Giessen is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of Altena, about 7 km southeast of Gorinchem.
History
The village was first mentioned in 1178 as Giscen. It is named after a river, however the etymology is unclear.[3] Giessen developed in the Middle Ages along the Afgedamde Maas.[4]
The Dutch Reformed church dates was built on a terp (artificial living hill). It was constructed in the 14th century. In 1755, the tower collapsed due to frequently flooding. The church was enlarged in 1856.[4][5]
Giessen was home to 360 people in 1840.[5] Giessen was a separate municipality until 1973, when it became a part of the former municipality of Woudrichem.[6] Giessen nowadays forms a single urban area with Rijswijk.[4]
Sights
Giessen is part of the New Dutch Water Line. Fort Giessen has been preserved, and was constructed between 1878 and 1881.[4]
In 2013 Giessen Castle was rediscovered in the village.[5] There are no visible traces of this castle, except for a small monument that marks its location.
Notable inhabitants
- Carola Schouten (born 1977), politician
Gallery
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Dutch Reformed church -
Farm in Giessen -
Fort Giessen -
Painting of Giessen by Eugen Jettel (1886)
References
- ^ a b c "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021". Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^ "Postcodetool for 4283EB". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^ "Giessen". Etymologiebank (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^ a b c d Chris Kolman & Ronald Stenvert (1997). Giessen-Rijswijk (in Dutch). Zwolle: Waanders. ISBN 90 400 9945 6. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^ a b c "Giessen". Plaatsengids (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- ^ Ad van der Meer and Onno Boonstra, Repertorium van Nederlandse gemeenten, KNAW, 2011.
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