Schiedam 750 years: Schiedam celebrates the future!

Hooray! In 2025, it will be 750 years since Schiedam was granted city rights by Aleida of Holland. From March 18 to the end of September 2025, we will celebrate the history of Schiedam with 750, featuring a program full of activities for and by all Schiedammers. At the same time, we are putting the future of our vibrant and colorful city at the center. We are looking ahead. The motto is therefore: Schiedam celebrates the future! Will you celebrate with us?

Schiedam

General

Schiedam is a municipality in the province of South Holland. The municipal government participates in the Rotterdam-The Hague Metropolitan Area joint arrangement. Schiedam is situated between Rotterdam and Vlaardingen, originally on the Schie and later also on the Nieuwe Maas. On January 1, 2025, the municipality had 82.559 inhabitants (source: CBS). The city is known for its gin production, the historic city center with historic harbors, and the tallest windmills in the world.

The municipal coat of arms was officially granted on July 24, 1816. The lion is the Lion of Hainaut. The city obtained city rights in 1275 from Aleidis, widow of John I of Avesnes, heir to Hainaut. She was also the sister of William II, Count of Holland and Zeeland. She owned a castle on the site, around which a village had grown.

The origin of the coat of arms is unknown. The oldest city seal, which is first mentioned only in 1306, depicts a city view with three gates, each with three crenellated towers. In the upper right corner is a diagonally placed shield bearing a lion. This is likely the Lion of Hainaut.

It is not known to what extent the lion on the oldest seal is already covered by a diagonal checkered bar. However, it is not improbable, given that Aleidis's successor and son, Floris of Hainaut, bore the Lion of Hainaut as his coat of arms, surmounted by a diagonal checkered bar. Seals bearing this coat of arms are known from him dating back to 1286. Another charter from the city of Schiedam itself, dating from the same year, states that the city did not possess a seal of its own. This implies that the seal was carved under the rule of Floris, and it is therefore to be expected that his coat of arms was included, not that of his mother. In any case, on the slightly younger seal in question (used at least from 1390–1600), the lion does appear with a diagonal checkered bar.

On all later seals, the lion appears with the checkered crossbar. In the case of the small seal and the relevant seal, the coat of arms is also the main figure. On the great seals, the coat of arms is depicted as a secondary shield. An example is the relevant seal of 1574–1617. The counter-seals show a cross with a small castle at each end. This representation was also replaced by the city coat of arms in the 17th century.

History

The history of the city of Schiedam dates back to the 13th century. Near the mouth of the Schie, around ca. 1230, a dam was constructed by the Lord of Wassenaar and/or Lord Dirk Bokel of the Mathenesse district to protect the polder land from seawater. In 1247, Aleid van Holland received the eastern part of the dam (and the small polder) as a wedding gift upon her marriage to Jan van Avesnes. In 1275, city rights were granted by Lady Aleid van Holland (Aleida van Avesnes), the sister of Count William II of Holland.

The eighteenth century was a Golden Age for Schiedam, due to the halt in foreign liquor imports and the rise of the gin distillery. Dozens of breweries and distilleries emerged, exporting all over the world. The gin industry gave Schiedam the nickname 'Black Nazareth'. The industry has since largely disappeared, but the six classic windmills built for the industry still define the cityscape. In 2005, the Nolet Mill was built in the style of these windmills. There are also a number of former distilleries remaining. The Gin Museum has been located in one of them, on the historic Lange Haven, since 1996.

The eighteenth century was Schiedam's Golden Age: the halt in liquor imports from France made the rise of the Schiedam gin distillery possible. Schiedam gin was exported all over the world from dozens of breweries and distilleries. The gin industry gave Schiedam the nickname 'Black Nazareth'. The industry has since largely disappeared.

Six windmills: Molen De Walvisch, Molen De Drie Koornbloemen, Molen De Vrijheid, Molen De Noord, Molen De Palmboom, and Molen De Kameel, rebuilt in 2011—the tallest windmills in the world—because they had to tower above the high warehouses, but also because a great deal of storage space was required due to large-scale production—and a large number of former distilleries still serve as reminders of the distilling era. The Jenever Museum has been located in one of these distilleries, situated on the historic Lange Haven, since 1996.

The economic activity in Schiedam also attracted many people from outside Schiedam. In the 1839 census, 41% of the population of Schiedam was Catholic, compared to 14% of the population of Vlaardingen and 28% of the population of Rotterdam. By the end of the eighteenth century, many people from Westphalia and other regions of West Germany had settled in the city, which had led to a “Catholicization” of the population.

The Chamber of Commerce (KVK) in the Netherlands provides information, guidance, and support to companies and organizations. Its statutory duties focus on registering (Trade Register, UBO, and LEI), informing, and advising companies and organizations. These duties are legally established in the Chamber of Commerce Act and the Trade Register Act. The KVK is an independent administrative body with various regional offices and a head office in Utrecht. The KVK has five regions. Schiedam falls under the Southwest region, with an office in Rotterdam.

In 1941, the municipality of Kethel en Spaland was annexed, creating space for large-scale housing development north of Schiedam. The neighborhoods of Tuindorp, Sveaparken, Kethel, Groenoord, Woudhoek, and Spaland are now located here.

Art and culture

Most cultural facilities in Schiedam are located in the city center. These include the Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, known for its large collection of art from the Cobra movement; the Nationaal Jenevermuseum, where distillation still takes place regularly; and museum windmill De Walvisch, where the mill is still turning and grinding. Until February 2018, De Nieuwe Palmboom was the museum windmill.

In addition to the museums, many artists and their studios can be found in the city. The city also has a number of galleries. Since June 2015, the first green library in the Netherlands has been located in the former Korenbeurs next to Dam Square. Various cultural institutions are housed in the Wennekerpand, a former distillery. These include the Wenneker Cinema and the small hall of the Theater aan de Schie, whose main location can be found at the Stadserf. Besides its museums and cultural centers, Schiedam hosts a growing number of recurring events and festivals, such as the Brandersfeesten.

Dickens Festival Schiedam (14 December 2024)

With its historic city center, Schiedam provides the perfect backdrop for a Dickens Festival! Did you know that Dutch translations of Charles Dickens' works were printed at Drukkerij Roelants at Lange Haven 141 in Schiedam around 1867?

Actors and extras in Dickensian costumes will entertain the visitors. The street theatre will have a Schiedam twist, meaning that the history of Schiedam is reflected in the skits performed. Enjoy the music and the choirs and buy something nice at the Christmas market. There will also be a range of children's activities.

Netherlands (2020): Anton Pieck – Music Christmas Choir.

It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that we begin organizing the 2023 Dickens Festival. We aim to do this once again with many parties in, around, and from Schiedam, and of course with all the enthusiastic volunteers. Location: Dickens Festival Schiedam | Festival and Christmas market in a cozy historical atmosphere – free admission. On Saturday, December 14, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM, De Dam and Vlaardingerstraat in Schiedam Centre. Thanks to Peter Janssen for the franking machine stamps. For info, see www.frankeerstempel.nl

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Schiedam is Rotterdam's little brother, but there is much to experience culturally. So visit Schiedam for a day in this anniversary year and you will see the beauty of the city. Schiedam is so much more than gin. Visit the museums and take a cruise past the windmills. 750 years of Schiedam: https://schiedamviert750.nl/ Tourism Schiedam: https://www.sdam.nl/ Gin Museum: https://www.jenevermuseum.nl/ The Whale Mill: https://www.deschiedamsemolens.nl/museummolen/ 125 years of Stedelijk Museum Schiedam: https://stedelijkmuseumschiedam.nl/