Velsen () is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is located on both sides of the North Sea Canal.
On the north side of the North Sea Canal there is a major steel plant, Tata Steel IJmuiden, formerly known as Koninklijke Hoogovens (the town of IJmuiden is actually located south of the canal). The headquarters of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij is located in IJmuiden.
The Kennemerstrand beach on the south side of the canal is at the end of the Kennemerboulevard, which runs south of the Seaport Marina.
To the south is the beach of Bloemendaal aan Zee. In between is a nude beach.
Population centres
The municipality of Velsen consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts: on the north of the North Sea Canal: Velsen-Noord on the south of the North Sea Canal: Velsen-Zuid, Driehuis, IJmuiden, Santpoort-Noord, Santpoort-Zuid and Velserbroek, and the parts Oosterbroek and Buitenhuizen of the recreation area Spaarnwoude.
Dutch topographic map of the municipality of Velsen, June 2015
Transport
In Velsen, there are the following connections across the North Sea Canal: A railway tunnel between the railway stations of Driehuis and Beverwijk. Road tunnels, from north to south: Wijker Tunnel Velser Tunnel next to the railway tunnel. A ferry A road across the lock complex Railway stations: Driehuis, Santpoort Noord, Santpoort Zuid
Also there used to be the Fast Flying Ferry to Amsterdam. There used to be a railway link between IJmuiden and Amsterdam, the IJmondlijn until 1999, when it was closed.
Local government
The municipal council of Velsen consists of 33 seats, which are divided now (2022) as follows: VL - 7 seats D66V - 6 seats VVD - 4 seats GL - 3 seats PvdA - 3 seats LGV - 3 seats CDA - 2 seats Forza! IJmond - 2 seats Forum for Democracy - 2 seats CU - 1 seat
History
The ruins of a Roman naval base at Velsen discovered starting in 1945 are believed to be ancient Flevum, which is listed as Phleoum, Romanized to Phleum, in Ptolemy (2.10).
Twin towns
Velsen is twinned with
Notable people
Saint Engelmund of Velsen (died ca.739) an English-born missionary to Frisia
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Colclough Watson VC (1867 in Velsen – 1917) a recipient of the Victoria Cross Jan van der Hoeve (1878 in Santpoort – 1952) a Dutch ophthalmologist who described Waardenburg syndrome in 1916 Karel Niessen (1895 in Velsen – 1967) a theoretical physicist, studied quantum mechanics Joop Doderer (1921 in Velsen – 2005) a Dutch actor who played Swiebertje Annie Palmen (1926 in IJmuiden – 2000) a singer, participated in the 1963 Eurovision Song Contest Hans de Boer (born 1937 in Velsen) a retired Dutch politician and former minister Cornelis Vreeswijk (1937 in IJmuiden – 1987) a Swedish singer-songwriter, poet and actor Pim Fortuyn (1948 in Driehuis – 2002) a controversial politician who was assassinated Jan Luiten van Zanden (born 1955 in IJmuiden) a Dutch economic historian and academic Peter Klashorst (born 1957 in Santpoort) a Dutch painter, sculptor and photographer Hans van de Ven (born 1958 in Velsen) an academic authority on the recent history of China Bernard Berkhout (born 1961 in Santpoort) a family doctor and a jazz clarinetist Franc Weerwind (born 1964) a Dutch politician, Mayor of Velsen 2009 to 2015 Cees Krijnen (born 1969 in Velsen) a Dutch artist and a theatre actor Marie-José van der Kolk (born 1974 in IJmuiden), stage name Loona, a singer, songwriter and dancer Lenneke Ruiten (born 1984 in Velsen) a Dutch soprano