Gooi

Het Gooi (pronounced [ɦɛt ˈxoːi] or [ət ˈxoːi]) is the area around Hilversum in the centre of the Netherlands. It is a slightly hilly area characterised by its green landscape, its historical charm, the wealth of its inhabitants, and its villas. Het Gooi is known in the Netherlands as the home of the rich and famous.

Name

The name "Gooi" is related to "gouw", the Dutch word for "gau", being an old name for a "region". Het Gooi is conventionally referred to in Dutch as "het Gooi" or "'t Gooi", literally meaning "the Gooi". It is also sometimes referred to as "Gooiland". In English, the area is generally referred to as "Het Gooi" (capital "H") or "the Gooi area". People from Het Gooi are called "Gooiers".

"Gooi" (xo:i) rhymes roughly with the English name "Roy". The "g" is pronounced as a voiceless velar fricative, like the "ch" in "loch".

Location and composition

Het Gooi is the area around Hilversum in the southeastern corner of the province of North Holland. It is located north of Utrecht, between Amersfoort and Amsterdam. The boundaries are not clearly demarcated. It is generally the area between a dry ditch called the Gooyergracht, dug in 1356 to demarcate the border with the province of Utrecht, and the river Vecht. Het Gooi refers traditionally to the part of this area that lies in the province of North Holland. Often the term is used to refer just to the higher, sandy, forested part of this area. The towns in the area include (in descending order of size):