Sneek (in the Frisian Snits) is a city southwest of Leeuwarden. It is the largest place in the municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân and the third place in the province of Friesland (The Netherlands). The city has about 33700 inhabitants.
Sneek is located near the Sneekermeer and is famous for its historic city center, including the Waterpoort, and the Sneekweek. The city fulfills a central function for the Zuidwesthoek region and was, from August 1498 to March 1500, even the official capital of the Friesland region.
Sneek obtained various city rights from the 13th century, which were officially recorded in 1456. Sneek became one of the Friesian eleven cities. This was also the beginning of a flowering period as a trading city that would last until about 1550. In 1492 the construction of a city graveyard and city wall began. From that time on, Sneek was the only walled city of Friesland. From the old fortifications of Sneek, the Watergate and the Bolwerk are still left.
The town of Sneek is within the city's graves. The oldest area is located around the terp of the Great or Martinikerk, of which a first building took place in the 10th century. The entire inner city and Stationsbuurt have been appointed as a protected cityscape: nationally protected area Sneek and station area. In the center there are several canals and many monumental buildings. Parts of the walled and surrounding walls of the present city, especially the well-known Waterpoort and the Bolwerk, are still present.
