Havik Amersfoort

by Jeroen de Jongh Photography

Amersfoort is a city and municipality in the east of the Dutch province of Utrecht in the middle of the country. The municipality has 156,286 inhabitants who are called Amersfoorters. In terms of population it is the second largest city in the province of Utrecht and the fifteenth largest in the Netherlands.

Amersfoort is a growth city and fulfils a regional economic function with a strongly growing business community, has one of the largest railway junctions in the Netherlands and is an important garrison city. The inner city has a medieval character with canals.

The street name 'Havik' is traditionally explained as a 'harbour district': the area around the medieval port of Amersfoort. The oldest mention is of 1390 (while already in 1351 a certain Jacob van Havik is mentioned). On the map of Blaeu van Amersfoort (circa 1645) the place is indicated as: 'Op Havick'. Another explanation for the name could be: vik= bend and (h)a= water, so: curved watercourse.