As afortified city, it was of strategic military and political significance. Although a directfiefdom of theHoly Roman Emperor, the city obtained amunicipal charter; the acquisition of Breda, through marriage, by theHouse of Nassau ensured that Breda would be at the center of political and social life in theLow Countries. Breda had a population of 184,126 in 2021; the metropolitan area had a population of 324,812.
In the 11th century, Breda was a directfief of theHoly Roman Emperor,[7] its earliest known lord being Henry of Brunesheim (1080–1125). The first mention of Breda in the historical record was in 1125 by Engelbertus van Breda who was a witness to draw up of a document.[8] The city of Breda obtained amunicipal charter in 1252. After that Breda had the rights to build fortifications. The city constructed brick walls and Roman-style gates.
The acquisition of the city by theHouse of Orange-Nassau marked its emergence as aresidentiestad (residence city). The presence of the Orange-Nassau family attracted other nobles, who built palatial residences in the old quarters of the city. The most impressive one, built by the Italian architectThomas Vincidor de Bologna for the first Dutch prince, was the firstrenaissance-style palace built north of the Alps. In the 15th century the city's physical, economic and strategic importance expanded rapidly. A great church was built inBrabantine Gothic style with an elegant 97-metre-high (318 ft) tower, calledGrote Kerk (main church) or alsoOnze Lieve Vrouwe Kerk (Church of Our Lady). In 1534Henry III of Nassau-Breda rebuilt the modest medieval fortifications in impressive style.
In 1534, a fire destroyed over nine tenths of the city, close to 1300 houses, churches, and chapels, and the town hall. Only 150 houses and the main church remained. In July 1581, during theEighty Years' War, Breda was captured in asurprise attack and siege by Spanish troops then under the command ofClaudius van Barlaymont, whosesobriquet was Haultpenne. Although the city had surrendered upon the condition that it would not be plundered, the troops vented their fury upon the inhabitants. In the resulting mayhem, known asHaultpenne's Fury, over 500 citizens were killed. In March 1590, Breda fell back into the hands of the Dutch andMaurice of Nassau, when a 68 men hand-picked force, concealed under the turf of a peat-boat, had contrived to enter the city in a daring plan devised byAdriaen van Bergen, known as the ruse withthe Peat Ship of Breda. Around 1610 the construction of the Spanish Gate or "Spanjaardsgat" was started as a remembrance to that successful action.[10]
In 1646, Frederick Henry founded theOrange College of Breda, modelled onSaumur,Geneva, andOxford, intending it to train young men of good family for the army and the civil service.[11]
Based mostly on suggestions by the Parliamentarian GeneralGeorge Monck, Charles II'sDeclaration of Breda (1660) announced his conditions for accepting the crown of England, which he was to regain a few months later in the year.
During theSecond World War, the city was underGerman occupation for over four years. DuringOperation Pheasant Breda was liberated following a successful outflanking manoeuvre planned and performed by forces of1st Polish Armoured Division ofGeneral Maczek on 28 October 1944. Each year duringLiberation Day festivities, Breda is visited by a large Polish contingent and the city of Breda reserves a special portion of the festivities for the fallen Polish soldiers. A museum and a monument honoring Maczek and the Polish 1st Armoured Division stands in the city center. General Maczek and many soldiers of his division are buried in the nearbyPolish military cemetery.
Breda, Polish chapel
Breda was the site of one of the firstpanopticon prison establishments,Koepelgevangenis. This prison housed the only German war criminals ever to be imprisoned in the Netherlands for theirwar crimes during the Second World War. Known as "The Breda Four", or "Vier von Breda", they wereWilly Paul Franz Lages, who was released in 1966 due to serious illness,Joseph Johann Kotalla, who died in prison in 1979, andFerdinand aus der Fünten and Franz Fischer, who were both released in 1989 and died later the same year.
Historically, economic activities were mainly industrial. Breda was a center of the food- and drink industry. Companies likeHero (lemonade),Van Melle (Mentos), De Faam (liquorice) and Kwatta (chocolate) are famous throughoutWestern Europe.[citation needed] Breda also had asugar factory, supplying its best-known products.
Breda formerly housed the largest brewery in the Netherlands (Oranjeboom). The multinationalInterbrew took over the brewery in 1995 and then closed it in 2004. Production of theBreda brand was moved to both Bremen and Leuven until 2008, whenRandalls Brewery (in Guernsey) acquired the licence.[15]Guernsey is now the only place in the world where draught Breda is brewed.[16]
The main shopping areas of Breda are the city center and the southern part of Breda. Known shopping centers are De Barones and 't Sas. Major shopping streets are the Eindstraat,Ginnekenstraat [nl], Wilhelminastraat and Ginnekenweg. A market is held on the Grote Markt every Tuesday and Friday from 09:00 to 13:00. A book and antique market is held on Wednesday from 09:00 to 17:00.
The city center contains old buildings and portions of thesingels (moats) and the harbour. Focal point is the Grote Markt, the main square with pubs and sidewalk cafes.
Park Valkenberg is a major public park, halfway between the main railway station Breda and the Grote Markt.
Major historic buildings include:
TheGrote Kerk (Great Church) or Onze Lieve Vrouwe Kerk (Church of Our Lady), a major example of the Brabant style ofGothic Architecture.
As in other cities and villages in the south of the Netherlands, 40 days before Easter the citizens of Breda celebrateCarnaval. A four day chain of foolish events, silliness, nonsensical costumes and a small beer on the side. During the event the mayor of the city, symbolically turns over the keys to the city to “Prince Carnaval” and his ‘Council of 11’. Breda has 4 festive monarchs, the Prince of Breda, Princenhage, Haagse Beemden and the Baron of Ginneken. For the occasion the city is renamed to ‘Kielengat’.
Musically, the carnaval events traditionally are enlivened by wind bands called ‘Dweilorkesten' (Mop Orchestra’s). All pubs and bars participate in the event and on Sunday and Monday a large parade of floats and foolish creations slides through the streets. The events ends on the evening beforeAsh Wednesday (Shrove Tuesday). The exclusive TV channel 'BaronieTV' broadcasts the events throughout the 'Barony of Breda'.
The Harley Dag was one of the biggest one-day motorcycle events of Europe, held on the third Sunday of August. The American motorcycle brandsHarley Davidson andIndian were the main guests of the day. Other American brands were also welcomed to the city center. All other brands had to park at a dedicated parking outside the city center. At the peak over 10,000 motorcycles visited the city and attracted an audience of a 100,000 people. 2010 was the 22nd and last official edition.
Redhead Day (nl; Roodharigedag) is a festival that between 2007 and 2011 took place in Breda during first weekend of September. Since 2019 the festival relocated toTilburg. The two-day festival is a gathering of people with natural red hair, but is also focused on art related to the colour red. Activities during the festival are lectures, workshops and demonstrations. The festival attracts attendance from 20 countries and was free due to sponsorship of the local government. Furthermore, some people referred to Breda as the opposite of burning man. As the festival grew bigger they needed a new spot to host the ever growing event.
Breda's only professionalfootball club, isNAC Breda. The club plays in theEredivisie and their home stadion is theRat Verlegh Stadion. The club became National Champion, once in 1921. The former Cadet football association ‘Velocitas’ of the military academy won theHoldertbeker (the predecessor of theKNVB Cup) in 1899-1900.
Besides NAC there are more amateur football clubs among others;
Every year in October, theBredase Singelloop [nl] is a major road running event on thehalf marathon distance with a field of national and international athletes. Similar events are held in Princenhage (10 van 't Aogje) and Haagse Beemden (Haagse Beemden Loop) although the maximum distances are 10 kilometer.
Outdoor Brabant
The equestrian sports event Outdoor Brabant started out as "Military Breda" in the woods aroundGalder and aFour-in-handCombined driving competition, near the village Princenhage. Later these merged and both moved to the southwest of Princenhage where the event changed into "Breda Hippique". The event consists ofdressage,eventing,show jumping, and Combined driving. For a couple of years the event was free of charge to the public, due to sponsoring by a major bank. When the sponsorship ended a relative high fee was charged to enter the event.
In 2024 together Breda and Tilburg host the Special Olympics National Games. The biggest national sports event aseptically for people with a mental disability. 2500 athletes competed in 21 sports.[20]
European Para Championships
Between August 8 and 20, 2023, the European Para Championships were held in Breda. 1,500 athletes from 45 countries participated in the event.[21]
ParaGamesBreda
In 2011, the ParaGamesBreda received 3,000 athletes from 40 countries.[22]
In 2014, the largest religion in Breda wasChristianity, comprising 50.4% of its population. The next largest faith isIslam adhered to by 3.6% of residents. Religiously unaffiliated people made up 44.9% of the population.[23]
René of Chalon, the first of the Nassau family bearing the tile 'Prince of Orange', was born and lived in the Breda Castle. He passed the title to his paternal cousin William of Nassau-Dillenburg (William the Silent).
Although neither of them were long-term residents of Breda, it was there, in 1618, that the youngRené Descartes (at the time, a soldier in the army ofPrince Maurice of Nassau) first met, and had extensive conversations with, Dutch philosopher, mathematician, and scientistIsaac Beeckman (then temporarily resident in the town). This interaction with Beeckman seems to have changed the course of Descartes’ intellectual life, eventually leading him to the major innovations in mathematics, science, and philosophy for which he is famous.[25]
Breda is the birthplace and home to several internationally famouselectronic dance music artists includingR3hab,Dannic,W&W along with formerWorld No.1 DJs —Tiësto andHardwell. The title of their 2011 collaboration track,Zero 76 is derived from the dialing code of Breda.
Thomas Simon Cool, Dutch historical and genre painter, resided and taught in Breda 1866-1870
The Dutch football internationalPierre van Hooijdonk played in Breda. Other formerly international Dutch football players from NAC Breda were Antoon (Rat) Verlegh,Kees Rijvers, Kees Kuijs, Leo Canjels, Daan Schrijvers, Frans Bouwmeester, Nico Rijnders, Ad Brouwers, Bertus Quaars, Martin Vreysen andTon Lokhoff.
Ramon Dekkers, Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Champion, was born and died in Breda
The regional Sprinter-trains connect the smaller towns,Gilze en Rijen,Etten-Leur,Lage Zwaluwe andDordrecht with Breda. The Breda-Prinsenbeek railway station is only served by Sprinter-trains.
There are four kinds of buses in Breda: citybuses, regional, intercity and international. City and regional buses are operated by Arriva under the alias 'Bravo' (BRAbantVervoertOns).
615 – Zundert, Berkenring – Breda, Mencia de Mendoza (student bus runs twice a day)
The more luxurious intercity buses, called 'Brabantliner' connect Breda with bothGorinchem (402) andUtrecht (400 & 401). These lines are a compensation for the lack of direct train connection between the cities.
There was also aZeelanddic busline (19) which connectedHulst (Zeelandic Flanders) and Breda viaAntwerp,Belgium. The line was operated by Connexxion and in the past by the BelgianDe Lijn. After 71 years the line was canceled in 2024.
International buses are operated by several providers. From the international bus stop at the Breda railway station, multiple options are possible.
TheBlaBlaCar bus provides an (almost) daily timetable between Breda – Utrecht – Amsterdam – Schiphol andSloterdijk in the early morning. In addition, BlaBlaCar bus provides an international timetable to Antwerp – Brussels, Center – Brussels-South railway station –Paris, Gare de Paris Bercy with the final station atParis, Charles de Gaulle Airport.[31]
The city owes its existence to the accessibility by water. As from the beginning of the city, the riversMark andAa were used for trading and supplying the city. Today the city is accessible for pleasure boating from the north. There is an open connection to theVolkerak via the Mark and connection to theWilhelmina Canal through the Mark Canal. The Dintel/Mark is accessible for cargo ships up to 86 meters (282 ft) long from Dintelsas to Breda. The 'Werve' yacht port provides a berth for passing pleasure ships just north of the city center.
The small airportBreda International Airport is located west of the city. The airport was opened in 1949 asSeppe Airfield and is in limited use for civil aviation. Amsterdam'sSchiphol Airport is fairly used by residents in the city as it provides most destinations worldwide. It is located 112 km (70 mi) north of Breda.NS operates direct train services between Breda and Schiphol.
^"Postcodetool for 4811DJ".Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis.Archived from the original on 26 December 2018. Retrieved15 April 2014.
^"De grenzeloze regio".Sdu uitgevers. 2007.ISBN9789012124577.Het BBP van BrabantStad ligt op 14.7% van het nationale BBP. In de regio liggen Philips, de Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, de Universiteit Tilburg en de HAS Den Bosch. De regio heeft 1.4 miljoen inwoners. Er is veel R&D, ICT, automotive, logistiek en agribusiness.
^"Hazeldonk".Breda Business (in Dutch).Archived from the original on 2024-06-30. Retrieved2024-06-30.
^"ContactArchived 2016-09-19 at theWayback Machine."Koch Media. Retrieved on September 13, 2016. "Benelux Koch Media Benelux Princenhagelaan 1 C4 4813 DA Breda Niederlande"
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