Bergen op Zoom
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| Bergen op Zoom | |
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| Country | Netherlands |
| Province | North Brabant |
| Area | 93.13 km² |
| - Land | 80.76 km² |
| - Water | 12.37 km² |
| Population (2005) | 66,325 |
| - Density | 821/km² |
Bergen op Zoom (pronunciation (help·info)) is a municipality and a city in the southern Netherlands.
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[edit] History
Bergen op Zoom historically has been a place of residence for circus/funfair (kermis) performers and families.
Bergen of Zoom was granted city status in 1287.
During the early modern period, Bergen op Zoom was a very strong fortress and one of the main armories and arsenals of the United Provinces. It had a remarquable natural defensive site, surrounded as it was by marshes and easily-floodable polders. Furthermore, it could receive reinforcements and supplies by sea, if the besieging army did not have a fleet to blockade its port.
Due to these features, the city was one of the strategic points held by the revolted Dutch in the Eighty Years War. It was at that time besieged by Alessandro Farnese first in 1587, and by Ambrosio Spinola a second time in 1622. Both sieges were unsuccessful.
In 1747, during the War of the Austrian Succession, the French army laid siege to it again. At that time, Bergen op Zoom had fortifications built in the beginning of the 17th Century by Menno van Coehoorn, with three forts surrounding the city and a canalized sprout of the Escaut acting as a ditch around its walls. However, it had no second line of fortifications, nor any fortress. After seventy days of siege, the city was taken and thoroughly sacked ; the garrison was slaughtered. Due to this battle, the name of the city can be seen on one of the arches on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
[edit] Population centres
- Bergen op Zoom (population: 65,691, July 2006)
- Heimolen
- Halsteren (11,410)
- Lepelstraat (2,070)
- Kladde
- Klutsdorp
[edit] The city of Bergen op Zoom
The Markiezenhof palace, built in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, houses a cultural centre and a museum with a picturesque courtyard, paintings, period rooms, and temporary exhibitions.
GE Plastics operates a major manufacturing facility at its European headquarters in Bergen op Zoom.
Other Major Plant/Employer in the city is, Phillip Morris.
[edit] Places to Visit
- The Markiezenhof
- The Centrum
- Grote Markt
- Lievenvrouwenstraat
- Gevangenpoort
- Hotel & Residence de Draak
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This section is a stub. You can help by expanding it. |
[edit] External links
- Official Website
- Detailed Falkplan map covering the whole municipality
- Detailed Citoplan map covering the town
- Citoplan map covering the whole municipality, at a smaller scale
- Art project in the public space of Bergen op Zoom, at Erasmuspc, international network for cities and culture
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Aalburg | Alphen-Chaam | Asten | Baarle-Nassau | Bergeijk | Bergen op Zoom | Bernheze | Best | Bladel | Boekel | Boxmeer | Boxtel | Breda | Cranendonck | Cuijk | Deurne | Dongen | Drimmelen | Eersel | Eindhoven | Etten-Leur | Geertruidenberg | Geldrop-Mierlo | Gemert-Bakel | Gilze en Rijen | Goirle | Grave | Haaren | Halderberge | Heeze-Leende | Helmond | 's-Hertogenbosch | Heusden | Hilvarenbeek | Laarbeek | Landerd | Lith | Loon op Zand | Maasdonk | Mill en Sint Hubert | Moerdijk | Nuenen, Gerwen en Nederwetten | Oirschot | Oisterwijk | Oosterhout | Oss | Reusel-De Mierden | Roosendaal | Rucphen | Schijndel | Sint Anthonis | Sint-Michielsgestel | Sint-Oedenrode | Someren | Son en Breugel | Steenbergen | Tilburg | Uden | Valkenswaard | Veghel | Veldhoven | Vught | Waalre | Waalwijk | Werkendam | Woensdrecht | Woudrichem | Zundert |
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