title: Bunschoten
text: # Bunschoten
  
  Bunschoten (pronounced (listen)) is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. It lies about 7 km north of Amersfoort. Its territory comprises the original municipality of Bunschoten (created in 1204 by the bishop of Utrecht) and the former municipality of Duyst, De Haar and Zevenhuizen, which was a part of Hoogland from 1854 until 1971.
  
  ## History
  
  Bunschoten was first named in 1294. It was located on the border between Utrecht and Guelders, and it suffered a number of times from invasions from Guelders. In 1383, the bishop of Utrecht gave Bunschoten city rights, which allowed the citizens to build an earthen wall around the town. The fortifications and a part of the town were destroyed at Christmas 1427 in a war between two rival bishops, and were never rebuilt.
  
  ## Population centres
  
  The municipality of Bunschoten consists of the following cities, towns, villages and/or districts:
  
  * Bunschoten
  * Eemdijk
  * Spakenburg
  * Zevenhuizen
  
  ## Notable people
  
  * Bert Groen (born 1945) a Dutch politician, former Mayor of Bunschoten
  * Melis van de Groep (born 1958 in Bunschoten) a Dutch politician, Mayor of Bunschoten since 2006
  * Job Koelewijn (born 1962 in Spakenburg) a Dutch conceptual artist, sculptor, installation artist, performance artist and photographer
  * Gijsbert Van Bismarck (born 1973 in Spakenburg) a retired footballer with over 150 club caps
  * Kevin van Diermen (born 1989 in Spakenburg) a Dutch professional footballer with over 200 club caps
  * Aileen de Graaf (born 1990 in Spakenburg) a Dutch darts player playing in the British Darts Organisation.
  
  ## Gallery
  
  * Old boat wharf of Spakenburg, 2013
  * Rebuild (2009) flourmill De Hoop from 1899 at Bunschoten-Spakenburg
  * Eem river at Eemdijk, looking north.
  * Fishingboat at the Dock in Bunschoten at sunset
  * Alice versus de Koning Peter de Leeuwe Bunschoten-Spakenburg
  