Street name signs: 8 x The story behind Zoetermeerse streets

Frans Halsstraat

The Frans Halsstraat in Zoetermeer can be found in the Dorp district. It is located between Karel Doormanlaan and the first Stationsstraat. Nearby is the Nutricia factory.

This was Frans Hals

One of our most famous painters was Frans Hals. He was born in Antwerp in 1582 or 1583 and died in 1666 in Haarlem. Hals belongs to the Dutch school, just like Rembrandt van Rijn and Johannes Vermeer. According to Artificial windows.com The Dutch school is known for its realism.

Fun fact: Not only the Zoetermeerse street is named after the painter, there was once a train with his name. The EC Frans Hals Reed from Amsterdam to Munich, Germany, between 1987 and 2000.

(Michiel) De Ruyterstraat

You can find the Ruyterstraat in the ‘Schilderswijk’ in Wijk Dorp. The name Michiel de Ruyter is mentioned without a first name on the street sign. Perhaps there were no longer signs available?

This was Michiel de Ruyter

Michiel de Ruyter was an admiral who was born in Vlissingen in 1607. The Michiel de Ruyter Foundation describes him as a ‘genius strategist’ that won seventeen naval battles. During a fight against the French fleet in 1676, he was seriously injured: a cannonball shattered his right leg. De Ruyter got wound rose and that became fatal shortly thereafter.

Fun fact: De Ruyter was also called Bestevaêr. He got that nickname from crew members and means ‘best father’ or ‘best grandfather’. According to the Michiel de Ruyter Foundation, he was apparently seen as a popular manager.

Paulus Potterlaan

The Paulus Potterlaan in the village is one of the smallest streets of Zoetermeer. With a avenue you soon think of a long road with houses. There are only five in the Paulus Potterlaan in Zoetermeer.

This was Paulus Potter

Paulus Potter was a painter who was born in 1625 in Enkhuizen. He died in 1654 in Amsterdam. Those who count quickly see that Potter was only 28 years old. In his short life he made about a hundred paintings.

Fun fact: You can discover a lot of humor in Potter’s paintings. For example, he once made a piece that was meant to hang on a chimney at Noordeinde Palace. It became according to Canon of the Netherlands Rejected because of misplaced jokes, such as a pissing cow.

Aletta Jacobslaan

The Aletta Jacobslaan runs between the Hugo de Grootlaan and Thomas Morelaan in the Oosterheem district. There is a roundabout in the middle and there are no houses along. Drive in the direction of the Heemkanaal, then you reach the shopping center.

The first female doctor in the Netherlands! Aletta Jacobs saw the light of day in 1854 in Sappemeer and died in Baarn in 1929. Jacobs was the first woman in the Netherlands to be officially admitted to the university.

Fun fact: Since 2013, a video with moving image has been known in which Jacobs can be seen. It’s about one Movie of twenty seconds On which Jacobs walks for the Berlin Brandenburger Tor with the American social worker Jane Addams.

Louis Couperushove

The Louis Couperushove is located between the Dateenhove and the Huethove buses in the Buytenwegh district. Nearby are a few primary schools, a gym and a playing field.

This was Louis Couperus

Maybe the famous novels were The Silent Power or Eline Vere On your book list in high school. They were written by Louis Couperus, who was born in 1863 in The Hague and died in De Steeg in 1923. Couperus wrote poetry, novels, fairy tales and travel reports.

Fun fact: There was a real Louis Couperus Museum in The Hague for a long time. It was founded in 1996, but finally closed its doors on January 1, 2024 due to lack of money.

(Maarten) Trompstraat

The Trompstraat is between Molenstraat and Karel Doormanlaan. Just like at Ruyterstraat, here too the municipality has not mentioned the first name of Maarten Tromp. The street is next to a daycare center and neighborhood center Kom.

This was Maarten Tromp

One of the largest sea heroes in the Netherlands? That was according to it Ministry of Defense Lieutenant Admiral Maarten Tromp, who was born in 1598 in Den Briel. He died in 1653 during the Battle of Terheyde near Scheveningen. His biggest victory was that on the Spanish fleet.

Fun fact: a ship of the Royal Navy, the Zr.Ms. Tromp, is named after Maarten and his son. It is an air defense and command regat.

Willem Dreeslaan

The Willem Dreeslaan in Oosterheem is an important access road to the neighborhood. After the Oostweg you enter Oosterheem via Willem Dreeslaan. There is a larger roundabout with the Roads Aletta Jacobslaan and the Hugo de Grootlaan attached to it. There is even a tram stop named after Willem Drees.

This was Willem Drees

Willem Drees was a politician who was born in 1886 in Amsterdam. In 1948 he became Prime Minister and he remained that until 1958. In the 70s he broke with the PvdA out of dissatisfaction about the course of the party. Drees died in 1988 in The Hague at the respectable age of 101 years.

Fun fact: the nickname of Willem Drees is ‘Father Drees’. The site Canon of the Netherlands Explains: “It is a pet name that indicates that this socialist prime minister was not only for his own supporters, but was a father figure for the entire Dutch population.”

(Christiaan) Huygensstraat

The Huygensstraat is located along the Olof Palmelaan in the Oosterheem district. It is a business park with, among other things, the colored office of NBD Biblion and Studio44Tattoos.

This was Christian Huyggens

We owe the pendulum clock to Christiaan Huygens. He was a mathematician, astronomer, inventor and writer who was born in 1629 in The Hague and died there in 1695. Huygens discovered The rings of Saturn and improved the telescope.

Fun fact: On the moon there is a mountain with the name Huygens, named after the astronomer. The mountain has a diameter of 40 kilometers and a height of 4.7 kilometers.