Dantumadiel
# Dantumadiel

Dantumadiel (West Frisian pronunciation) is a municipality in the province of Friesland in the Netherlands. Dantumadiel is a rural municipality characterized by economic activity and agriculture.

## History

The first time Dantumadiel is mentioned was in a document from 1242. At that time Dantumadiel, or Donthmadeil as it was then known, was a part of the Winninghe district, the northern part of Oostergo. The grietenij (municipality) Dantumadiel was led by a grietman (mayor) who was holding office in Rinsumageast and Dantumawâld. The Dutch Municipalities Act of 1851 (Dutch: Gemeentewet van 1851) abolished the grietenijen, which automatically became gemeenten (municipalities) headed by a mayor.

## Population centres

The Dantumadiel municipality is composed of 11 towns with a total of 19,030 inhabitants in 2014; the towns and their 2014 populations are listed in the table.

Source: Website Dantumadiel municipality

* Including Feanwâldsterwâl

## Main sights

* Damwâld (Dantumawâld and Moarrewâld) and Rinsumageast, are home to medieval churches.
* The villages Broeksterwâld (Grutte Mûne and De Broekmolen) Rinsumageast and Readtsjerk are home to mills.
* The Skierstins a medieval fortified house in Feanwâlden.
* De Grote Molen, Broeksterwâld, built in 1887
* The Skierstins

## Notable people

* Maria Petronella Woesthoven (1760 in Dantumawoude – 1830) a Dutch poet
* Tjeerd Pasma (1904 in Rinsumageast – 1944) a Dutch modern pentathlete, competed at the 1928 Summer Olympics
* Piet Jongeling (1909 in Broeksterwâld – 1985) journalist, politician and children's books writer
* Theun de Vries (1907 in Feanwâlden – 2005) writer and poet
* Jannes van der Wal (1956 in Driezum – 1996) a Dutch/Frisian draughts player
* Syb van der Ploeg (born 1966 in Dokkum) musician and composer
* Theo Pijper (born 1980 in Dokkum) a Dutch motorcycle speedway rider in the UK

## Politics

The Dantumadiel municipal government consists of a municipal council, board of aldermen and the mayor. Klaas Agricola, (Dutch Wiki) has been the mayor of Dantumadiel since December 2017.

