Heerhugowaard is a town and municipality in the region of West Friesland. Heerhugowaard historically does not belong to Kennemerland but falls under the municipal cooperation region Kennemerland via Noord-Kennemerland.

By the year 800, the area now forming the municipality of Heerhugowaard was covered with peat. Cultivation of man's cattle in conjunction with storms led to the creation of many lakes in the region, including the Heerhugowaard. It together with the Schermer also formed a period of about one lake, with the part of Heerhugowaard forming a wadden area with a kind of marsh lagoon. Here came an end when the old low dike ever laid down and partly in the lake was raised. Thus, two separate lakes were formed.

The surroundings of Heerhugowaard are scenically very diverse. In the mid-eighties, Heerhugowaard built a 61 hectare park forest, the "Waarderhout". In addition, there is a lot of agricultural activity in the immediate vicinity, including greenhouse horticulture and various flower bulb fields. There are several mills that remind the drought shop; These mills date back to the 17th century.

Heerhugowaard is a predominantly modern place with a number of village features and a predominantly urban design, which developed rapidly in the 19th century with the advent of other industries. Places of interest in Heerhugowaard include the 'largest emission-neutral residential area of Europe' - called the City of the Sun -, Middenwaard - the largest covered shopping center in North Holland above the North Sea Channel, the Reformed Church of 1871, the modern Dyonisius church of the years 60, Luna Beach, an artificial beach that can be used as a ski slope (cableski), the Zwirs vineyard - where grapes are grown, guided tours and Dutch wine is made - and the Polder Museum.