Balkbrug

Balkbrug
Village
House in Balkbrug
Balkbrug Location in province of Overijssel in the Netherlands Show map of Overijssel Balkbrug Balkbrug (Netherlands) Show map of Netherlands
Coordinates: 52°36′2″N 6°23′28″E
Country	Netherlands
Province	Overijssel
Municipality	Hardenberg
Area [1]
• Total	39.26 km^2 (15.16 sq mi)
Elevation [2]	7 m (23 ft)
Population  (2021)[1]
• Total	3,980
• Density	100/km^2 (260/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	7707[1]
Dialing code	0523

Balkbrug is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality Hardenberg, about 5 km west of Dedemsvaart.

History

Balkbrug is located where the road from Ommen splits into a road to Meppel and Leeuwarden, and a road to Hoogeveen and the city of Groningen. In 1599, a redoubt was constructed in Ommerschans, south of Balkbrug. The village appeared in 1811 along the Dedemsvaart [nl] as part of a peat colony.^[3] It is named after a simple type of bridge.^[4] In 1819, a beggar's colony was founded to the south of the village. In 1840, it was home to 1,308 people.^[5] The church was built in 1896.^[3]

In 1893/94, the beggar's colony was turned into the state educational institution Veldzicht, a prison for young offenders. In 1911, it was enlarged and became the largest of the Netherlands.^[3] Nowadays, it is used as the forensic psychiatry centre.^[5]

Notable people

• Nanno de Groot (1913–1963), American autodidact artist.^[6]

Gallery

• 
  Provisionally repaired bridge (1945)
• 
  Church of Balkbrug
• 
  Veldzicht

References

1. "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021". Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
2. "Postcodetool for 7707AA". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
3. Ronald Stenvert & Jan ten Hove (1998). "Balkbrug" (in Dutch). Zwolle: Waanders. ISBN 90 400 9200 1. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
4. "Balkbrug - (geografische naam)". Balkbrug (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 March 2022.
5. "Balkbrug". Plaatsengids (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 March 2022.
6. "Nanno de Groot". Netherlands Institute for Art History. Retrieved 14 March 2022.