HARDERWIJK, a town of the Netherlands, in the province of Guelderland, on the coast of the Zuyder Zee, about 28 miles N.E. of Utrecht. Its principal buildings are the town-house, the Reformed church rebuilt in the 15th century, the Nassau-Veluwe gymnasium, the colonial dockyard depot, formerly the mint, and the municipal orphanage. Agriculture, fishing, and a few trifling domestic industries form the sole employment of the inhabitants, who in 1872 numbered 5041.

Formerly the town was much more important. Having been surrounded with walls by Count Otto II. in 1229, and gifted with municipal privileges in 1231, Harderwijk rapidly extended its com-meree till it dealt directly not only with Holstein and Hamburg but with England, Denmark, and Sweden. In 1522 the town was captured by Charles V.; in 1572 it became subject to the United Netherlands; and in 1672-73 it was besieged for seventeen months by the bishop of Munster and his French allies.