Leek, Netherlands

Leek
De Laik (Gronings)
Town and former municipality
Nienoord castle
Nienoord castle
Flag of Leek
Coat of arms of Leek
Highlighted position of Leek in a municipal map of Groningen
Location in Groningen
Leek is located in Groningen (province)
Leek
Leek
Location in the province of Groningen in the Netherlands
Leek is located in Netherlands
Leek
Leek
Leek (Netherlands)
Coordinates: 53°10′N 6°23′E / 53.167°N 6.383°E / 53.167; 6.383
Country Netherlands
Province Groningen
Municipality Westerkwartier
Merged2019
Area
 • Total6.17 km2 (2.38 sq mi)
Elevation2 m (7 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Total11,175
 • Density1,800/km2 (4,700/sq mi)
DemonymLeekster
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
9350–9351[1]
Area code0594[3]
Duch topographic map of the municipality of Leek, Groningen, as per June 2015

Leek (Dutch: [leːk] ; Gronings: De Laik; West Frisian: De Like) is a village and former municipality in Groningen province in the northeastern Netherlands. The municipality, which bordered the Drenthe and Friesland provinces, was merged into the municipality of Westerkwartier on 1 January 2019.[4]

The village of Leek is approximately 20 km west of Groningen (city) on the A7 (E22) highway.

The village grew around a fortification that was constructed during the Eighty Years' War with Spain. The name 'Leek' was derived from a brook, the "Leke". The town is sometimes also called "De Leek". In Dutch, the people from Leek are called "Leeksters".

Every year around Pentecost there is a fair (Pinkstermarkt), drawing thousands of people from the area.

Near the village is a shallow lake, the Leekstermeer (also known as Zulthermeer), with recreational facilities, but the lake is in another municipality and in another province.

  1. ^ a b c "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021". Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Postcodetool for 9351BJ". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  3. ^ "Postcode 9351 in Leek". Postcode bij adres (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Gemeentelijke indeling op 1 januari 2019". CBS (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 November 2019.