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Hilversum

Hilversum
Municipality
Raadhuis (town hall) Hilversum
Raadhuis (town hall) Hilversum
Flag of Hilversum
Flag
Coat of arms of Hilversum
Coat of arms
Highlighted position of Hilversum in a municipal map of North Holland
Location in North Holland
Coordinates: 52°14′N 5°10′E / 52.233°N 5.167°E / 52.233; 5.167Coordinates: 52°14′N 5°10′E / 52.233°N 5.167°E / 52.233; 5.167
Country Netherlands
Province North Holland
Government
 • Body Municipal council
 • Mayor Pieter Broertjes (PvdA)
 • Aldermen
Area
 • Total 46.35 km2 (17.90 sq mi)
 • Land 45.62 km2 (17.61 sq mi)
 • Water 0.73 km2 (0.28 sq mi)
Elevation 15 m (49 ft)
Population (May 2014)
 • Total 86,795
 • Density 1,903/km2 (4,930/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Hilversummer
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postcode 1200–1223
Area code 035
Website www.hilversum.nl

Hilversum (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɦɪlvərsɵm]) is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Located in the region called "Het Gooi", it is the largest town in that area. It is surrounded by heathland, woods, meadows, lakes, and smaller towns. Hilversum is part of the Randstad, one of the largest conurbations in Europe.

Hilversum is 31 km (19 mi) south-east of Amsterdam and 19 km (12 mi) north of Utrecht.

The town is often called "media city" since it is the principal centre for radio and television broadcasting in The Netherlands. Radio Netherlands, heard worldwide via shortwave radio since the 1920s, is also based here. Hilversum is home to an extensive complex of audio and television studios belonging to the national broadcast production company NOS (Nederlandse Omroep Stichting), as well as to the studios and offices of all the Dutch public broadcasting organisations and many commercial TV production companies. As a result, many old AM radio sets in Europe had a Hilversum dial position marked on their tuning scales (along with Athlone, Kalundborg and others). The Dutch voting in the Eurovision Song Contest usually takes place from Hilversum.

Hilversum is also known for its architecturally important Town Hall (Raadhuis Hilversum), designed by Willem Marinus Dudok and built in 1931.


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