Elburg is a municipality and city located in the province of Gelderland within the Netherlands. Situated at coordinates 52.4500, 5.8500, it rests where the Veluwemeer and Drontermeer meet, providing a harbor for docking ships. The town serves as a significant local administrative center in this region, maintaining its status as a historic urban settlement defined by its proximity to these water bodies.

Evidence of Neolithic settlement and Roman army camps suggests early habitation, with the earliest written record dating to 796 AD. Town status was likely granted in the 13th century, though rights were revoked in 1310 before being restored and expanded by Count Reinald I in 1312. Between 1392 and 1396, William of Gulik ordered the city relocated to a new site with a gridiron street plan, moat, and walls, a rapid and expensive rebuilding that indicated medieval affluence.

The fortified city retains its square moat and walls from the 14th century, featuring a largely unchanged medieval layout. Key landmarks include the Saint-Nicolas Church, rebuilt inside the fortifications in 1397, whose tower roof burned in 1693, leaving only the base. The National Organ Museum is housed in the home of Arent thoe Boecop, the steward who oversaw the city's reconstruction, while Museum Elburg offers insights into local history.

Tourism is the primary economic driver, attracting visitors to see the medieval architecture and host festivals like Midweekfeesten, Botterdagen, and Winter in de Vesting. These events draw over 30,000 visitors annually, celebrating the town's fishing heritage and fortress identity. The area also honors notable figures such as early Dutch painter Jan van der Elburcht and Rosa Vecht, the only Dutch nurse to die in World War I.

Elburg had a population of 23,429 as of 2021. Historically a fishing and farming center, it shifted to tourism after the Zuiderzee closing ended its fishing industry in 1932. Access is via the A6 or A28 highways, with the nearest train station at 't Harde requiring a bus or bike connection. The town's favorable position near canals and lakes makes it a popular destination for those seeking historic charm and water-based activities.