SCHIEDAM

gemeente (commune) and river port, Zuid-Holland provincie, western Netherlands, at the confluence of the Schie and Nieuwe Maas (New Meuse) rivers, just west of Rotterdam. Named for an early dam on the Schie, it was chartered in 1273 and conducted a flourishing medieval trade in fish and grain until it was superseded by Rotterdam. Historic landmarks are the 15th-century church of St. John, the 17th-century town hall, the exchange (1792), and the ruins of Mathenesse Castle (1260). Schiedam is famous for its gin and liquor distilleries; other industries include shipbuilding and iron founding and the manufacture of machinery, glass, chemicals, and lumber products. There is a municipal museum and the De Jongh Liqueur Museum. Pop. (1983 est.) 71,280.