Olst

History

The village was first mentioned in 947 Holsto. The etymology is unknown. Olst is an esdorp which developed along the IJssel river. In 1308, the dike along the river was built, and Olst became a stopover for the ships from Zwolle to Deventer. The lower part of the tower of the Dutch Reformed church dates from around 1200. The tower was enlarged in 1336. The church was extensively modified between 1493 and 1494. In 1866, a railway station was opened on the Arnhem–Leeuwarden railway. The railway line stimulated the industrialisation of Olst. Until 2002, Olst was the seat of the municipality of the same name. The municipality was merged with that of Wijhe in 2001, keeping the name of the largest constituent part (Olst), until it was renamed Olst-Wijhe a year later.