Editing Middelharnis (section)

== History ==
The village was first mentioned in 1466 as "die Middelharnisse". The etymology is disputed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://etymologiebank.nl/trefwoord/middelharnis |title=Middelharnis - (geografische naam) |website=Etymologiebank |access-date=3 May 2022 |language=nl}}</ref> Middelharnis developed after a dike was built around the Oudeland ''polder'' in 1465. In 1598, a fish auction was built in Middelharnis and it developed into a regional centre.<ref name="monument">{{cite news|url=https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/sten009monu10_01/sten009monu10_01_0097.php |title=Middelharnis |author=Ronald Stenvert & Sabine Broekhoven |publisher=Waanders |location=Zwolle |year=2004 |isbn=90 400 9034 3 |language=nl |access-date=3 May 2022}}</ref>

The Dutch Reformed church is a double aisled cruciform church from the 15th century. The tower was built in stages from {{circa}} 1475 until {{circa}} 1520. The church was devastated by fire in 1904 and later restored.<ref name="monument"/>

The former town hall is a prominently situated [[neoclassical architecture|neoclassic]] building with ridge turret built between 1639 and 1640. It was designed by {{ill|Arent van 's-Gravesande|nl}}. It was extended between 1834 and 1839. The town hall is in use as the [[Rien Poortvliet]] since 1992.<ref name="monument"/>

Middelharnis was home to 3,104 people in 1840 and was home to 7,755 people in 2022. It merged with [[Sommelsdijk]] into a single urban area. It was an independent municipality until 2013 when it merged into [[Goeree-Overflakkee]]. The town hall of the new municipality is located in Middelharnis.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.plaatsengids.nl/middelharnis |title=Middelharnis |website=Plaatsengids |access-date=3 May 2022 |language=nl}}</ref>

Middelharnis has a shopping area called ''D'n Diek''. This shopping center settled itself on a dike which used to be the last barrier for the town from the [[Haringvliet]]. The town hosts two public and one Christian high school. Middelharnis has an inland harbor with connection to the Haringvliet. There is also a small beach which can get very crowded in the summertime. In Middelharnis the old main street has the old municipality building.