| Lutjegast | |
| Settlement Type: | Village |
| Pushpin Map: | Netherlands Groningen#Netherlands |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 250 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in the province of Groningen in the Netherlands |
| Coordinates: | 53.2333°N 6.2578°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Netherlands |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Type2: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name2: | Westerkwartier |
| Area Total Km2: | 19.89 |
| Elevation Footnotes: | [1] |
| Elevation M: | 2.3 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 1,120 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | CET |
| Utc Offset: | +1 |
| Timezone Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 9866 |
| Area Code Type: | Dialing code |
| Area Code: | 0594 |
Lutjegast (pronounced as /nl/) is a village in the municipality of Westerkwartier in Groningen, Netherlands. It had a population of around 1,125 in January 2017.[3]
The name Lutjegast originates from Gronings in which lutje means small or little and a ga(a)st is a higher, sandy ridge in an otherwise swampy area. The village was first mentioned in 1459 as "op de Lutkegast".[4] Lutjegast is a road village which developed on a sandy ridge.[5]
The Dutch Reformed church was built in 1877 and was restored in 1922. The Reformed Church is a cruciform church built in 1922 without a tower in expressionist style.[5]
Lutjegast was the birthplace of the explorer Abel Tasman. He is memorialised in town by a monument, plaque and street name. In 2014, a museum dedicated to Abel Tasman opened in the village house.
Until 1828, a manor house named "Rikkerdaborg" stood in Lutjegast. Its most famous occupant was Bernard Johan Prott who was the commander of Bourtange in 1672. Christoph Bernhard von Galen, the Prince-bishop of Münster had allegedly offered Prott ƒ200,000.- to take Bourtange, however Prott refused the offer and von Galen was unable to take the fortress by force.[6]
Lutjegast was home to 294 people in 1840.[7] The village used to be part of the municipality of Grootegast. In 2019, it was merged into Westerkwartier.[7]