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'''Venlo''' ({{Pronunciation|166 Venlo.ogg}}) is a [[municipality]] and a [[city]] in the southeastern [[Netherlands]]. It is situated in the province of [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]].
== Storia ==
[[Image:RivierenkaartVenlo.jpg|thumb|right|Mappa del [[1850]] circa]]
La storia di Venlo ha origine al tempo dei [[antichi romani|Romani]]. In seguito si sviluppò in un importante punto commerciale su fiume [[Mosa (fiume)|Mosa]] e fu membro della [[lega Anseatica]]. Ricevette i [[diritti cittadini dei Paesi Bassi]] nel [[1343]]. Blerick, anche fondata ai tempi dei romani fu conosciuta come Blariacum.
A causa della sua importanza strategica la città di Venlo fu assediata diverse volte. L'assedio più importante fu quello del [[1702]] portato avanti da [[Menno van Coehoorn]]. Conseguentemente Venlo su incorporata con il Generaliteitslanden delle Province Unite e poi divenne parte del regno dei paesi bassi.
=== Seconda Guerra Mondiale ===
Il [[9 novembre]] [[1939]] due agenti dei servizi segreti britannici furono rapiti dal ''[[Sicherheitsdienst]]'' in quello che venne conosciuto come l'[[incidente di Venlo]]. L'incidente fu usato dai nazisti per collegare il [[Regno Unito]] al tentato assassinio di [[Hitler]] da parte di [[Georg Elser]] al Burgerbraukeller avvenuto due giorni prima e giustificare così la successiva violazione della neutralità dei [[Paesi Bassi]] il [[10 maggio]] [[1940]].
== The city of Venlo ==
=== History of the city ===
[[Image:RivierenkaartVenlo.jpg|thumb|right|Map circa 1850]]
Venlo's history goes back to Roman times. Then it developed into an important trade post on the river [[Meuse]] and was a member of the [[Hanseatic]] League. It received [[City rights in the Netherlands|city rights]] in [[1343]]. Blerick, also founded in Roman times, on the other side of the river, was known as Blariacum.
Because of its strategic importance, the city of Venlo was besieged several times. The most significant siege was that of 1702, carried on by [[Menno van Coehoorn]]. Consequently, Venlo was incorporated into the Generaliteitslanden of the United Provinces and later became part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
=== Venlo in the 2nd World War ===
On November 9, 1939, two British Intelligence Service agents were kidnapped by the ''[[Sicherheitsdienst]]'' in what became known as the [[Venlo Incident]]. The Incident was used by the Nazis to link Great Britain to [[Georg Elser]]'s failed assassination of [[Hitler]] at the Burgerbraukeller two days before and to justify their later invasion of the Netherlands, a neutral country, on 10 May 1940.
Because Venlo had both a road and a rail bridge over the River Meuse ([[Maas]]) the city was severely damaged during several bomb raids (13 October - 19 November 1944) on those bridges at the end of the war.
The allied forces needed 13 attempts to destroy the bridges. These failed, the retreating German troops had to blow up the bridge themselves. About 300 people were killed due to those raids. The raids also cost Venlo a major part of its historical buildings. However, some medieval buildings, such as the city hall (the 'Stadhuis') and the 'Römer' house, survived the war.
=== Culture ===
[[VVV-Venlo]] is a century-old [[Football (soccer)|football]] club that plays in [[De Koel]] stadium. In the season 2008-2009 VVV-Venlo won the Jupiler League (Eerste Divisie) and promoted again to the highest Dutch professional football league: the [[Eredivisie]].
==Born in Venlo==
* [[Henri Alexis Brialmont]] , Dutch-born Belgian military engineer.
* [[Jeu Sprengers]] , Dutch chairman of the Royal Netherlands Football Association
* [[Glenn Corneille]] , Acclaimed Dutch jazz pianist
* [[Paul Cox]], award-winning Australian-based Film director.
* [[Teun van Dijck]] , Dutch politician and one of the members of the PVV.
* [[Evert Dudok]], President of EADS Astrium Space Transportation
* [[Michael Evans (footballer)|Michael Evans]], Dutch footballer.
* [[Maico Gerritsen]], Dutch footballer
* [[Bart Hendrikx]], Producer in Film and Television
* [[Rick Hoogendorp]], Dutch footballer
* [[Jens Janse]], Dutch footballer
* [[Saskia Linssen]], Dutch model and actress
* [[Jos Luhukay]], Dutch football coach and former player.
* [[Will Sanders]], an acclaimed Hornist.
* [[Frank Scheffer]], Dutch cinematographer and producer of documentary film,
* [[Paul van der Sterren]], chess Grandmaster
* [[Boris Titulaer]], Dutch singer. He was the winner of the second season of Idols in the Netherlands.
* [[Geert Wilders]], Dutch politician. He has been a member of the Dutch Parliament since 1998
== Coffee shops ==
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