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Sloten is a village and former municipality of the province Noord Holland (North Holland), currently part of the city and municipality Amsterdam. On January 1st, 1921 the municipality closed was abrogated and annexed to Amsterdam.

Beside of the village itself, Sloten also contained the Vrije Geer (Free Geer) and the villages Osdorp and Sloterdijk. Already in 1896, when the municipality border to the East still was formed by the Kostverlorenvaart, a part of the rural area was added to Amsterdam; the current De Baarsjes.

Sloten is situated in the southwest of the city as a component of the district Osdorp. Since 1962 exists a Dorpsraad Sloten-Oud Osdorp (Village Council Sloten-Oud Osdorp

History

Sloten is about two centuries older than Amsterdam. The oldest indication dates from 1063, when people mentioned it as chapel Sloten at the southwest point of the Slootermeer. Around 1175 the village was moved to a hillock at the present Sloterweg, but at the original spot for a long time the Oud Kerkhof (Old Church Court) was left standing.

In the Middle Ages Sloten owned a large barge church, which was devastated in 1573 by Geuzen during the occupation by Haarlem. The in the 17th century constructed, nowadays Protestant, church was replaced by the current Waterstaatskerk in 1860. In 1901, the Catholic Pancratiuskerk was built, which was the first carried out construction of the architect Jan Stuyt.

The inhabitants of Sloten made their living by fishing, livestock farming and horticulture. The close Haarlemmermeer was a constant threat to the peat country. At the southwestern border of Sloten large pieces of land got lost over the centuries by cause of the “water wolf”. Also two villages, Rijk (Rich) and Nieuwerkerk (New Church), disappeared in the waves. A large flood in 1836 led to the decision to dike the Haarlemmermeer.

Until the beginning of the 16th century the Sloterweg was the most important connection between Amsterdam and the rest of the Netherlands , until the isthmus to Haarlem was knocked of by the waves.

The Slootermeer was drained in 1644 and three centuries later, between 1948 and 1956, the Sloterplas was drawn out. Also the Nieuwe Meer was strongly enlarged due to sand extractions. For this reason the oldest mill of Sloten, the Riekermolen, had to disappear in 1956 and was moved to the Kalfjeslaan at the Amstel. As from 1991 has Sloten a new mill, which is opened to the public every day.

Nieuw Sloten

In the years ninety Nieuw Sloten was built up on the horticulture area of Sloten. In attempt of further development increase and a reduce of infrastructure, a referendum was requested by the rural occupants concerning the construction of a tram track at the Weilandje van Sloten (Grassland of Sloten). With that tram track the municipality also intended a connection to the further west district the Aker. The referendum, held on May 17th, 1995 became a victory for the applicants.

In 2003, the nature park De Vrije Geer was opened. At the border to the old village lies the sports park Sloten with a covered cycle-racing track. On the other hand of the village De Aker appeared in the years ninety.