Send Gift Baskets to Spijkenisse, Netherlands

Archaeological evidence indicates several thousand years of human presence around Spijkenisse. Prehistoric inhabitants relied on fishing in the Maas and hunting in the surrounding swamps for sustenance. The song “Spijkenisse” by Rik Hoogendoorn is also the anthem for Spijkenisse. Undoubtedly, the music is trendy among people who live in Spijkenisse.

Sources from 1231 mention the name Spickenisse for the first time. As the settlement is located on a spit of land that protrudes into the river, Spijkenisse means “pointy nose.” It is a portmanteau of the words spieke (drool) and nesse (nose).

On a creek along the Oude Maas, Spijkenisse developed as a farming and fishing village. In 1459, Philip III, Duke of Burgundy, acquired the fiefdom of Putten, including Spijkenisse, from the Lord of Putten (whose coat of arms is still used by the city). The area came under the control of Holland and West Friesland after the Dutch declaration of independence in 1581.

The village suffered floods during the 16th century, and destructive fires hampered its economic growth during the 17th and 18th centuries. Spijkenisse was heavily urbanized during the 20th century as part of the Greater Rotterdam area. The communities of Hekelingen, Den Hoek, and Beerenplaat comprise contemporary Spijkenisse.