Alphen aan den Rijn is a small city in the middle of the region  "Het Groene Hart" with about 73.000 inhabitants. Alphen aan den Rijn is founded on January 1, 1918 by a merger of the villages Aarlanderveen, Alfen and Oudshoorn. In 1964, a part of the village Zwammerdam joined as well. You can still find some of these villages as separate communities within the municipal Alphen aan den Rijn. The weapon of Alphen aan den Rijn is based on the original weapon of Alfen, with in addition a crown and shield carriers. A black star and the two golden lions complete the city weapon.
 
Alphen aan den Rijn, with its beautiful surroundings, is a versatile area to live in. In the new city center one finds beautiful shops, nice bars and restaurants and the new city theater Castellum, a fascinating area for shopping and leisure. During the year there are many different activities and events. For example, annually, in the month of September, there is the largest “jaarmarkt” event in the Netherlands.
 
The unique selling point of Alphen aan den Rijn is how it is situated. In the middle of “Het Groene Hart” region, the central area between the four major cities Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht. From these cities it is an approximate thirty(30) minutes’ drive to Alphen aan den Rijn. Also the various means of public transport like trains and busses within the area provide an easy access to and from Alphen aan den Rijn and its surrounding villages. Choosing Alphen aan den Rijn provides an attractive starting point for visiting the entire region and the four major cities.