Foto: The lighthouse of Urk (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Netherlands - Urk has existed for more than 1000 years and was an island until 1939. That year, the dike from Lemmer to Urk was completed. In 1942, the Noordoostpolder was drained, and Urk definitively ceased to be an island. Since then, Urk has been a unique municipality with its own distinct culture and history, standing apart from the new, planner-designed municipalities in the polder. Especially when seen from the water, Urk offers a magnificent view. During a boat trip, this is clearly visible: the hill rising from the former Zuiderzee, with the contours of the low-lying polder behind it. The written history of Urk goes back to 966. That year, the island was first mentioned in official documents. Soil research of the Zuiderzee and historical data indicate that the water near Urk must have been fresh at that time. Urk is mentioned in 966 in charters as "an island in the Almare" and belonged to the Salland district. These charters state that Emperor Otto the Great gave one half of Urk to the Pantaleon Monastery in Cologne and the other half to the St. Vitus Abbey in Hoog-Elten. The island was about 80 hectares in size and consisted of a high boulder clay mound, the hill, and a meadow. On the 12-hectare hill were houses, churches, the lighthouse, and other buildings. The low-lying meadow regularly flooded before the polder was drained; now this area is also built-up. There is no definitive explanation for the island’s name. Linguistically, Urk is related to “Ork,” which among other meanings stands for: unruly, stubborn, unyielding. These concepts figuratively suit a height rising out of the water, like a rock. Thus, the meaning "height," often suggested, seems a good guess. Additionally, as an island, Urk was undoubtedly always a refuge. The mentioned meanings of "ork" can also characterize some waters, which may explain various "ork"-like river names. (source: Municipality of Urk)
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