Achtkarspelen () is a municipality in the province of Friesland in the Northern Netherlands. In 2021, it had a population of 27,900.
History The name Achtkarspelen, literally meaning "eight parishes", is derived from the original eight parishes within the grietenij, namely: Augustinusga, Buitenpost (the capital), Drogeham, De Kooten, Kortwoude, Lutkepost, Surhuizum and Twijzel. Achtkarspelen held a separate status within Friesland for many years. In the Middle Ages Achtkarspelen fell under the Bishopric of Münster, meanwhile the rest of Friesland was a part of the Bishopric of Utrecht.
The grietenij Achtkarspelen became a municipality in 1851 as a result of the Municipality Act of Minister of the Interior Johan Rudolph Thorbecke.
Population centres
The administrative centre in the municipality is Buitenpost. Dutch name West Frisian name Population Augustinusga Stynsgea 1332 Boelenslaan Boelensloane 1145 Buitenpost Bûtenpost 5785 Drogeham Droegeham 1751 Gerkesklooster-Stroobos Gerkeskleaster-Strobos 1140 Harkema De Harkema 4235 Kootstertille Koatstertille 2595 Surhuisterveen Surhústerfean 5810 Surhuizum Surhuzum 1371 Twijzel Twizel 1093 Twijzelerheide Twizelerheide 1889
Notable people Derk Holman (1916 in Buitenpost – 1982 in Groningen) sculptor and ceramist Louw de Graaf (1930 in Kootstertille – 2020) politician and trade union leader. Gerriet Postma (1932 in Twijzelerheide – 2009) painter Johannes Lützen Bouma (1934 in Twijzelerheide – 2025) economist and academic David Porcelijn (born 1947 in Achtkarspelen) composer and conductor Joop Atsma (born 1956 in Surhuisterveen) politician and sport administrator. Meindert Talma (born 1968 in Surhuisterveen) lo-fi singer and keyboardist Oedo Kuipers (born 1989 in Stroobos) singer and actor in musical theatre
Gallery
References
External links