Leusden

{{For|the Dutch Calvinist and orientalist|Johann Leusden}} {{Infobox settlement   | name = Leusden | settlement_type = Municipality  | image_skyline = {{multiple image | total_width = 280 | border = infobox | perrow = 2/2/2 | caption_align = center | image1 = Woontoren Leusden t-Zicht.JPG | alt1 = Highrise building | caption1 = Highrise building | image2 = Park Wildenburg in Leusden.JPG | alt2 = Park Wildenburg | caption2 = Park Wildenburg | image3 = Leusden Stad.JPG | alt3 = St. Jozefkerk | caption3 = St. Jozefkerk | image4 = Kooikersgracht Centrum.JPG | alt4 = Kooikersgracht | caption4 = Kooikersgracht | image5 = Woontoren t-Zicht IIIII.JPG | alt5 = Residential tower | caption5 = Residential tower | image6 = Leusden-Stad Biezenkamp.jpg | alt6 = Biezenkamp | caption6 = Biezenkamp }} | image_flag = Flag of Leusden.svg | flag_size = 100x67px | flag_alt = | image_shield = Wapen van Leusden 001.svg | shield_size = 100x80px | shield_alt =  | image_map = Map - NL - Municipality code 0327 (2009).svg | map_alt = Highlighted position of Leusden in a municipal map of Utrecht | map_caption = Location in Utrecht | coordinates = {{coord|52|8|N|5|26|E|region:NL|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Netherlands | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Utrecht | government_footnotes = <ref name="mayor_now">{{cite web |url = http://www.leusden.nl/169/burgemeester-vermeulen/ |title = Burgemeester Vermeulen |trans-title = Mayor Vermeulen |language = Dutch |publisher = Gemeente Leusden |accessdate = 4 April 2014 |url-status = dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110613115359/http://www.leusden.nl/169/burgemeester-vermeulen/ |archivedate = 13 June 2011 }}</ref> | governing_body = Municipal council | leader_party = D66 | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Gerolf Bouwmeester  | unit_pref = Metric   | area_footnotes = <ref>{{Dutch municipality total area|dataref}}</ref>  | area_total_km2 = {{Dutch municipality total area|Leusden}} | area_land_km2 = {{Dutch municipality land area|Leusden}} | area_water_km2 = {{Dutch municipality water area|Leusden}} | elevation_footnotes = <ref name="AHN">{{cite web |url=http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool |title=Postcodetool for 3831NA |language=Dutch |work=Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland |publisher=Het Waterschapshuis |accessdate=4 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053543/http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool |archivedate=21 September 2013 }}</ref> | elevation_m = 3 | elevation_max_footnotes =  | elevation_max_m = | elevation_min_footnotes =  | elevation_min_m =  | population_footnotes = <ref>{{Dutch municipality population|dataref}}</ref> | population_total = {{Dutch municipality population|Leusden}} | population_as_of = {{MONTHNAME|{{Dutch municipality population|popbasemonth}}}} {{Dutch municipality population|popbaseyear}} | population_density_km2 = {{Dutch municipality population density|Leusden}}  | population_demonym = Leusdenaar  | timezone = CET | utc_offset = +1 | timezone_DST = CEST | utc_offset_DST = +2 | postal_code_type = Postcode | postal_code = 3830–3835 | area_code_type = Area code | area_code = 033 | website = {{URL|1=http://www.leusden.nl}} | footnotes = }} 275px|thumb|''Dutch Topographic map of Leusden, June 2015'' '''Leusden''' ({{IPA|nl|ˈløːzdə(n)|-|Nl-Leusden.ogg}}) is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. It is located about 3 kilometres southeast of Amersfoort.

The western part of the municipality lies on the slopes of the Utrecht Hill Ridge and is largely covered by forest and heathlands. The eastern parts lie in the {{interlanguage link multi|Gelderse Valley|fy|Gelderske Fallei|li|Gelderse Vallei|nds-nl|Gelderse Vallei|nl|Gelderse Vallei|zea|Gelderse Vallei}} and are mostly agricultural.

Former Amersfoort concentration camp lies just within the northern municipal border with Amersfoort.

== Population centres == thumb|left|Map of the municipality, with towns and villages. The municipality of Leusden contains four villages:

* Leusden, originally named "Hamersveld" and later "Leusden-Centrum"; * Leusden-Zuid, formerly "Leusbroek" * Achterveld * Stoutenburg

There are also a number of hamlets in the municipality:<ref>ANWB, "Topografische atlas Nederland 1:50000", 2005. Cartography by the Topografische Dienst, Emmen.</ref> {{columns-list|colwidth=12em| * Asschat * Den Treek * De Ruif * Jannendorp * Musschendorp * Oud-Leusden * Snorrenhoef }}

== The town of Leusden == The place that is now called Leusden was first mentioned as ''Villa Lisiduna'' in a charter in 777. The exact location of that settlement, which is considered to have been a rather extensive farm complex with defenses, is unknown to us. It is possible that the old village of Oud-Leusden once was the location of Villa Lisiduna but excavations in the 1980s have not provided any evidence. However, the church tower of Oud-Leusden is one of the oldest towers in the Netherlands, dating back at least to the 11th century A.D. Close to Leusden is the site of the former monastery Heiligenberg, founded around the year 1000 by bishop Ansfridus of Utrecht, who died here in 1010.

In the 1970s, the agricultural villages of Leusbroek and Hamersveld grew together into a larger, mainly residential town. What once was Hamersveld is now called Leusden-Centrum, now commonly Leusden, and Leusbroek was to become Leusden-Zuid. In the original plans, Leusden was to grow into a town of around 46,000 inhabitants. After the initial expansion there was a growing resistance from the population, so some of the later phases of expansion have been abandoned.

== History ==

During the Pentecost weekend of 1924, the municipality housed the first ever Pinksterlanddagen also known as "Landdag voor anarchistische jongeren" (Land-day for anarchist youth). It was held on a terrain on the 'dode weg' owned by the municipality of Amersfoort.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://resources.huygens.knaw.nl/watermarker//pdf/cid/0300-0399/315.pdf |publisher=Dutch state |access-date=9 September 2024}}</ref>

== Shopping areas == In Leusden there are 3 main shopping areas:

1) "De Hamershof", located in the center near the town hall, with almost 90 stores. The oldest part opened in 1980 together with the Town Hall. It was renovated in 2018<ref>{{cite web |title=Laatste hand gelegd aan Hamershof |url=https://www.leusderkrant.nl/lokaal/nieuwbouw/345126/laatste-hand-gelegd-aan-hamershof-706093 |website=Leusder Krant |date=4 June 2020 |access-date=2 October 2024}}</ref>

2) "De Biezenkamp", north of Hamershof, with around 20 shops. The biggest market of the town takes place here every Tuesday. Modernization took place in 2016 and onwards, including new apartments that were built in the area.<ref>{{cite web |title=Start renovatie winkelcentrum De Biezenkamp|url=https://www.rtvutrecht.nl/nieuws/1461821/start-renovatie-winkelcentrum-de-biezenkamp |website=RTV Utrecht |date=April 2016 |access-date=2 October 2024}}</ref>

3) "De Zuidhoek" opened in 2012 in Leusden-Zuid, to accommodate the people living in the new neighborhood "de Tabaksteeg"<ref>{{cite web |title=Altera verwerft winkelcentrum in Leusden |url=https://propertynl.com/Nieuws/Altera-verwerft-winkelcentrum-in-Leusden/d759ed7e-3a33-4ac5-9822-3f6305f6dc73 |website=PropertyNL |access-date=2 October 2024}}</ref>

In October 2025 began construction at the military training area in Leusderheide of a building that will house Technologie Centrum Land (TCL).<ref name="KdV332026">{{cite web |author=Kirsten de Vries |date=3 March 2026 |title=(Nog) geen gebouw, wel volop bedrijvigheid |url=https://www.defensiedichtbij.nl/magazines/landmacht/2026/editie-2/03_modern-technologie-centrum-land-in-aanbouw |website=Landmacht |publisher=Defensie Dichtbij |language=Dutch}}</ref> The building will have a floor area of 60,000 square meters and replace the old tank workshop that was used the last few years to perform maintenance of ground-based vehicles of the Royal Netherlands Army.<ref name="KdV332026" />

== Notable residents == 120px|thumb|Gerrit Achterberg, 1936 * Gerrit Achterberg (1905-1962 in Leusden) a poet * Arleen Auger (1939-1993 in Leusden) an American soprano * Robby Valentine (born 1968 in Leusden) singer and multi-instrumentalist * Marieke Wijsman (born 1975 in Leusden) former speed-skater, competed at the 1988 and 2002 Winter Olympics * Marike Jager (born 1979) a Dutch singer-songwriter, guitarist and TV presenter, grew up in Leusden * Haike van Stralen (born 1983 in Leusden) a Dutch former freestyle swimmer, who competed at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics

== Image gallery == <gallery mode=packed> File:Leusden-Stad Biezenkamp.jpg|Newer part of the city, near a shopping centre File:Oude villa Leusden.jpg|Old villa in the center File:Leusden, Netherlands - panoramio (4).jpg|Leusden, panoramio File:Stad van Leusden.JPG|Shopping centre, Biezenkamp File:Park Wildenburg in Leusden.JPG|Park Wildenburg in Leusden File:Stadswoningen Leusden.JPG|Row of new houses in the centre of Leusden File:Ganoderma applanatum - Leusderheide, Utrecht, NL 2019 13.jpg|Paddestoelen op de Leusderheide 2019 </gallery>

== References == {{Reflist|30em}}

== External links == *{{commons category-inline}} * [http://www.leusden.nl/ Official website]

{{Geographic location | Centre = Leusden | North = Amersfoort | East = Barneveld (GE) | South = Woudenberg | West = Zeist }} {{Dutch municipality Leusden}} {{Utrecht Province}}

Category:Leusden Category:Municipalities of Utrecht (province) Category:Populated places in Utrecht (province) Category:Planned communities established in the 1970s