View source for Geertruidenberg

{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
<!-- Name and transliteration -->
| name                    = Geertruidenberg
| settlement_type         = [[Cities of the Netherlands|City]] and [[List of municipalities of the Netherlands|Municipality]]
<!-- Images, nickname, motto -->
| image_skyline           = Markt - stadhuis - Geertruidenberg.jpg
| image_alt               = 
| image_caption           = Former city hall on market square
| image_flag              = Geertruidenberg vlag.svg
| flag_size               = 100x67px
| flag_alt                = 
| image_shield            = Geertruidenberg wapen.svg
| shield_size             = 100x80px
| shield_alt              = 
<!-- Maps, coordinates -->
| image_map               = Map - NL - Municipality code 0779 (2009).svg
| map_alt                 = Highlighted position of Geertruidenberg in a municipal map of North Brabant
| map_caption             = Location in North Brabant
| coordinates             = {{coord|51|42|00|N|04|51|31|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       = [[North Brabant]]
| government_footnotes    = 
| governing_body          = [[Municipal council (Netherlands)|Municipal council]]
| leader_party            = SGP
| leader_title            = [[Burgemeester|Mayor]]
| leader_name             = Marian Witte<ref name=mayor>{{Cite web |title=Samenstelling College van B&W |url= https://www.geertruidenberg.nl/bestuur/samenstelling-college-van-bw |access-date=11 February 2024|website=www.geertruidenberg.nl|language=nl}}</ref>

<!-- Geographic information -->
| total_type              = Municipality
| unit_pref               = Metric
<!-- ALL fields with measurements have automatic unit conversion -->
<!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_footnotes          = <ref>{{Dutch municipality total area|dataref}}</ref>
<!-- square kilometers -->
| area_total_km2          = {{Dutch municipality total area|Geertruidenberg}}
| area_land_km2           = {{Dutch municipality land area|Geertruidenberg}}
| area_water_km2          = {{Dutch municipality water area|Geertruidenberg}}
| elevation_footnotes     = <ref name="AHN">{{cite web
 |url=http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool 
 |title=Postcodetool for 4941DX 
 |language=nl 
 |work=Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland 
 |publisher=Het Waterschapshuis 
 |access-date=19 May 2014 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053543/http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool 
 |archive-date=21 September 2013 
}}</ref>
| elevation_m             = 3
| elevation_max_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| elevation_max_m         =
| elevation_min_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| elevation_min_m         =
<!-- Population, demographics -->
| population_footnotes    = <ref>{{Dutch municipality population|dataref}}</ref>
| population_total        = {{Dutch municipality population|Geertruidenberg}}
| population_as_of        = {{MONTHNAME|{{Dutch municipality population|popbasemonth}}}} {{Dutch municipality population|popbaseyear}}
| population_density_km2  = {{Dutch municipality population density|Geertruidenberg}} <!-- For automatic calculation: auto-->
| population_demonym      = 
<!-- Other information -->
| timezone                = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset              = +1
| timezone_DST            = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset_DST          = +2
| postal_code_type        = [[Postal codes in the Netherlands|Postcode]]
| postal_code             = 4930–4944
| area_code_type          = [[Telephone numbers in the Netherlands|Area code]]
| area_code               = 0162
| website                 = {{URL|1=http://www.geertruidenberg.nl}}
| footnotes               =
}}
[[File:Gem-Geertruidenberg-OpenTopo.jpg|275px|thumb|''Map of the municipality of Geertruidenberg, June 2015'']]

'''Geertruidenberg''' ({{IPA|nl|ˈɣeːrtrœydə(m)ˌbɛr(ə)x|-|191_Geerttruidenberg.ogg}}) is a city and municipality in the province [[North Brabant]] in the south of the [[Netherlands]]. The city, named after [[Gertrude of Nivelles|Saint Gertrude of Nivelles]], received city rights in 1213 from the count of [[Holland]]. The fortified city prospered until the 15th century.

Today, the municipality of Geertruidenberg includes the population centres [[Raamsdonk]] and [[Raamsdonksveer]]. The municipality has a total area of {{convert|{{Dutch municipality total area|Geertruidenberg}}|km2|abbr=on}} and had a population of {{formatnum:{{Dutch municipality population|Geertruidenberg}}}} in {{YEAR|{{Dutch municipality population|popbaseyear}}}}. The city government consists of the mayor and three aldermen.

==History==
Geertruidenberg is named after [[Gertrude of Nivelles|Saint Gertrude of Nivelles]].

In 1213, Sint Geertruidenberg (English: "Saint Gertrude's Mountain") received [[City rights in the Low Countries|city rights]] from [[William I, Count of Holland|Count William I of Holland]]. The fortified city became a trade center, where counts and other nobility gathered for negotiations. In 1323–1325, [[Geertruidenberg Castle]] was constructed very close to the city center. 

During the [[Hook and Cod wars]], the city chose the Cod side in 1351, while the castle remained on the Hook side. This led to the 1350–1351 [[Siege of Geertruidenberg (1351–1352)|Siege of Geertruidenberg]]. In 1420 a similar siege during a later Hook and Cod war caused huge damage to the city. The [[St. Elizabeth's flood (1421)|Saint Elizabeth's flood]] of 1421 then ended the prosperity of Geertruidenberg.<ref name="history">{{cite web
 |title      = Vroeger en nu
 |work       = Geertruidenberg Municipality Website
 |publisher  = Municipality of Geertruidenberg
 |url        = http://www.geertruidenberg.nl/index.php?simaction=content&mediumid=1&pagid=63&fontsize=10
 |access-date = 2008-08-16
 |language   = nl
}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

In 1573, during the [[Eighty Years War]], the city [[Capture of Geertruidenberg (1573)|was captured]] in a surprise attack by an English, French Huguenot and Fleming force. In 1589 however [[Capture of Geertruidenberg (1589)|the city was betrayed]] to [[Alessandro_Farnese,_Duke_of_Parma_and_Piacenza|Parma]] by its English garrison.<ref>Israel, Jonathan (1995), The Dutch Republic: Its Rise, Greatness, and Fall 1477–1806, Clarendon Press, Oxford, {{ISBN|0-19-873072-1}}, p. 234</ref> It was [[Siege of Geertruidenberg (1593)|finally recaptured]] by an Anglo-Dutch force under the command of [[Maurice of Nassau]] in the summer of 1593.

Today, Geertruidenberg is part of the province of [[North Brabant]], but it was once part of the county of [[Holland]]. Geertruidenberg is the second oldest city of Holland as it was the first to receive city rights. It is a common misconception that Geertruidenberg is the oldest city of the Netherlands, because the names Holland and the Netherlands are used interchangeably by some.

==Geography==
The total area of the municipality is {{convert|{{Dutch municipality total area|Geertruidenberg}}|km2|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|{{Dutch municipality land area|Geertruidenberg}}|km2|abbr=on}} is land and {{convert|{{Dutch municipality water area|Geertruidenberg}}|km2|abbr=on}} is water.

The municipality of Geertruidenberg comprises three population centres:
*Geertruidenberg
*[[Raamsdonk]]
*[[Raamsdonksveer]]
[[File:Isaak-Tirion-Hedendaegsche historie MG 0707.tif|left|thumb|Map of Geertruidenberg, [[Isaak Tirion|Tirion]] 1747, 1749]]
Geertruidenberg is located on the bank of the [[Donge (river)|Donge]], close to where this river flows into the [[Amer River|Amer]].

==Demography==
As of {{YEAR|{{Dutch municipality population|popbaseyear}}}}, the total [[population]] of Geertruidenberg was {{formatnum:{{Dutch municipality population|Geertruidenberg }}}}. The [[population density]] was {{convert|{{Dutch municipality population density|Geertruidenberg}}|/km2|abbr=on}}.

==Government==
[[File:Geertruidenberg, toren van de Geertruidskerk in straatzicht foto6 2012-10-22 16.15.jpg|Geertruidenberg, churchtower in the street|thumb|right]]
The [[burgemeester|mayor]] of Geertruidenberg is Marian Witte who, like all mayors in the Netherlands, was appointed by the Dutch monarch. She is supported by four [[alderman|aldermen]] who, with the mayor, form the ''[[College van Burgemeester en Wethouders]]''.<ref name=mayor/>

The [[city council]] is elected every four years, at the same time as most other Dutch municipalities. The 19 members of the city council assemble ten times per year for public meetings in the [[city hall]] in [[Raamsdonksveer]]. The council members come from seven political parties, four local and three national (2022):<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 March 2022 |title=Geertruidenberg municipal election 2022 |url= https://www.verkiezingsuitslagen.nl/verkiezingen/detail/GR20220316/731205 |access-date=11 February 2024|website=www.verkiezingsuitslagen.nl|language=nl}}</ref>
{{columns-list|colwidth=20em|
*Keerpunt 74 (5 seats)
*Lokaal+ (4 seats)
*Morgen! ([[GroenLinks]]/[[Labour Party (Netherlands)|P.v.d.A]]) (3 seats)
*[[Christian Democratic Appeal|CDA]] (2 seats)
*[[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]] (2 seats)
*Municipal Interest Geertruidenberg (2 seats)
*Social People's Party Geertruidenberg (1 seat)
}}

== Notable people ==
[[File:Jan Derksen 1960.jpg|140px|thumb|Jan Derksen, 1960]]
* [[Johannes Vollevens]] (1649 in Geertruidenberg – 1728) a [[Dutch Golden Age]] painter
* [[Juliana de Lannoy]] (1738 – 1782 in St. Geertruidenberg) an artist and poet, lived in St. Geertruidenberg from 1758
* [[Willem Sassen]] (1918 in Geertruidenberg – 2002) a Dutch collaborator, Nazi journalist, a member of the Waffen-SS and the interviewer of Adolf Eichmann in 1960
* [[Jan Derksen]] (1919 in Geertruidenberg – 2011) a Dutch professional cyclist, world professional track sprint champion in 1946 and 1957
* [[Matthijs Brouwer]] (born 1980 in Raamsdonk) a field hockey player, team silver medallist at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]]

== Gallery ==
<gallery mode=packed>
File:4931 Geertruidenberg, Netherlands - panoramio (17).jpg|Geertruidenberg
File:4931 Geertruidenberg, Netherlands - panoramio (9).jpg|Geertruidenberg
File:Geertruidenberg kunstwerk bloemenmonument.jpg|Geertruidenberg flower sculpture
File:20170625 038 029 040 041 042 Dordrecht Brabantse Biesbosch (35499915671).jpg|Dordrecht Brabantse Biesbosch
</gallery>
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline}}
*[http://www.geertruidenberg.nl/ Official website]

{{Geographic location
 | Centre    = Geertruidenberg
 | North     = [[Altena, North Brabant|Altena]]<br>''[[Amer (river)|Amer]]''
 | East      = [[Waalwijk]]
 | Southeast = [[Dongen]]
 | South     = [[Oosterhout]]
 | West      = [[Drimmelen]]
}}
{{North Brabant Province}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Geertruidenberg| ]]
[[Category:Cities in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Municipalities of North Brabant]]
[[Category:Populated places in North Brabant]]