VLAARDINGEN

gemeente (commune), Zuid-Holland provincie, southwestern Netherlands. It lies along the Nieuwe Waterweg, just west of Rotterdam. An early Dutch naval victory was won nearby when Dirk IV defeated Emperor Henry III in 1037; the victories of Count William V (1351) near the town established the Bavarian line of the house of Holland. Vlaardingen has developed in the 20th century into one of the largest seaports of The Netherlands. The completion in 1958 of a large shipyard on nearby Rozenburg Island greatly increased the town's importance. Economic facilities include herring fisheries, dairies, and metallurgical and chemical (phosphates) works. Historic landmarks include the weighhouse (1556), the Grote Kerk (Great Church; 1643), the town hall (1650), and the fish market (1778). The Benelux Tunnel (completed 1967) begins in Vlaardingen. Pop. (1992 est.) 73,893.