Alphen, Gelderland

Alphen (also known as Alphen aan de Maas) is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is a part of the municipality of West Maas en Waal, and lies about 7 km north of Oss.

Alphen Alphen aan de Maas
Village
Windmill Tot Voordeel en Genoegen
Alphen Location in the Netherlands Show map of Gelderland Alphen Alphen (Netherlands) Show map of Netherlands
Coordinates: 51°49′21″N 5°28′15″E
Country	Netherlands
Province	Gelderland
Municipality	West Maas en Waal
Area [1]
• Total	11.75 km2 (4.54 sq mi)
Elevation [2]	7 m (23 ft)
Population  (2021)[1]
• Total	1,675
• Density	140/km2 (370/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	6626[1]
Dialing code	0487

Alphen was a separate municipality until 1818, when it became a part of Appeltern.^[3] The statistical area "Alphen" includes the hamlets of Moordhuizen, Greffeling [nl], and Nieuwe Schans [nl].

History

It was first mentioned in 1144 as Alfene. The etymology is unclear. It is often called Alphen aan de Maas to distinguish from Alphen aan den Rijn.^[4] The village developed along the Maas, and was originally a spread out settlement. The tower of the Catholic St. Lambertus Church dates from the middle of the 12th century. The church was constructed 1400. Between 1929 and 1932, the church was restored and enlarged. The Dutch Reformed Church is a modest building from 1818.^[5] In 1840, Alphen was home to 913 people.^[6]

The windmill Tot Voordeel en Genoegen lies just to the west of the village. The grist mill was constructed in 1798 and restored in 1963.^[7] An hydroelectric power station capable of producing 14 Megawatts of electricity has been built next to the wind mill.^[8]

Notable people

• Tineke Strik (born 1961), politician^[9]

Gallery

• 
  Lambertus Church
• 
  Dike shed
• 
  Dutch Reformed Church
• 
  Former steam pumping station at Nieuwe Schans

References

1. "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021". Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
2. "Postcodetool for 6626KH". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
3. Ad van der Meer and Onno Boonstra, Repertorium van Nederlandse gemeenten, KNAW, 2011.
4. "Alphen - (geografische naam)". Etymologiebank (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 March 2022.
5. Ronald Stenvert & Sabine Broekhoven (2000). "Alphen aan de Maas" (in Dutch). Zwolle: Waanders. ISBN 90 400 9406 3. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
6. "Alphen (Gelderland)". Plaatsengids (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 March 2022.
7. "Tot Voordeel en Genoegen". Molen database (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 March 2022.
8. "Waterkracht". Vattenfall (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
9. "Prof.Dr. M.H.A. (Tineke) Strik". Dutch Parliament (in Dutch). Retrieved 25 March 2022.