Harlingen, Friesland

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Harlingen
Harns

— Municipality —

Harbour of Harlingen

Flag

Coat of arms

Coordinates:

Country

Province

Area(2006)

• Total

387.67 km² (149.7 sq mi)

• Land

25.18 km² (9.7 sq mi)

• Water

362.49 km² (140 sq mi)

Population (1 January 2007)

• Total

15,450

• Density

614/km² (1,590.3/sq mi)

• Summer (DST)

Harlingen (

pronunciation (help·info), West Frisian: Harns) is a municipality and a city in the northern Netherlands, in the province of Friesland at the Wadden Sea. Harlingen is an old town with a long history of fishing and shipping.
Harlingen is served by two stations on the railway line from Leeuwarden, operated by Arriva: Harlingen Haven railway station and Harlingen railway station. From 1904 to 1935 there was a passenger service on the North Friesland Railway, freight being carried until January 1938. Rederij Doeksen operate ferries to the Wadden islands of Vlieland and Terschelling depart from Harlingen.
The famous Dutch writer Simon Vestdijk was born in Harlingen and used to depict his hometown in his writings as Lahringen.
The town of Harlingen, Texas, in the United States is named after this city because many of the original settlers of the Texas town came from Harlingen.
The Admiralty of Friesland was established in Dokkum in 1597 but moved to Harlingen in 1645.