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Soest, Netherlands facts for kids

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Soest
Town and municipality
Church in Soest
Church in Soest
Flag of Soest
Flag
 Coat of arms of Soest
Coat of arms
Highlighted position of Soest in a municipal map of Utrecht
Location in Utrecht
Country Netherlands
Province Utrecht
Government
 • Body Municipal council
Area
 • Total 46.43 km2 (17.93 sq mi)
 • Land 46.25 km2 (17.86 sq mi)
 • Water 0.18 km2 (0.07 sq mi)
Elevation
13 m (43 ft)
Population
 (May 2014)
 • Total 45,435
 • Density 982/km2 (2,540/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Soestenaar, Soester
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
3760–3769
Area code 035

Soest (Dutch pronunciation: [sust]) is a municipality and town in the central Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. It is about 6 km (4 mi) west of Amersfoort.

Population centres

  • Boerenstreek
  • De Eng Soest Midden
  • 't Hart Soestdijk
  • Klaarwater
  • Overhees
  • Smitsveen
  • Soestduinen
  • Soesterberg
  • Soest-Zuid

The town of Soest

The oldest documents mentioning Soest (then written as Zoys) date from 1029. Its oldest church (the Oude Kerk, meaning Old Church), which is still in use today, dates from the fifteenth century. Traces of earlier habitation are found though. The area of "Hees", now at the outskirts of Soest may date in to the Early Middle Ages, and prehistoric burial mounds in the Soesterduinen point to early habitation in this area.

Gem-Soest-OpenTopo
Topographic map of Soest

Agricultural activity is still visible as there is much farmland within Soest. The biggest area is in the center of the town, on a hill, and are called 'de Engh'. A small street is het Kerkpad (literally, the Church Path). The Soesterduinen (sand dunes), is a popular area for recreation.

Numerous churches depict the Calvinist/Catholic tradition of Soest and the region. Christengemeente Soest, Wilhelmina Kerk Soest, Gereformeerde Kerk Vrijgemaakt, Emmakerk and the Evangelische Kerk Soest are the main churches.

Soest Duinen, meaning Soest Dunes, a small town between Soest and Soesterberg contains acres upon acres of sand dunes named the Lange Duinen (meaning the long dunes).

Currently some 50,000 inhabitants live in Soest, consisting mainly of commuters.

Transport

Soest has three railway stations:

  • Soestdijk
  • Soest
  • Soest Zuid

The biggest of the three is Soest Zuid.

Soest can be reached by train from Utrecht (every half-hour, xx:06 and xx:36) and Baarn (xx:22 and xx:52); all trains stop at the three stations. The station of Soestduinen, situated between Utrecht Centraal and Amersfoort Centraal, was closed in 1998, after being in use for 135 years. It is now a restaurant.

The stations that can be reached directly from Soest are:

  • Baarn
  • Den Dolder
  • Bilthoven
  • Utrecht Overvecht
  • Utrecht Centraal

Soest has a number of bus stops and three bus lines, all of which leave from the bus station at Soest Zuid exactly at the half-hour. Line 70 however, travel both directions to Amersfoort and Hilversum. Line 74 travels within the town of Soest. And multiple others travel through Soest. (272 Bunschoten-Spakenburg to Uithof, Utrecht vv. More info found at 9292ov.nl for all the public transport connections

Notable people

Dirk Jan de Geer
Dirk Jan de Geer, 1930
Janine jansen-1488706691
Janine Jansen
  • Gerard Soest (c. 1600 – 1681) portrait painter who was active in England
  • Prince Alexander of the Netherlands (1818–1848) second son to King William II and Queen Anna Paulovna
  • Dirk Jan de Geer (1870–1960) politician, Prime Minister of the Netherlands 1926-1929 and 1939-1940
  • Frida Vogels (born 1930) writer, lives in Bologna
  • Ed van den Heuvel (born 1940) astronomer
  • Marlous Fluitsma (born 1946) actress
  • Peter Kooy (born 1954) bass singer specializing in baroque music
  • Jack Wouterse (born 1957) actor
  • Thomas von der Dunk (born 1961) cultural historian, writer and columnist
  • Janine Jansen (born 1978) a violinist and violist
  • Mirik Milan (born 1981) former Amsterdam Night Mayor

Sport

  • Robert Roest (born 1969) footballer
  • Jolanda Elshof (born 1975) retired female volleyball player
  • Bianca van den Hoek (born 1976) professional racing cyclist
  • Richard van Zijtveld (born 1979) former darts player
  • Daniël Stellwagen (born 1987) chess grandmaster
  • Daan Huizing (born 1990) professional golfer

Sport

There are four football clubs in Soest: SEC, VV Hees, SO Soest and VVZ '49. Soesterberg has its own football club, VV 't Vliegdorp.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Netherlands

Soest is twinned with:

  • Germany Soest, Germany, since 2004

Gallery

  • Museum Ald Soest 19

    Museum Old Soest

  • Soest Wilhelminalinde 8

    Soest Wilhelminalinde

  • Soest, Netherlands - autumn landscape 2015 (22743688092)

    Soest, Netherlands: autumn landscape

  • Soest - Waterpomp op de kruising van de Kerkstraat en de Eemstraat

    Soest: Waterpomp op de kruising van de Kerkstraat en de Eemstraat

  • Hie zien we een gedeelte van Hees vanaf het kruispunt van de buurtschappen Wieksloot en Hees

    Hie zien we een gedeelte van Hees vanaf het kruispunt van de buurtschappen Wieksloot en Hees

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