's-Gravenzande

's-Gravenzande is a town in the province of South Holland, in the Netherlands. It is a part of the municipality of Westland, and lies about 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) southwest of The Hague. Until 2004 it was a separate municipality and covered an area of 20.77 km² (of which 3.38 km² water).

's-Gravenzande
City
Flag
Coat of arms
The town centre (dark green) and the statistical district (light green) of 's-Gravenzande in the municipality of Westland.
Coordinates: 52°0′N 4°10′E
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceZuid-Holland
MunicipalityWestland
Population
 (2006-01-01)
22,190
Postal code
2692 - 2694
Area code(s)0174

The town of 's-Gravenzande had 15,241 inhabitants in 2011. The built-up area of the town was 2.7 km², and contained 5,879 residences.[1] The statistical area "'s-Gravenzande", which also can include the peripheral parts of the village, as well as the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 119,750.[2] As of 1 January 2009, 's-Gravenzande is the largest town in Westland with 19.428 inhabitants.[3]

The former municipality of 's-Gravenzande also included the township of Heenweg.

History
's-Gravenzande in 1868.

's-Gravenzande is the only place in the Westland with a history as a city. 's-Gravenzande was granted city rights in 1246 by Count William II of Holland who, just like his father Count Floris IV, regularly resided at his estate near the town. It is therefore the only "city" in Westland.

Machteld van Brabant, daughter of Duke Henry I and wife of Floris IV, was responsible for building the town's church, and gave it a Madonna statue to which miraculous powers were attributed. 's-Gravenzande subsequently became a pilgrimage site.

The neighborhood of Gravesend, Brooklyn, New York in the United States is said by some to have been named for 's-Gravenzande.[4]

References
  1. Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Bevolkingskernen in Nederland 2001 Archived March 19, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. (Statistics are for the continuous built-up area).
  2. Statistics Netherlands (CBS), Statline: Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2003-2005. As of 1 January 2005. Archived April 27, 1999, at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Gemeente Westland - Feiten en cijfers". Archived from the original on 2009-09-11. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
  4. Letter to the Editor: Gravesend, The New York Times, December 20, 1992. Accessed October 28, 2007. "As a historical archeologist specializing in the early history of New York, I can tell you that what is now the Gravesend section of Brooklyn was not named for the hometown that Lady Deborah Moody and her followers left in England, as you stated in your article about the community on Oct. 18, but by the Dutch governor-general, William Kieft. Kieft chose to name the settlement " 's'Gravesande" after the town in Holland that had been the seat of the Counts of Holland before they moved to the Hague. It means the count's sand or beach."
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