Heiloo

Geschiedenis

Heiloo is a municipality and town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The community is part of the cooperation region Kennemerland and is located in the historical region of West Friesland. Heiloo had a population of in.Origins of the nameHeiloo was given its name because Saint Willibrord was said to have performed a miracle there around 690 and created a church on a small hill.Notable attractionsIt has a town hall dating from 1926 and a church from the 12th century known as the Witte Kerk. In the late Middle Ages, after a miracle, a Marian shrine came into being for Our Lady to Need (Onze Lieve Vrouwe ter Nood). The chapel was destroyed during the Reformation, however the pilgrimage started to flourish again when in the seventeenth century a source with miraculous water started to sprout. The Marian sanctuary, situated outside the village in a so called procession park, is one of the major pilgrimage destinations in the Netherlands, attracting pilgrims mainly from the diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam. In the 1950s and 1960s the population grew quickly as many residents of Amsterdam moved to the area. Many residents work and attend school in the neighbouring city of Alkmaar.Sporting Clubs FCC Boscrossers - The local BMX club that has produced 5 World Champions, 4 European Champions and many National Champions, the current 17-24 year old Double World Champion for 20" and Cruiser Class is Robin Van Der Kolk, who won both titles in Auckland New Zealand AV Trias - The local athletics club that has produced 2 Olympic athletes, Lisanne de Witte and Laura de Witte.