Oostzaan

Oostzaan (Dutch pronunciation: [oːstˈsaːn] ) is a municipality and a town in the Zaanstreek, Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The municipality had a population of 9,689 in 2021. Oostzaan has a total area of 16.08 km2 (6.21 sq mi) of which 4.55 km2 (1.76 sq mi) is water. Oostzaan—together with Westzaan and Assendelft—are considered the "mother towns" of the Zaanstreek (the region around the River Zaan), of which they are the three oldest towns. Oostzaan also played a role in the VOC and WIC shipping and shipbuilding. 17th century Oostzaan was the home of the pirate Claes Compaen. Originally a privateer for the Dutch Republic, he soon began to act as a pirate, capturing several hundred ships. A street in Oostzaan is named after him. The town has a Reformed church with a cruciform groundplan, the Great Church (1760), which contains two ship models that recall the days when Oostzaan was an important sea-faring community. In the Oostzijderveld area of Oostzaan stands a windmill, De Windjager (The Wind Hunter).