Doesburg

History

Doesburg received city rights in 1237, one year later than the neighbouring town of Doetinchem. Because of its strategic position along the Oude IJssel and Gelderse IJssel, Doesburg has been an important fortified city for a long time. Its fortification made Doesburg an important economic and administrative city. The Martinikerk, the main church in Doesburg, is 94 meters tall. For many reasons, including the IJssel's decreasing depth, the prosperity of Doesburg stagnated after the 15th century. Due to its position near the Ijssel Doesburg became the location of military conflicts, it was captured by Willem IV van den Bergh and besieged 100 years later by the French. Doesburg became a quiet provincial town, and remained so until after the second world war. The city was protected in 1974, designated as a historic town. As Doesburg was officially a fortified city up to 1923, it could not be expanded. After the second world war the city grew rapidly. In the 1950s, a suburb called Molenveld () was built on the Eastern side of the city. In the 1970s and 1980s a suburb called Beinum was built to the south of the Oude IJssel, and Campstede was subsequently built to the south of Beinum. At the beginning of the 21st century the construction of a new area at the IJsselkade was started with 44 houses and 124 apartments designed by the Italian architect Adolfo Natalini. In 2007, construction of a hotel called "Noabers" was started. After a few months it was insolvent, but was taken over and reopened a year later.