Soest, Netherlands

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Soest

---

mapsize = 280px
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Netherlands
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = Utrecht
area_footnotes = (2006)
area_total_km2 = 46.45
area_land_km2 = 46.26
area_water_km2 = 0.19
population_as_of = 1 January, 2007
population_note = Source: CBS, [http://statline.cbs.nl/ Statline] .
settlement_type = Municipality
population_total = 45346
population_density_km2 = 980
timezone = CET
utc_offset = +1
timezone_DST = CEST
utc_offset_DST = +2
latd = 52
latm = 11
latNS = N
longd = 5
longm = 18
longEW = E

Soest is a municipality and a town in the central Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. It is located about 6 km west of Amersfoort.

Population centres

* Soest
*Soestduinen
*Soestdijk
*Soesterberg

The town of Soest

The oldest documents mentioning Soest (then written as "Zoys") date from 1029. Its oldest church (the "Oude Kerk", meaning "Old Church"), which is still in use today, dates from the 15th century.Traces of earlier habitation are found though. The area of "Hees", now at the outskirts of Soest may date in to the Early Middle Ages, and prehistoric burial mounds in the Soesterduinen point to early habitation in this area.

Medieval agricultural activity is still visible as there is much farmland within Soest. The biggest area is in the center of the town, on a hill, and are called 'de Engh'. A small street is 'het Kerkpad'. The Soesterduinen, in the South, sanddunes, are worth visiting.

Upon visiting Soest, numerous churches depict the Calvinist/Catholic tradition of the region. Christengemeente Soest, Wilhelmina church Soest, Gereformeerde Kerk Vrijgemaakt, Emmakerk and the Evangelical Church Soest are the main churches within the town of Soest.

Currently some 50,000 inhabitants live in Soest, consisting mainly of commuters.

Transport

Soest has 3 railway stations:

*Soestdijk
*Soest
*Soest Zuid

Soest can be reached by train (every half hour) from Utrecht (xx:05 and xx:35) and Baarn (xx:23 and xx:53); all trains stop at the three stations. The station of
Soestduinen situated on the railroad between Utrecht and Amersfoort was closed in 1998, after being in use for 135 years.

The stations that are possible to be reached directly from Soest are:
*Baarn
*Den Dolder
*Bilthoven
*Utrecht Overvecht
*Utrecht Centraal

Soest has a number of bus stops and three bus lines, all of which leave from the bus station at Soest Zuid exactly at the half hour. Line 1 and 2 are local buses that do not leave Soest. Line 70, however, travels both directions to Amersfoort and Hilversum. Recently, this line includes Leusden.

ister cities

*flagicon|Germany Soest, Germany, since June 3, 2004 [cite web | author =Stedenbanden | title = Stedenband Soest| work = Gemeente Soest |date = 2006-06-06| url = http://www.stedenbanden.nl/detail_city.phtml?know_id=528| accessdate = 2008-04-28]

External links

* [http://www.soest.nl Official Website] (in Dutch)
* [http://www.compris.nl/soest/index.html Welcome in Soest] (in Dutch)
* [http://www.plattegronden.nl/soest/ Map]
* [http://www.nicospilt.com/soest.htm History of transportation in Soest] by Nico Spilt.
* [http://www.christengemeentesoest.nl/ Christengemeente Soest]
* [http://www.wksoest.nl/ Wilhelmina church Soest]
* [http://www.gkv.nl/main.asp?intTreeviewID=218&strItemDescription=organisatie&intItemID=10132012 Gereformeerde Kerk Vrijgemaakt]

References