Soest, Netherlands

• City

Soest is a municipality and a town in the central Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. It is about 6km west of Amersfoort.Population centres SoestSoestduinenSoestdijkSoesterbergThe town of SoestThe oldest documents mentioning Soest date from 1029. Its oldest church, which is still in use today, dates from the fifteenth century. Traces of earlier habitation are found though. The area of "Hees", now at the outskirts of Soest may date in to the Early Middle Ages, and prehistoric burial mounds in the Soesterduinen point to early habitation in this area.Agricultural activity is still visible as there is much farmland within Soest. The biggest area is in the center of the town, on a hill, and are called 'de Engh'. A small street is het Kerkpad . The Soesterduinen, is a popular area for recreation.Numerous churches depict the Calvinist/Catholic tradition of Soest and the region. Christengemeente Soest, Wilhelmina Kerk Soest, Gereformeerde Kerk Vrijgemaakt, Emmakerk and the Evangelische Kerk Soest are the main churches.Currently some 50,000 inhabitants live in Soest, consisting mainly of commuters.TransportSoest has three railway stations:SoestdijkSoestSoest Zuid Soest can be reached by train from Utrecht (every half-hour, xx:05 and xx:35) and Baarn (xx:23 and xx:53); all trains stop at the three stations. The station of Soestduinen is situated on the railway between Utrecht and Amersfoort was closed in 1998, after being in use for 135 years.