A small tournament in Amersfoort
The word Amersfoort consists of two parts: Amer (the obsolete name of the river, now known as the Em) and foort (ford, in modern Dutch voorde). The settlement of Amersfoort was first mentioned in a letter from Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor, in 1028.
In the Middle Ages, the main industries in Amersfoort were brewing and cloth manufacturing. However, due to competition from nearby Utrecht, Amersfoort was unable to become an important city. Nevertheless, Amersfoort became a local trading center, with a market held twice a week (on Tuesdays and Fridays) and fairs held several times a year.
In the 18th century, it was famous for its tobacco industry, and the Russian word “makhorka” is believed to have originated from the name of the city.
The city is home to the headquarters of several international companies:
Golden Tulip (Golden Tulip Hospitality Group) — international hotel operator,
Yokogawa European Division — manufacturer of electrical equipment and software,
Nutreco — a manufacturer of food and animal feed,
Arcadis — consulting and engineering,
DHV — consulting and engineering.
There is also a small tournament here in which Shvartsman Alexander and Meijer Hein, the 2025 European veteran champion, are participating.
The nickname of Amersfoort, Keistad (city of boulders), comes from a 9-ton (19,842 lb) boulder that was dragged from the Zost marshes to the city square in 1661 by 400 people due to a dispute between two landowners. One of them bet the other that people would do any meaningless work in exchange for beer and food. He won the bet, and the winner treated everyone who helped drag the boulder to beer and food. Because of this event, neighboring towns began to call the residents of Amersfoort Keientrekkers (boulder pullers). This mockery embarrassed the townspeople, and in 1672 they buried the boulder. But in 1903, the boulder was dug up again and placed in a prominent place as a monument. In the marshy Netherlands, boulders are rare, so they can be considered attractions.