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Wikipedia / Rijswijk

Rijswijk (), formerly known as Ryswick ( ) in English, is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Its population was 59,642 in 2024, and it has an area of , of which is water.

The municipality also includes the former hamlets of 't Haantje and Sion, currently also known as Rijswijk Buiten.

Demographics

62% Dutch background, 38% No Dutch background.

History

Archaeological excavations indicate that this area of the coastal dunes was already inhabited some 5500 years ago. The village of Rijswijk formed in the 13th century, and its history was dominated by the presence of mansions and estates of the nobility and affluent.

The Treaty of Ryswick was signed at the Huis ter Nieuwburg in 1697, ending the Nine Years' War. A monument, the Needle of Rijswijk (1792), was erected to commemorate the treaty in the Rijswijk Forest.

Until 1900, Rijswijk remained a relatively small community but it became urbanised during the 20th century when it expanded rapidly. Today, Rijswijk's area has almost been completely built up. The last major development is the new Ypenburg neighbourhood, built on the lands of the former Ypenburg Airfield, but this part of Rijswijk was annexed by The Hague in 2002. Rijswijk is part of the Haaglanden conurbation. Over the years its built-up area has grown to the point where it has effectively merged with The Hague, and often regarded as its suburb, even though it is still a separate municipality.

Up until 2009, Rijswijk had a polytechnic college for applied sciences; TH Rijswijk (Technische Hogeschool Rijswijk). After a merger with the Haagse Hogeschool, this was moved to the campus of the TUDelft in Delft. The building still remains.

Istana Negara, one of the six presidential palaces of Indonesia, in the Jakarta neighbourhood of Harmoni (formerly Rijswijk-Molenvliet), was called Paleis te Rijswijk during Dutch colonial times.

Public transport

  • Rijswijk station

  • Stopplaats Rijswijk-Wateringen

Economy

Rijswijk is home to:

In the past, Rijswijk also used to host the main research and technology centre of the oil and gas company Shell, with approximately 2000 employees. The company decided to close the centre and relocate the activities to Amsterdam and The Hague in 2017.

Recreation

  • Parks: Hoekpolder, Plaspoelpolder, Schaapweipolder, Hoge Broekpolder, Noordpolder, Park Overvoorde, Wilhelminapark, Elsenburgerbos, Park Steenvoorde.

  • Natural swimming location De Put.

  • Rijswijkse Schouwburg, which hosts national theatre shows.

  • Von Fisenne Park, which has a petting zoo.

  • Sports park 'De Schilp', which has an indoor swimming pool.

  • Museum Rijswijk.

The largest shopping centre is called 'In de Bogaard' and smaller shops are located in the old town centre (Herenstraat). There is the old Schaapweimolen (windmill). De Broodfabriek holds many fairs and events.

Notable people

Public service

Arts and learning

Sport

References