Enschede

Enschede is a city and municipality in Twente and a lovely place to stay. According to the most common explanation, the name goes back to 'An die Schede': the Old Saxon scethia meant 'separation' or 'border' which in this case probably referred to a swampy border area.

Enschede was founded as an agricultural settlement in the early Middle Ages. When Enschede received city rights in 1325, the bishop of Utrecht also granted the right to strengthen the settlement. Before 1325, however, Enschede was already surrounded by a moat, the so-called Stadsgraven. The city remained relatively insignificant until the eighteenth century, when the textile industry was developing. After the independence of Belgium in 1830, the textile industry in Twente was strongly stimulated by the government. The third city fire of 1862, in which almost the whole city was destroyed, caused this development to gain momentum. Enschede became the most important center of textile production in the Netherlands.In the sixties of the 20th century the textile industry completely disappeared. There are now a number of important healthcare institutions, a university and several museums.

 Although Enschede has a long history, its roots are still shrouded in mystery...