Zoeterwoude

Zoeterwoude ([ˌzutərˈʋʌudə]) is a municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers 21.96 km² (8.48 sq mi) of which 0.70 km² (0.27 sq mi) is water. It had a population of 8,088 in 2014.

The municipality of Zoeterwoude consists of Zoeterwoude-Dorp, Zoeterwoude-Rijndijk, Gelderswoude, Weipoort, Westeinde, and Zuidbuurt. The main brewery of Heineken International is located there.

Topography

Dutch topographic map of Zoeterwoude, Sept. 2014. Click to enlarge.

History

The name Zoeterwoude is first mentioned in a document from 1205, which references a certain "Florentius van Sotrewold". It is uncertain if this is a reference to the village. The first confirmed existence is from 1276 when Dirk van Santhorst received the "Soetrewold" fiefdom from Floris V, Count of Holland.

Its municipal boundaries were set circa 1300. At that time it was one of the largest municipalities in the Netherlands, but later much land was annexed by surrounding cities, notably Leiden. In 1450, the first bridge between Leiderdorp and Zoeterwoude was built. In 1574, Zoeterwoude was burnt to the ground and its polders inundated by Leideners in order to increase the range of the city's cannons. Almost no inhabitants remained in Zoeterwoude.