Hillegom

Municipality

Hillegom city hall

Flag

Coat of arms

Location in South Holland

Coordinates: 52°17′N 4°35′E / 52.283°N 4.583°ECoordinates: 52°17′N 4°35′E / 52.283°N 4.583°E

Government

• Body

Municipal council

• Mayor

Jan Broekhuis (VVD)

Area

• Total

13.48 km² (5.20 sq mi)

• Land

12.92 km² (4.99 sq mi)

• Water

0.56 km² (0.22 sq mi)

Elevation

1 m (3 ft)

Population (May 2014)

• Total

21,090

• Density

1,632/km² (4,230/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Hillegommer

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

• Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

Postcode

2180–2182

Area code

0252

Website

www.hillegom.nl

Hillegom ( pronunciation ) is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 13.48 km² (5.20 sq mi) of which 0.56 km² (0.22 sq mi) is water. Hillegom is part of an area called the Duin- en Bollenstreek ("Dune and Bulb Region"). As such, a large portion of the local economy was traditionally geared to the cultivation of bulb flowers. It is bordered by the municipalities of Bloemendaal, Bennebroek (to the north), Haarlemmermeer (to the east), Lisse (to the south), and Noordwijkerhout (to the west).

The name Hillegom is derived from the abbey named Hijlighem (Old Frankish for "Holy Home"). This abbey no longer exists. The current Lord of Hillegom is Jan Six X.

Hillegom was formed on the eastern edge of the coastal dunes where the old Leiden to Haarlem route crossed the Hillegommerbeek (Hillegom's Creek), not far from the shores of the Haarlemmermeer (Haarlem's Lake). Places with the suffix "-heim" (or variant spellings) usually developed before the year 1000 and therefore it is assumed that this may apply to Hillegom as well. In 1150 the abbot of Egmond had the rights to naming priests in Hillegom, indicating that a church or chapel existed there. In 1248 the count Willem II gave the Chapel of Hijllinghem and all its buildings to the Abbot of Egmond.

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Wikipedia