With over 130,000 citizens Amersfoort is one of the 20 largest cities of the Netherlands. It is a versatile city with a variety of architecture, history, art, culture and nature. The special districts as the well-known architectural Kattenbroek, the environmental friendly district Nieuwland and the historic centre make a visit extremely worthwhile.
History
The historic inner city of Amersfoort has a Medieval pattern of streets and squares, where you will find over 380 monuments, from remarkable churches and museums to city walls and gates. A string of unique houses ‘muurhuizen’ is part of the heart shaped inner city. Just outside the old city walls you can relax in the ‘Zocherplantsoen’, a green area stretching alongside the city canals.
Art, culture and recreation
The many festivals and terraces on the squares in the city centre make Amersfoort an exuberant place to be. Various museums, galleries and other places of interest offer culture lovers lots of possibilities to enjoy themselves.
Beside the dynamic heart of the city you can enjoy lots of green areas and water as well. There are many city parks, you can make canal tours and you can stroll and bike almost anywhere. The Zoo (Dierenpark Amersfoort), the puppet theatre Toermalijn or the Centre for Education of Nature and Environment on Estate Schothorst make the city attractive for children as well.
Accessibility
The central position of Amersfoort offers entrepreneurs an excellent settling climate. Within half an hour you can be in the centre of Amsterdam, by car or train. The airport Schiphol lies within 40 travel minutes and The Hague and Rotterdam can be reached in less than an hour.
Employment
In 1981, Amersfoort was designated as a ‘growth’ city. This has led to significant growth of the hospitality sector as well as the trade sector. A number of large-scale business areas have recently been developed.
Development
Amersfoort is expanding to about 160,000 citizens in 2016. This expansion is mainly due to the development of the latest district Vathorst with 11,000 houses. This district north of highway A1 will have its own business area, train station, shopping area, schools and sports facilities.
In 2006, Amersfoort will have realised a city harbour ‘Eemhaven’. Alongside the wharfs of the river Eem, trees and terraces will make it a pleasure to be there. In the future cultural centre Eemcentrum you can enjoy terraces, shops, visit a pop concert or the cinema.
Amersfoort is versatile and exuberant, a city with a heart.