Editing Alphen aan den Rijn (section)

== History ==
[[File:Peutinger Renus Patabus.png|left|200px|thumb|Map showing ''Albanianis'' (in the centre, just above the 'T' of ''Patabus'') in the [[Tabula Peutingeriana]].]] 
The area around Alphen aan den Rijn has been inhabited for 2000 years. In the Roman era, the Oude Rijn was the main branch of the [[Rhine]] River and formed the north border of the [[Roman Empire]]. Since the rule of Emperor [[Claudius]] (41–54 AD), divisions of the Roman army were stationed here. Consequently, several Roman fortifications were located along the Oude Rijn, including castellum ''Albanianae'' in the centre of Alphen. The Romans had also built the first bridge over the Oude Rijn. Alphen was therefore an important commercial site in the area until Germanic raids ended that in 240 AD.

After recurring problems with flooding, especially in Utrecht and Leiden, the Oude Rijn was dammed at [[Wijk bij Duurstede]] in 1122, thereby making the [[Lek River]] the main branch of the Rhine. The Oude Rijn has not flooded since. During the Middle Ages, Alphen was a [[fiefdom]] called Alphen en Rietveld.

[[File:Hefbrug over de Gouwe bij Alphen aan den Rijn.jpg|thumb|200px|left|The [[vertical-lift bridge]] over the Gouwe River was built in the 1930s.]]
In the 17th century, Alphen became prominent again as a hub for commerce. The Oude Rijn was used for boat traffic; there are still portions along the river where the [[towpath]] is present.

The current municipality was formed in 1918 through the amalgamation of the smaller municipalities of [[Alphen (South Holland)|Alphen]], [[Aarlanderveen]], and [[Oudshoorn]]. In 1964, the municipality of Zwammerdam was added as well. In 2014 the municipalities of [[Boskoop]] and [[Rijnwoude]] were amalgamated as well, doubling the land area and increasing the population to over 100,000.

During the Second World War, the majority of Jews from Alphen were deported and subsequently murdered; only a few survived. After the war, the Jewish congregation was disbanded and merged with the one in Leiden. A Jewish cemetery on the Aarkade was founded in 1802, but it was abandoned and razed in the 1960s, with the remains re-interred in [[Katwijk]];<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dichtbij.nl/alphen/regionaal-nieuws/artikel/2205817/over-een-paar-maanden-is-de-begraafplaats-een-stadspark.aspx|title=Over een paar maanden is de begraafplaats een stadspark|date=1 December 2011|work=[[Dichtbij.nl]]|language=nl|access-date=31 January 2014}}</ref> in 2012, after fifteen years of community activism by local historian Anke Bakker and [[Christian Democratic Appeal|CDA]] council member [[Alice Besseling]], a monument was installed and the area turned into a city park.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dichtbij.nl/alphen/uitgaan-en-vrije-tijd/artikel/2427498/joodse-begraafplaats-omgevormd-tot-stadspark.aspx|title=Joodse begraafplaats omgevormd tot stadspark|date=16 September 2012|work=[[Dichtbij.nl]]|language=nl|access-date=31 January 2014}}</ref>

Since the 1950s, the city began to grow rapidly. A large new neighbourhood was built on the north side and Alphen became mostly a [[commuting|commuter]] city. Other urban developments however did create local employment. Since the 1990s, a similar new development was built at the city's south side.

[[File:Adventskerk,_Alphen_aan_den_Rijn_03.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|Monumental clocktower in Alphen aan den Rijn]]
[[File:Alphen_aan_den_Rijn,_theater-cinema_het_Castellum_foto4_2016-05-01_14.10.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|Theater Castellum]]
[[File:Alpen aan den Rijn, fietsenstalling bij het station foto4 2016-05-01 13.51.jpg|Railway and [[bicycle parking station]]|thumb|right|200px]]
In recent years, a large part of the city centre has undergone a full urban renewal. Many buildings from the 1950s and earlier have been demolished to make place for modern architecture. This [[Urban planning|"masterplan"]] included the addition of a new public square next to the riverbank, the construction of a performing arts theatre/[[movie theatre|cinema]], an upgrade of local [[Retailing#Shops and stores|shops]] and the creation of [[pedestrian street]]s. As of 2006, all of these projects on the left riverbank ''Hoge Zijde'' have been finished and a new similar masterplan for the right riverbank ''Lage Zijde'' has been developed and is being executed now.

On 9 April 2011, [[Alphen aan den Rijn shopping mall shooting|a gunman opened fire at a shopping centre]] in Alphen aan den Rijn, killing six people and subsequently taking his own life.<ref>{{cite news|title=Gunman Kills Six in Busy Shopping Centre |url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Netherlands-Shooting-At-Least-Six-People-Killed-In-Shopping-Centre-In-Alphen-Aan-De-Rijn/Article/201104215969271?lpos=World_News_Top_Stories_Header_0&lid=ARTICLE_15969271_Netherlands_Shooting%3A_At_Least_Six_People_Killed_In_Shopping_Centre_In_Alphen_Aan_De_Rijn |access-date=9 April 2011 |publisher=[[Sky News]]|date=9 April 2011 |quote=A 24-year-old gunman has opened fire with a machine gun in a packed shopping centre in the Netherlands, killing six people and then himself. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110412164104/http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Netherlands-Shooting-At-Least-Six-People-Killed-In-Shopping-Centre-In-Alphen-Aan-De-Rijn/Article/201104215969271?lpos=World_News_Top_Stories_Header_0&lid=ARTICLE_15969271_Netherlands_Shooting%3A_At_Least_Six_People_Killed_In_Shopping_Centre_In_Alphen_Aan_De_Rijn |archive-date=12 April 2011 }}</ref>

On 3 August 2015, a newly built bridge flap of the under-renovation Juliana Bridge on the [[Oude Rijn (Utrecht and South Holland)|Oude Rijn]] collapsed. It was being hoisted by two [[crane (machine)|cranes]], different in size, floating on a [[Float (nautical)|pontoon]] that was not stabilized. It became unbalanced shortly after the lifting started, fell and collapsed onto buildings. There were no injuries and fatalities, many inhabitants having already cleared the area. In total 51 properties were damaged.<ref>{{cite news |date=3 August 2015 |title=Netherlands cranes collapse in Alphen aan den Rijn |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33762806 |work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=4 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=4 August 2015 |title=Investigation underway into Alpen a/d Rijn crane crash |url=http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2015/08/investigation-underway-into-alpen-ad-rijn-crane-crash/ |work=[[Dutch News]] |access-date=6 August 2015}}</ref>