssen]], professional football player
*[[Jan Krekels]], cyclist, Olympic champion
*[[Danny Nelissen]], cyclist
*[[Jan Nolten]], cyclist
*[[Jan Notermans]], professional football player
*[[Rineke Dijkstra]], photographer
*[[Huub Stevens]], professional football player and manager
*[[Wilbert Suvrijn]], professional football player
*[[Arnold Vanderlyde]], boxer
*[[Joost Zweegers]], singer and pianist of [[Novastar]]
*[[Laurence Stassen]], [[Groep Bontes/Van Klaveren|VNL]] politician

==Dialect==
The [[Sittard dialect]] is a particular variant of [[Limburgish language|Limburgish]].

== Sister cities ==
* [[Valjevo]], {{flagcountry|Serbia}}.
* [[Hasselt]], {{flagcountry|Belgium}}

== See also ==
* [[Vansittart]], surname derived from the city.

{{Coord|51|00|N|5|52|E|region:NL_type:city_source:GNS-enwiki|display=title}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Sittard}}
{{wikivoyage|Sittard}}

{{Dutch municipality Sittard-Geleen}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Municipalities of the Netherlands disestablished in 2001]]
[[Category:Populated places in Limburg (Netherlands)]]
[[Category:Former municipalities of Limburg (Netherlands)]]
[[Category:Sittard-Geleen]]