Bussum Explained

Bussum
Settlement Type:Town and former municipality
Flag Size:100x67px
Map Alt:Highlighted position of Bussum in a municipal map of North Holland
Coordinates:52.2833°N 15°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Netherlands
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:North Holland
Subdivision Type2:Municipality
Subdivision Name2:Gooise Meren
Unit Pref:Metric
Elevation Footnotes:[1]
Elevation M:1
Population Total:33,595
Population As Of:2019
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Demonym:Bussumer
Timezone:CET
Utc Offset:+1
Timezone Dst:CEST
Utc Offset Dst:+2
Postal Code Type:Postcode
Postal Code:1400–1406
Area Code Type:Area code
Area Code:035

Bussum (in Dutch; Flemish pronounced as /ˈbʏsʏm/) is a commuter town and former municipality in the Gooi region in the south east of the province of North Holland in the Netherlands near Hilversum. Since 2016, Bussum has been part of the new municipality of Gooise Meren.

Bussum had a population of 33,595 in 2019 and covered an area of NaNBussum}}.

History

For a long time Bussum was a hamlet situated in the heathlands of the Gooi and was first mentioned in 1306. At this time, Bussum was shown on maps as a large heathland with many small farms, sheep pens and forests. Since Bussum was situated near the fortified town of Naarden it was governed by Naarden from 1369. In 1470 Bussum had about 250 inhabitants, which made it the smallest village in the Gooi.

Bussum became independent from Naarden in 1817, yet it was not until the arrival of a railway line in 1874 that Bussum began to flourish. Two train stations were built in the town, that still exist today: Naarden-Bussum and Bussum Zuid (Dutch for Bussum South), both on the connection between Amsterdam and Hilversum. The stations and the road network fostered the town's status as a satellite town of Amsterdam, allowing for reverse commute also to Hilversum. From 1898 until 1907, Bussum housed the first Dutch socialist colony after the example of Thoreau's Walden, set up by the writer and psychiatrist Frederik van Eeden. In 1951, Bussum hosted the first Dutch national TV broadcast and the national TV studios were located there until 1964.

Bussum merged with the local municipalities of Naarden, Muiden and Muiderberg on 1 January 2016. In October 2014, the combined town councils chose the name Gooise Meren for the new municipality, the other options being Naarden-Bussum and Naardingerland.[2]

Local government

The last municipal council of Bussum consisted of 23 seats, which at the 2014 election were divided as follows:[3]

Elections were held in November 2015 for a council for the new merged Gooise Meren municipality that commenced work in January 2016, replacing Bussum council.[4]

Notable residents

Transport

The town of Bussum has two railway stations: Naarden-Bussum and Bussum Zuid.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Postcodetool for 1404EP . nl . . Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland . Het Waterschapshuis . 25 February 2014.
  2. Web site: Gooise Meren wordt de naam van de fusiegemeente Naarden-Muiden-Bussum'. 2014-11-17. nl. https://web.archive.org/web/20141224074532/http://www.bussum.nl/nieuws/artikel/artikel/gooise-meren-wordt-de-naam-van-de-fusiegemeente-naarden-muiden-bussum/#. 2014-12-24. dead.
  3. Web site: 19 March 2014 . Bussum municipal election 2014 . 4 June 2024 . verkiezingsuitslagen.nl. nl.
  4. Web site: 18 November 2015 . Gooise Meren municipal election 2015 . 4 June 2024. verkiezingsuitslagen.nl. nl.