Deventer
Province	Overijssel
Area - Land - Water	107.92 km² 105.08 km² 2.84 km²
Population (2004) - Density	89.142 848/km²

Deventer is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel on the east bank of the IJssel river.

Population centres

• Deventer
• Colmschate
• Diepenveen
• Lettele
• Okkenbroek
• Schalkhaar

The city of Deventer

Deventer was probably founded by the English missionary Lebuinus around 768, who built a wooden church on the border of the IJssel. This was not the first human settlement at the location: in Roman age there probably was a stronghold called Daventria in place.

Deventer received city rights in 956. From this date fortifications were built around the city for defense. Between 1000 and 1500, Deventer grew to be a flourishing trade city because of its harbour on the river IJssel, which was reachable for large ships. The city was a member of the Hanseatic League.

Deventer is the birthplace of Geert Groote and home to his Brethren of the Common Life, a school of religious thought that was of great influence on Thomas a Kempis and Erasmus in later times.

External link

Official website

Province Overijssel
Almelo | Bathmen | Borne | Dalfsen | Deventer | Dinkelland | Enschede | Haaksbergen | Hardenberg | Hellendoorn | Hengelo | Hof van Twente | Kampen | Losser | Oldenzaal | Olst-Wijhe | Ommen | Raalte | Rijssen-Holten | Staphorst | Steenwijkerland | Tubbergen | Twenterand | Wierden | Zwartewaterland | Zwolle