▁village ▁in ▁the ▁Dutch ▁province ▁of ▁Gel der land . ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁municipality ▁of ▁West ▁Bet uwe , ▁and ▁lies ▁about ▁ 1 0   km ▁east ▁of ▁Gor in chem ▁on ▁the ▁river ▁L inge . ▁It ▁received ▁city ▁rights ▁in ▁ 1 3 1 3 . ▁ ▁In ▁Roman ▁times ▁As per en ▁was ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁the ▁Roman ▁settlement ▁C asp ing ium ▁from ▁which ▁it ▁takes ▁its ▁name . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁As per en ▁had ▁ 2 9 3 2 ▁inhabitants . ▁The ▁built - up ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁village ▁was ▁ 0 . 7 2   km ², ▁and ▁contained ▁ 1 0 8 7 ▁resid ences . ▁ ▁The ▁statistical ▁area ▁" As per en ", ▁which ▁also ▁includes ▁the ▁peri pher al ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁village , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁surrounding ▁coun tr ys ide , ▁has ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁around ▁ 3 0 6 0 . ▁ ▁Until ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁As per en ▁was ▁a ▁separate ▁municipality ; ▁until ▁that ▁year , ▁it ▁was ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁province ▁of ▁South ▁Holland . ▁ ▁D irk ▁Wille ms ▁was ▁a ▁notable ▁resident , ▁as ▁a ▁six teenth - century ▁mart y red ▁An ab apt ist ▁- ▁most ▁famous ▁for ▁his ▁act , ▁after ▁esc aping ▁from ▁prison , ▁of ▁turning ▁around ▁to ▁rescue ▁his ▁purs uer , ▁who ▁had ▁fallen ▁through ▁thin ▁ice ▁while ▁ch asing ▁Wille