40 years of Flevoland: Dronten

In 2026, the province of Flevoland turns 40. And we are celebrating! We look back, and especially forward. The province of Flevoland is characterized by vast open spaces and a rectangular layout. The province consists of two parts: the Noordoostpolder, reclaimed up to the mainland, and the Flevopolder, the largest artificial island in the world. To avoid confusion with the municipality of Noordoostpolder, the Noordoostpolder (the combination of this municipality and the municipality of Urk) is also referred to as Northern Flevoland. This time, Dronten.

Flag of Dronten

The flag of Dronten was adopted by council resolution on 27 May 1982 as the municipal flag of Dronten. The flag is based on the municipal logo.

The seven triangles represent the seven mooring posts. In the original proposal, the municipality would surround seven villages around the capital, Dronten, similar to the green villages in the Noordoostpolder around Emmeloord. The posts represent, among others, the towns of Dronten, Abbert, Biddinghuizen, Burchtkamp, Larsen, Swifterbant, and Zeewolde. The central post was intended to represent Dronten. The villages of Abbert, Burchtkamp, and Larsen were actually never established. Zeewolde was depicted on the map as a village situated between Lelystad and Dronten. This village was also never realized. The name Zeewolde was ultimately applied to the municipality east of Almere.

Dronten (history and future)

Dronten is a town in the province of Flevoland, in Eastern Flevoland. The municipality has 45.436 inhabitants (CBS: January 1, 2026). Plans for the municipality of Dronten were drawn up starting in the early 50s. The first concrete plans began in 1958, construction started in 1960, and the first residents settled there on April 26, 1962. From the very beginning, there was debate about whether Dronten should become a village or a city. Initially, a maximum of 15.000 inhabitants was assumed; later plans envisioned growth to 30.000 inhabitants. In 2023, the municipality of Dronten presented further growth plans to a total of 60.000 inhabitants in the municipality. The town of Dronten is being expanded with new neighborhoods on the south, east, and north sides. This growth is scheduled to be realized by 2050.

(Coat of Arms of Dronten: The description of the coat of arms of Dronten reads as follows: Wavy divided: I in azure a lily of silver, II in gold 3 intertwined rings of gules, the middle one larger and placed lower than the other two, over which a mooring post of sable with a head of silver and emerging from the base of the shield. The shield surmounted by a golden crown of 3 leaves and 2 pearls and supported by 2 horses of sable with raised tails. The whole placed on a white pedestal.

The coat of arms is divided in two by a wavy line. The upper part is blue with a silver French lily. The lower part is gold containing three intertwined red rings. The middle ring is larger and positioned lower than the other two rings. A black mooring post with a silver head is placed over the middle ring. The mooring post emerges from the base of the shield.

The shield is held by two black horses. The horses' tails are held high. The horses and the shield stand on a white pedestal. Additionally, the coat of arms is crowned by a golden count's crown of three leaves with two pearls between them.

The initial plans envisioned ten settlements, just like in the Noordoostpolder: small settlements surrounding a central main town. Due to changing views on transport (increasing use of mopeds and cars) and the experience that the settlements in the Noordoostpolder had proven to be too small, this number was reduced. In various stages of the planning phase, the number of settlements was reduced to ultimately three: Dronten, Biddinghuizen, and Swifterbant. At the start of construction in 1960, the towns of Larsen and Zeewolde were still included in the planning. These two places were also ultimately not realized. In 1965, it was definitively decided to build only three settlements. The name Zeewolde was later used for another place in Southern Flevoland. During the construction of Dronten, various wrecks of aircraft from the Second World War were found; the Aviators Monument was erected to commemorate the victims.

On January 1, 1972, the municipality of Dronten was established by law. Dronten derives its name from the Dronthen Polder, a polder formed by alluvial land near Kampen, on the border of the provinces of Overijssel and Gelderland. Until the establishment of the province of Flevoland in 1986, the Ministry of the Interior performed most provincial tasks; some tasks were handled by the municipality itself.

Thanks to Peter Janssen of www.frankeerstempel.nl for the stamps in this blog.