Haarlem, capital of the province of Noord-Holland, lies between Amsterdam and the North Sea, 7km/4.5mi from the coast, on the little river Spaarne (which gives the town its popular name of "Spaarnestad"). This very typical Dutch town, part of "Randstad Holland", now forms a continuous built-up area with the adjoining towns
of Heemstede, Bloemendaal and Zandvoort. Haarlem is the cultural center of southern Kennemerland, with several research institutes, educational establishments and libraries, and is the see of a Roman Catholic bishop. It is also a considerable industrial town, with shipyards, railroad workshops, printing works, engineering and coach-building plants and foodstuffs industries.
The town has a long history. It first appears in the records in the 10th century under the name of Harulahem (i.e. a homestead on a narrow channel in the sand). Its situation between bogland and rivers at the narrowest point in the province of Holland made it a place of strategic importance. From the 11th to the 13th century Haarlem was the seat of the Counts of Holland, from whom it received its municipal charter in 1245: it is thus the second oldest town (after Dordrecht) in the Dutch heartland. During the fight for independence the town was recaptured by the Spaniards, after a heroic resistance, in July 1573, whereupon the commander and the entire garrison, the Protestant clergy and 2,000 citizens were executed. In the 17th century Haarlem was the scene of great artistic activity and the residence of many painters, including Frans Hals, Jacob van Ruisdael, Philips Wouverman and Adriaen van Ostade. The city architect Lieven de Key (C. 1560-1627) founded a school of building in the town, and Haarlem's public buildings and the numerous gabled houses in the old town bear witness to its achievements.
There is also a lively market in Haarlem every Monday and Saturday.
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