Grootegast (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɣroːtəˌɣɑst] ; Gronings: Grodegast; West Frisian: Gruttegast) is a village and former municipality in the northeastern Netherlands. It is the sister city of Kingston, Tasmania. The municipality was merged into the municipality of Westerkwartier on 1 January 2019.[3]

Grootegast
Village, former municipality
Wind mill in Sebaldeburen
Wind mill in Sebaldeburen
Flag of Grootegast
Coat of arms of Grootegast
Highlighted position of Grootegast in a municipal map of Groningen
Location in Groningen
Coordinates: 53°13′N 6°17′E / 53.217°N 6.283°E / 53.217; 6.283
Country Netherlands
Province Groningen
Municipality Westerkwartier
Area
 • Total31.27 km2 (12.07 sq mi)
Elevation2 m (7 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Total3,350
 • Density110/km2 (280/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
9820–9823, 9860–9869
Area code0594

Geography

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Municipality of Grootegast, June 2015

The former municipality contained the population centres: Doezum, Enumatil, Faan, Grootegast, Kornhorn, Lutjegast, Niekerk, Oldekerk, Opende, Sebaldeburen. In some of these villages, they still speak the West Frisian language.

History

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The village originated around the year 1000 (as Majorgast) and was profiled from 1400 onwards as the counterpart of Lutjegast. The village contains a 17th-century church, the so-called Witte Kerkje ('Little White Church'). This church was restored in 1829.[4]

Grootegast was the main village of the former municipality. The name of the village refers to a gast or gaast, a higher, sandy ridge in an otherwise swampy area. Groot is Dutch for 'large'.

Dialect

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The Grootegasters dialect, or Westerkwartiers, is clearly a borderline case. Linguistically, the influences of three provinces are noticeable: the dialect is a variant of Gronings, but in terms of intelligibility it is more like Drents; however, the accent and grammar sound rather Frisian, which can be explained by the fact that almost all of Lutjegast still spoke Frisian 100 years ago. Being a border village of Lutjegast, Frisian influence is still noticeable today in the number of villagers of Frisian origin and the many business and social contacts with Friesland.

Notable people

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021". Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Postcodetool for 9861AC". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  3. ^ "Gemeentelijke indeling op 1 januari 2019". CBS (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  4. ^ Formsma, W.J.; Luitjens-Dijkveld, R.A.; Pathuis, A. (1987). De Ommelander Borgen en Steenhuizen. Round the World Publishing. ISBN 9023223144.
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