Vijfheerenlanden, Rural municipality in Utrecht Province, Netherlands
Vijfheerenlanden is a rural municipality in Utrecht Province, located between the rivers Lek and Linge and covering towns such as Leerdam and Vianen. The land is flat, crossed by canals and waterways, and made up mostly of open fields and small historic town centers.
The municipality was created on January 1, 2019, when three former municipalities, Leerdam, Zederik, and Vianen, were merged into one. The process followed years of negotiations at the provincial level about how to reorganize local governance in this part of Utrecht.
The National Glass Museum in Leerdam shows the region's glassmaking tradition through exhibitions and live craft demonstrations where visitors can watch glass being shaped by hand. This craft has defined the town for generations and remains active today.
A bicycle or car is the best way to get around, as the towns and villages are spread over a wide area between the two rivers. Cycling paths connect most of the settlements and pass through open countryside along the riverbanks.
The name of the municipality comes from five medieval lords who each controlled a separate territory in this area, and whose domains roughly match the current boundaries. In Dutch, the name translates directly to "land of the five lords."
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
