Vrijhoeven

Ter Aar (Dutch pronunciation: [tɛr ˈaːr] (listen)) is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. It is located about 6 km northeast of Alphen aan den Rijn. The town had a population of 9,007 on 1 July 2006. The area of Ter Aar is divided into two parts by the small canal De Aar. The western, larger part is named Langeraar (Long Aar), the eastern part Korteraar (Short Aar). These are also the names of two villages in the area. In 1788, the former village of Langeraar was destroyed by a flood; a village of that name was rebuilt in the northern part of the area. At the former location of Langeraar, the new village of Aardam (52°9′57″N 4°42′40″E) was built, near a bridge across the Aar. The Kerkbuurt (Church Neighbourhood, 52°10′15″N 4°42′0″E) was located northwest of Aardam around the reformed church, which was built in 1568. The current village of Ter Aar is built around these two former villages. North of Aardam, the hamlet Papenveer grew around a ferry across the Aar. The municipality Ter Aar existed from 1812 to 2007. In 1817, the small municipality of Vrijhoeven was split of; it merged again with Ter Aar in 1841. In 2004, the municipality covered an area of 21.71 km2 (8.38 mile²) of which 2.34 km2 (0.90 mile²) was water. Its population was 9,010. Ter Aar was merged into the municipality of Nieuwkoop on 1 January 2007.

Aardam is a former hamlet in the Dutch province of South Holland and is now incorporated into the town Ter Aar, part of the municipality Nieuwkoop.

Aarlanderveen is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Alphen aan den Rijn, and lies about 4 km east of Alphen aan den Rijn. Aarlanderveen was a peat excavation settlement which developed in the Middle Ages. The Catholic St Peter and Paul Church is a three aisled basilica-like church built by Joseph Cuypers between 1893 and 1894. There are five wind mills near Aarlaanderveen.Aarlanderveen was a separate municipality until 1918, when it became part of Alphen aan den Rijn.The area around the village is a natural landscape that is rich in grassland birds like plovers, godwits and redshanks. There are also many flower rich banks including spearwort, water and field mint, ragged robin and marsh thistle.

Papenveer is a small village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is located in the municipality of Nieuwkoop, 2 km north of Ter Aar. The name "Papenveer" means "Catholics' ferry". When the Catholic Church in Korteraar closed in 1822, churchgoers had to cross the river De Aar to go to the church in Langeraar. A ferry was opened that was free for Catholics; everyone else had to pay. The village of Papenveer grew around this ferry. Currently, there is a bridge, the Papenveerse Brug, at the location of the former ferry.

Ridderbuurt is a hamlet in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Alphen aan den Rijn, and lies about 2 km north of Alphen aan den Rijn. The statistical area "Ridderbuurt", which also can include the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 120.

The Groene Hart (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈxrunə ˈɦɑrt]; English: Green Heart) is a relatively thinly populated area of the Netherlands covering much of the middle portion of the Randstad megalopolis. The major Dutch cities of Rotterdam, The Hague, Leiden, Haarlem, Amsterdam and Utrecht surround this area. Cities inside the Groene Hart include Zoetermeer, Alphen aan den Rijn, Gouda, Woerden and the smaller cities of Schoonhoven, Oudewater, Haastrecht, Nieuwkoop, Montfoort, Waddinxveen, Bodegraven and Boskoop. The Groene Hart is characterised by its rural character which contrasts the urban areas around it. Agriculture, nature and recreation are the primary activities in the Groene Hart. Residents and urban visitors can often find rest and many green spaces. Mills, dikes and Dutch cows are the primary landmarks of this lowland area. Thanks to the various separated cycle paths in the Groene Hart, the area can very well be explored by bike. The Groene Hart is of major importance to consolidate the number of Dutch meadow birds. The bird species black-tailed godwit, northern lapwing and Eurasian oystercatcher can all be found in the area.

Zwammerdam is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland along Oude Rijn river. It is a part of the municipality of Alphen aan den Rijn, and lies about 6 km southeast of Alphen aan de Rijn. The name derives from a dam built in the Rhine river in 1165 AD by Count Floris III of Holland, to protect the land stream downwards from floods. In 2020, the village of Zwammerdam had 1850 inhabitants. The built-up area of the town was 62 km², and contained 484 residences. The statistical area "Zwammerdam", which also can include the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 1810.Zwammerdam was a separate municipality until 1964, when it was divided between Alphen aan den Rijn and Bodegraven. The town is the current home of the Jostiband Orchestra. The ancient Romans did build fortress (castrum) Nigrum Pullum as part of the defence system of the Roman Empire northern frontier (Limes Germanicus) close to what now Zwammerdam is. In the 1970s during groundwork for the building of a new caregiving residence, remains were found of wooden ships from the Roman period. Extensive archeological excavations brought up six ships of different sizes, known as Schepen van Zwammerdam, now exhibited at the nearby open-air museum Archeon.

Zuideinde is a hamlet in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Nieuwkoop, and lies about 7 km east of Alphen aan den Rijn.

Nieuwveen is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland, located close to the border of province North Holland, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) southwest of the city of Amsterdam. It is a part of the municipality of Nieuwkoop (until 2007: Liemeer), and lies about 9 kilometers (6 miles) northeast of Alphen aan den Rijn. In 2001, the town of Nieuwveen had 2806 inhabitants. The built-up area of the town was 0.73 km², and contained 931 residences. The statistical area "Nieuwveen", which also can include the peripheral parts of the village, as well as the surrounding countryside, has a population of around 3630.Zevenhoven was added to the municipality of Nieuwveen in 1991, and the municipality was renamed Liemeer in 1994. The Jostiband Orchestra was founded here.

Nieuwkoop (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈniukoːp] (listen)) is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality was enlarged on 1 January 2007, through the amalgamation of Liemeer and Ter Aar. The municipality now covers an area of 91.16 km2 (35.20 sq mi) of which 13.11 km2 (5.06 sq mi) is water. Its population was 29,151 in 2021. On May 3, 2008, the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad published an article which stated that Nieuwkoop is the safest municipality of the Netherlands. The municipality of Nieuwkoop includes the following communities:

Noordeinde is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Nieuwkoop, and lies about 10 km northeast of Alphen aan den Rijn. In 2001, the town of Noordeinde had 561 inhabitants. The built-up area of the town was 0.12 km2, and contained 196 residences.