Breda lies near the Belgian frontier in western Noord-Brabant, at the junction of the rivers Mark and Aa. A cultural center, with numerous research and educational institutions, and the see of a Roman Catholic bishop, it is mainly famed as one of the country's leading industrial towns, with engineering firms, factories producing synthetic fibers, matches and foodstuffs. It is also an important tourist center with an historic city centre featuring attractive old buildings and moats.
History
Breda grew up in the 12th century under the protection of a castle, received its municipal charter in the mid 13th century and from the late Middle Ages onwards played an important role in the history of the Netherlands.
Fortified in 1534 by Count Henry of Nassau, the town withstood numerous sieges. The Compromise of Breda in February 1566 marked the beginning of the revolt of the Netherlands against Spanish rule. In March 1590 Prince Maurice of Nassau took the Spaniards by surprise, bringing 70 men secretly into the town in Adriaan van Bergen's peat boat. The Peace of Breda in 1667 ended the second naval war with Britain and recognized Dutch ownership of the East Indies. The town's fortifications again played an important part during the wars with the French in 1793-95 and 1813. When the navigable river Mark gradually silted up during the 18th century Breda's importance as a trading town declined, but with the coming of the railroad its rise into a major industrial center began.
9km/6mi beyond Chaam in the Breda region is Baarle-Nassau, with its sister village of Baarle-Hertog or Baerle-Duc, a Belgian enclave in Dutch territory which has been separated from Baarle-Nassau since the 15th century. Altogether there are 21 Belgian enclaves in the Netherlands and eight Dutch enclaves in Belgium. In some cases the boundary runs through the middle of a house, and the national affiliation of the house is then determined by the position of the front door.
Baarle-Nassau has many Belgian and Dutch shops including specialty chocolates.
7km/4.5mi southeast of Breda is the village of Chaam, famed for the Acht van Chaam, a cycle race which takes place shortly after the Tour de France. The village's main sources of income are agriculture and tourism, with special interest for backpackers.
In the Stadkantoor restaurant in the Vlaszak, to the east of the center opf Breda, can be seen remains of the old Gasthuispoort, one of the three main medieval town gates, which was discovered during building work in 1976.
Northeast of the Breda Grote Kerk is the Kasteelplein, with a number of old buildings and an equestrian statue of William III of Orange (1921). On the west side of the square is the Museum of Ethnology. The building known as De Prins Cardinaal takes its name from Don Ferdinand, who from 1634 to 1637 was Stadholder of the southern Low Countries, representing his brother Philip IV of Spain. The building later became a restaurant and hotel.
On the south side of the Grote Markt of Breda (No. 19) is the old Meat Hall (Vleeshal), with a handsome 17th century sandstone doorway and a gable of 1733.
Together with the building once occupied by the Marksmen's Guild of St George it now houses the Municipal Museum (Stedelijk Museum voor Geschiedenis en Oudheidkunde) and the Diocesan Museum (Bisschoppelijk Museum).
National Tattoo in Breda is an event that has often been referred to as a "feast of sight and sound." The event takes place between late August and early September and includes military groups from throughout Europe. The festivities begin with the ringing of the 45 bells of the Grote Kerk.
In the center of the old town of Breda, which is surrounded by a ring of canals (singels), is the Grote Markt. On the north side of the square are the Grote Kerk or Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk and the 18th century Town Hall (Stadhuis). On the south side stands the old Vleeshal (Meat Hall).
There are a number of handsome old buildings in the port quarter of Breda, and many reminiscences of the time when ships could still sail up the river and discharge their cargoes here. In the 1960s, however, the construction of an underground parking garage led to the partial silting up of the old harbor.
In Breda's Cingelstraat is the Spanjaardsgat, a water-gate flanked by two towers (to the left the Granaattoren, to the right the Duiventoren) and a length of wall. Here, according to the legend, Adriaan van Bergen and 70 men slipped into the town in a peat boat and took it by surprise. Since the Spanjaardsgat was not built until 1610, however, the actual point of entry must have been on the north side of the castle.
To the rear of the Begijnhof in Breda lies the Valkenbergpark, at the north gate of which is the Nassau Barony Monument (1905), set up to mark the 500th anniversary of the union of the lordship of Breda with the house of Nassau (1404). The monument, designed by the well known architect P. J. H. Cuypers, shows the coats of arms of 20 communes in the surrounding area and the lion of Nassau with a royal crown, sword and heraldic shield.
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Breda Castle
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Baarle-Nassau, Netherlands
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Grote Kerk, Breda
Grote Kerk, Breda
Breda Castle, Breda
Grote Kerk, Breda
Breda
