Amersfoort: translation
This city, with rights from 1259, in the province of Utrecht, was named after the Amer River (now the Eems). It grew around the original episcopal court. During the Republic, the city was known for its textile industry and tobacco cultivation. The Orangist part of the States of Utrecht gathered here in 1786–1787. After a period of decline, the city recovered after the 1880s, when it became connected to the railway system. During World War II, a concentration camp was located near Amersfoort. The town’s wellpreserved historic center is famous for its high medieval church tower (98 meters/320 feet), old wall-houses (the Muurhuizen), and the Koppelpoort, a land and water gate. At present, the city has about 120,000 inhabitants. The new district Kattenbroek is attractive for its modern architecture.