Winterswijk

Winterswijk is located in the most easterly corner of Gelderland's Achterhoek, nestling in a blanket of green, and surrounded by urban conglomerations on both sides of the Dutch-German border. The municipality offers attractive housing and a pleasant living climate, as well as considerable potential for the establishment of business locations.

It is also in the middle of a recreational area popular amongst tourists and holiday makers, thanks to the peace, space and natural splendor of the region.

The past

As far as it can be determined, there was a village on the site of Winterswijk today, at least 1000 years ago. The oldest document which refers to the founding of Winterswijk as an independent parish is a list of the income of the Saint Mauritsstift in Münster, Germany.

Over the centuries, Winterswijk has developed as a mainly agricultural community. This development continued until around the turn of the last century, when even Winterswijk was not left entirely unaffected by the lndustrial Revolution. For decades thereafter, a large proportion of the population was employed in the numerous textile works in the town; however in the late 1970s, following the rapid and irreversible decline of the textile industry, the last of the big textile works in Winterswijk closed their doors.


The present

In terms of surface area, Winterswijk, which encompasses 13,800 hectares, is one of the largest municipalities in the Netherlands. According to the latest census, the current population is approximately 29,000 of whom some 23,000 live in the town itself.  Today, Winterswijk serves as the central municipality for the region. As such, it is home to a range of regional facilities including the Queen Beatrix Regional Hospital, the Regional Theatre, and a number of educational institutions.


Employment and business

There are many interesting opportunities for business establishment, including the industrial estate with attractive land prices. Within a 75 km radius, which covers both the Netherlands and Germany, there is access to a densely-populated consumer market. Other factors favoring the establishment of businesses in the municipality include the availability of a highly-trained, well-motivated work force, and the attractive housing and living climate.


Transport connections to and from Winterswijk

Winterswijk is well-connected, with good roads to the West of the Netherlands and Germany. There are train connections to Arnhem
The airports of Twente and Düsseldorf are also situated relatively nearby.




Shopping and nightlife

 
When it comes to shopping and nightlife, Winterswijk can offer a huge diversity of shops, restaurants and cafés. Every Wednesday morning and Saturday, a large produce market is held at the market square in the centre of town. People from all over the Eastern Achterhoek and neighboring Germany come to Winterswijk to enjoy the shopping and use the town's recreational facilities.


Recreation

The peace and natural beauty of the broad Winterswijk landscape have long attracted many tourists from home and abroad. There are numerous campsites, hotels, guest houses and farm campsites. There is also plenty of opportunity for recreation, including a lake for swimming, boating and surfboarding, golf courses, public swimming pools, and tennis facilities.

Mondriaan