Grootegast (gemeente)

Geschiedenis

Grootegast is a municipality and a village in the northeastern Netherlands. It is the sister city of Kingston, Tasmania.GeographyThe municipality contains the population centres: Doezum, Enumatil, Faan, Grootegast, Kornhorn, Lutjegast, Niekerk, Oldekerk, Opende, Sebaldeburen. In some of these villages they still speak the West Frisian language.The village of GrootegastGrootegast is the main village of the municipality. The name of the village refers to a 'gast' or 'gaast', a higher, sandy ridge in an otherwise swampy area. Groot is Dutch for 'large'.Grootegast is the birthplace of the theologian Cornelius Van Til.LutjegastLutjegast is a village in the municipality of Grootegast. In the Groningen dialect of Low German 'Lutje' means small or little.Lutjegast was the birthplace of the explorer Abel Tasman. Although the house of his birth no longer exists, he is memorialised with a monument, plaque and street name.