Donderstad

Donderstad ("The City of Thunder" in Dutch) is a large town on Central Island and is the capital of Mariaberg Parish. Founded in the 14th century by the Venetians, it has a very rich history due to the immigration of Spanish and Dutch over the years.

Etymology
Under the Venetians, the small town was known as Puvia The name of Donderstad originates during the War of Independence in 1427. In the first instance of cannons being used in Brunant, the Venetians fired upon the town. The locals, seeing flashes and hearing loud noises believed it was thunder and the name quickly stuck.

History
Donderstad was founded around 1360-64 as a small farming and fishing Village It was a successful place, where subsistence was selling fish in the market and growing fruit. In the 1410s and 1420s, many Dutch and Spanish settlers came, displacing the Venetians. During the War of Independence in 1427-28, the Venetians began building a fortress atop a hill overlooking the town to deter Brunanter attacks. But, it was the townspeople and some of the garrison which revolted and by July the castle lay in rebel hands. The Venetians sent soldiers to retake Donderstad, but the Brunanters fought back. This was one of the earliest uses of cannons in Brunant (by both sides); citizens thought it was thunder and this later gave the town its name.

Throughout the 15th century the threat of a Venetian invasion led the town to continue work on the fortress; master builder Maximilian Sechter was put in charge for many years, and the castle was completed around 1480.

During the Brunanter Civil War (1663), Donderstad was made the provisional royalist capital after the fall of Grijzestad and was the site where Maria Amalia was crowned queen.

In 1756, Donderstad was besieged by the French for almost a month, but the castle held out and some much-needed reinforcements releived the siege that year. Donderstad was rebuilt in the coming years, but during Carrington's Invasion Donderstad was the site of a key battle where King Pieter I was defeated.

Donderstad suffered some damage during the German Invasion in 1941, particularly around the Municipal Plaza.

Geography
Old Donderstad is located on a hill facing the Mediterranean Sea. The old town is overlooked by the old castle and its guns. The old town is characterized by its narrow, steep and crooked streets, which makes it mostly inaccessible for cars. The new town, built from the 18th century onward is located on lower ground near the beach.

Climate
Donderstad enjoys a sunny Mediterranean climate, typical of the southern Adriatic, with mild wet winters and hot dry summers. For the months of June to September, the average temperature is about 22 °C, dropping below 10 °C in just two months of the year (January and February).

Economy
Much of the local economy is based on agriculture. In the surrounding area olives and olive oil are the main crops. Industry is also present in the surrounding area, and tourism is becoming more important.

Tourism
The old town of Donderstad is one of the oldest inhabited places in Brunant, and one of the oldest in the south. It draws many tourist, especially from abroad to visit the old town. Some of the most famous sites include:
 * The Old Church: Donderstad's Oude Kerk is one of the oldest churches in Brunant, dating to the 14th century.
 * Donderstad Market Square: The old market square in the town, which has been a center for commerce and a gathering point for locals for over 500 years.
 * Keizer House: a house used by the resistance in the 1940s that is now a museum dedicated to remembering those during that period.
 * Donderstad Castle: the old 15th century fortress overlooking the town and harbor.

Donderstad's beach is also famous with the tourists

Map

 * *1 West Gate
 * *2 East Gate

Famous Donderstaders

 * Gert Henneman, President of Brunant
 * Cristiane Melker, singer-songwriter
 * Caroline Koch, actress
 * Maximilian Sechter, mason
 * Robert Steiner, actor and director
 * Robert Rand, fashion designer

Twin cities

 * Angers, France
 * Montfort, Netherlands
 * Krakow, Poland