Blije
Blija | |
---|---|
Village | |
Coordinates: 53°21′6″N 5°51′40″E / 53.35167°N 5.86111°E | |
Country | Netherlands |
Province | Friesland |
Municipality | Noardeast-Fryslân |
Area | |
• Total | 12.50 km2 (4.83 sq mi) |
Elevation | 0.9 m (3.0 ft) |
Population (2021)[1] | |
• Total | 840 |
• Density | 67/km2 (170/sq mi) |
Postal code | 9171[1] |
Dialing code | 0519 |
Blije (Dutch: Blija) is a village in Noardeast-Fryslân in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 860 in January 2017.[3] Before 2019, the village was part of the Ferwerderadiel municipality.[4]
The village was first mentioned in the 13th century as Blitha. The etymology is unclear.[5] Blije is a terp (artificial living mound) village which developed several centuries before Christ. The Dutch Reformed church dates from the 13th century and received its current shape in 1741.[6]
In 1840, Blije was home to 911 people.[4] Most of the terp except for the graveyard was excavated during the late-19th century.[6] During the 20th century, retail disappeared from the village, and only the pub remained.[4]