View from the Lighthouse at Katwijk Aan Zee on the North Sea in South Holland, The Netherlands.

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View from the Lighthouse at Katwijk Aan Zee on the North Sea in South Holland. The lighthouse dates from 1605. In Roman times, Katwijk was a place of strategic importance. It was located at the Roman Empire's northern border, at the mouth of the Rhine river, which in Roman times was larger in this area than it is today. There was a good deal of traffic along the Rhine. Katwijk was also a jumping-off point for the voyage to Britain. Built during the reign of Emperor Claudius (41-54), the town's name was Lugdunum. The town's name was later associated with the name of the city of Leiden, but this is now thought to be incorrect. After the Romans left the settlement was abandoned and the area largely depopulated, except for small, isolated groups of Frisians struggling to make a living along the changing coast. The area was Christianized by British and Irish missionaries around the 9th century. Starting around the 12th century the population began to grow. In 1231, the first reference to Katwijk appeared in the records.

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Size: 3814px × 2542px
Location: Katwijk Aan Zee, South Holland, The Netherlands
Photo credit: © Janice and Nolan Braud / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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