Jaap van 't Veen's photos with the keyword: North Brabant

Famous Dutch architect Piet Blom built the first kubuswoningen (cube houses) of the Netherlands in Helmond. The first three cube houses were built in 1974 and 1975, as a foretaste of a larger project that would be realized in the years to follow. The project was classified as “experimental” and as a consequence, it was eligible for more government funding. The 18 houses of the follow-up project surrounded a theater (‘t Speelhuis) as one architectonical whole. The theater consisted of 37 cubes and contained three auditoria. In 1974 the foundation stone was laid. On December 3, the construction works reached the highest point of the first cube house. On December 29, 2011, the theater was destroyed in a large fire that also hit the some of the adjoining cube houses. The two damaged cube houses were restored in 2013/2014.

Kasteel Asten (Asten Castle) was first mentioned in 1399, when it was a stone building with the name “Asten”. In the early 15th century the current castle was built by Goosen van Berkel. This castle had an almost square ground plan with 3 wings around a courtyard and a small corner tower, circled by a moat. Between 1575 and 1625 the late-medieval castle was rebuilt into a Renaissance manor by Bernard van Merode. Also the present bailey was built and a second moat was dug. Several repairs were carried out around 1740 but Kasteel Asten was already falling into disrepair. From 1836 on the castle wasn't even permanently inhabited anymore. The empty building then slowly fell to ruin. From 1935 to1942 Kasteel Asten seemed to be saved when it was partially rebuilt by Baron Clemens van Hövell tot Westerflier. It was a rigorous reconstruction, partially based on fantasy. But in 1944 the castle was shelled by German phosphor grenades and destroyed. Nowadays the ruins of Kasteel Asten are privately owned. The buildings in the bailey are used as private residences. The ruins of the castle can be visited for a fee, but only on appointment, with a guide and as part of a group.

The Strabrechtse Heide is a nature area about 1500 ha in size. It is largely under the care of Staatsbosbeheer (a Dutch government organization for forestry and the management of nature reserves). The area is the largest continuous heathland area in the province of Noord-Brabant with numerous fens, woods and sand drift areas. Common Heather and Common Juniper are found in the dry areas, and the more marshy wetlands are home to Erica, Purple Moor Grass, Bog Myrtle and Marsh Gentian. The spread of grass across the area is countered by allowing a flock of sheep to graze, by mowing and sod cutting. The heath area is surrounded by forests. \ The nature area was assigned as”Natura 2000” area under the name "Strabrechtse Heide & Beuven".

Kasteel Heeze (Heeze Castle) used to be the centre of the seigneury of “Heeze, Leende and Zesgehuchten”, part of the Duchy of Brabant. In the Middle Ages, it was owned by the de Horne family. In the 17th century Pieter Post designed a new castle, of which the first part was built in 1665. After his death, the work was completed in a modified form by his son Maurits Post. Due to the rising costs of importing all building materials from other regions of the country, the build of the Post design was halted early and never finished. For this reason, the part of the castle that is used by the current owners was actually meant to be the servants' quarters. The biggest part of the castle was to be built behind the first courtyard. In 1733, Baron Adam de Holbach bought the property, which he gave to his nephew, Paul de Holbach, as a marriage present. In 1760 the castle was bought by Jan Maximiliaan van Tuyll van Serooskerken. This family has lived in the castle ever since. Part of Kasteel Heeze is used extensively for parties, including many wedding ceremonies.

Kasteel Geldrop (Geldrop Castle) - dating back to the year of 1350 - is located right in the center of Geldrop. The former vegetable garden and orchard was laid out around 1870 by Hubertus Paulus Hoevenaar jr., operator of sugar factories in the East Indies. In 2002, this vegetable garden was transformed into the Bloemenhof , a stunning garden, which is full of blooming flowers in summer, when the borders are filled with exuberant plant combinations, such as old shrub roses, grasses and cut flowers.

Kasteel Geldrop (Geldrop Castle) - dating back to the year of 1350 - is located right in the center of Geldrop. A beautiful English garden - created at the end of the 10th century - with some exotic trees surrounds the castle. Next to the castle lies the Bloemenhof , a stunning flower garden. The complex is delimited by a monumental wall. The first owners of Kasteel Geldrop were “Jan and Philip van Geldrop”, who probably built it in 1350. The following century the castle remained in the Van Geldrop family. The construction of the present day castle started in 1616, when “Amandus I van Horne” had the middle facade built. In 1768 the heirs of “Van Horne” sold the manor to “Adriaan van Sprangh”. The new Lord of Geldrop had the castle and living-tower renovated. In 1798 feudal rights ended with the French Revolution. The title of Lord of Geldrop became an empty one. In the 19th century the castle came into the hands of the “Hoevenaar” family. Under the ownership of “Sara Hoevenaar”, in 1840 the medieval living tower was demolished. During “Hubertus Hoevenaar” the castle got its present look. His daughter “Arnaudina” married baron “Van Tuyll van Serooskerken”. They lived in the castle permanently from 1912. Nowadays Kasteel Geldrop is used for weddings, concerts and exhibitions. The latter have limited openning hours. Since 30 December 1996 the Stichting Landgoed Kasteel Geldrop (a foundation) owns the castle, the outbuildings and the more than 11 hectares of parkland. Before that, the estate had been in the possession of the municipality of Geldrop (then not yet merged with Mierlo) for 22 years.

The Kruisherenklooster (Monastery of the Crosiers, formally known as the Canons Regular of the Order of the Holy Cross) in Sint Agatha is dating back to 1315. In that year there was already a chapel dedicated to St. Agatha. Around 1371, some monks came to live near the chapel to attend it. The monastery of the Order of the Holy Cross arose from this little chapel. The monastery is still in use and is therefore the oldest monastery in the Netherlands still inhabited by clergy. From the 18th century onwards, the monastic garden was laid out. It is enclosed by a wall. It contains orchards, vegetable gardens and fish ponds, while until 1985 farm buildings were also located within the garden. A number of Crosiers practised gardening. The garden is also a reminder of religious matters. The boxwood hedges are cut in shapes like a cross on a globe, a snake, a ship and so on. The garden has an area of 2.5 ha and offers, apart from a lot of nice and colourful flowers, also a number of monumental trees, such as a 150-year-old tulip tree, a red and a green beech and an old oak. The monks were self-sufficient and for centuries lived largely off the proceeds of the land: a vegetable garden, fruit trees, fish ponds, chicken coops and beehives.

The Sint-Martinuskerk is a Neo-Gothic cross basilica with two towers. The church was designed by architect Caspar Franssen and built in the period 1911-1913. The paintings in the interior were designed by Hans Mengelberg and executed by Johannes Cornelis Wilbrink. The retable of the beautiful Flemish high altar - Retabel van Cuijk - was made by Hendrik van der Geld for a church in Duisburg, but eventually ended up in Cuijk. The side altars and piëta are also by Van der Geld. The church has an organ dating back to the mid 17th century. In 1945, the church was heavily damaged by acts of war committed by the retreating German army on the other side of the river Maas. The damage could be repaired (interior and exterior). In 2009, a major restoration of the church began and was completed in 2011.

The construction of Kasteel Helmond (Castle Helmond) started around 1325. The castle was the replacement of an older castle, known as “ ‘t Oude Huys”, which was located hundreds of meters west. Kasteel Helmond was owned by several noble families, like the Berlaer, Cortenbach and Arberg family.In the year of 1781 the castle would fall into the hands of Frederik Carel Wesselman. The construction of the new castle took a long time. It was not until the end of the 17th century that it had roughly reached its present form. Kasteel Helmond , which originally served as a military defence fortress, came through the centuries relatively unscathed. However, there was a short siege during the Eighty Years' War by Prince Maurits van Oranje. In 1921, the castle was sold to the municipality of Helmond by the last Lady of the family Westerman under the stipulation that the castle would be used for the municipal administration or other public use. The Lady’s wishes were respected and the castle served as a town hall from 1923 until the 1970s. Very little remains of the original interior of the castle as the structure had continually been updated throughout history. A few stucco ceilings and several fireplaces are the only original features. Kasteel Helmond - the largest moated castle of the Netherlands - nowadays houses a museum, exhibiting the history of the castle and its owners. It also still hosts weddings.

During our second visit to the Oisterwijk forests and fens ( Oisterwijkse bossen en vennen ) - again on a grey, gloomy day - we made a walk along the so-called Kolkvenroute (about 3.5 km's). This nature reserve is one of the Netherlands’ most unique nature reserves with 80 fens in a stunning green expanse. Unlike many other fens, the formation of Kolkven is not created by the action of wind, but by melting water of a former river. Kolkven (main image) is a lot deeper than the others, which makes it suitable for fishing. The fen is rented by a local angling club. On our route we passed three smaller fens, including the Brandven (PiP’s). This fen (“Fire Fen”) got its name because in the past its water was used as firewater. Nowadays most of the nature reserve is owned and managed by Natuurmonumenten , a Dutch society for protecting nature reserves. (for more pictures of the area see: www.ipernity.com/doc/294067/46395468/in/album/537905 )

The windmill has a history going back to 1369, when there already was a mill in the hamlet Karrichoven (nowadays Kerkhoven, a neighbourhood of Oisterwijk). The current mill was built in 1895 after the wooden post mill was completely destroyed by fire. But in 1910 another fire destroyed the interior of the mill, but was repaired with parts of a polder mill in Rhoon (near Rotterdam). The Kerkhovense Molen was used for grinding grain and tree bark (used by the local tanneries in Oisterwijk) until after the World War II. After that it was used as a café and youthhostel. Between 1976 and 1979 the mill was completed renovated and after thirty years it could grind again on wind power. In the meantime the mill is owned by a foundation ( Stichting De Kerkhovense Molen ), which renovated the mill again. In 1999 it was officially reopened and the mill is still used for grinding grain. The mill got also its original name Onvermoeid (Untiring), but the name Kerkhovense Molen is much more common. On the ground floor the mill has a cute tea/coffee room and a shop, selling flour and other local products.

The Koepelkerk (Domed Church) is the first church in the Netherlands specially built for Protestant worship and therefore the building became a model for many later Protestant churches. Construction began in 1597 and took ten years. Prince Maurits van Oranje supported the construction of the church with 7000 florins, on condition that it would be built either ound or octagonal shape. The church was built without of chapels and side aisles; not the altar, but the pulpit had to be the centre point. The Koepelkerk was heavily damaged in World War II )November 1944), during artillery shellings of the Allies. Willemstad has rebuilt and restored the church over the years. The church is now used by the PKN Reformed Church and is a national monument.

D’Orangemolen (d'Orange Mill) is a round brick smock mill. The flour mill was built in 1734 by order of the Nassause Domeinraad for 8.000 florins. The mill was owned by the Princes of Orange. Prins Maurits leased the mill to the miller who offered the most. It was called the ‘compulsive mill’ because all local farmers were obliged to use d'Orangemolen for grinding their grain. The mill was restored in 1999 and the wings were also reinstalled. In 2004 the mill was in operation again after 40 or 50 years. Nowadays the mill is privately owned and used as a home Willem van Oranje (William of Orange) gave his name to the town of Willemstad. Yet the town does not owe its existence to him but to the marquis of Bergen op Zoom, Jan IV of Glymes. He ordered that some salt marshes should be drained and surrounded by dykes. That’s were the village of Ruygenhil came into being in 1565. In 1582 the Province of Brabant gave the village to prins Willem van Oranje in compensation for what he had spent and lost in the “cause of freedom”. After his dead in 1584 his son Prince Maurits named the town Willemstad (William’s Town), as we call it in Dutch.

Bergen op Zoom was granted city status probably in 1212. In 1287 the city and its surroundings became a lordship as it was separated from the lordship of Breda. The lordship was elevated to a margraviate in 1559. Several noble families ruled Bergen op Zoom in succession until 1795. The city was built on a place where two types of soil meet: sandy soil and marine clay. The sandy soil pushed against the marine clay, accumulating and forming hills over several centuries. Those ‘hills’ are called Brabantse Wal , literally meaning ‘ramparts of Brabant’; Bergen in Dutch means mountains or hills and Zoom refers to the border of these ramparts. Bergen op Zoom became a trading city and merchants from all over Europe came to the city to sell their goods. The beautiful historical buildings on the Grote Markt (Market Square) reflect the wealth of the city. The city hall (right) is a late Gothic building, dating back to the year of 1398; several fires put the building to ashes; the current building with its late-Gothic façade, dates from 1611. In front of the town hall stands a statue of ‘Anton van Duinkerken’, a local writer, poet and professor (PiP2). Hotel De Draak (left) is the oldest hotel in the Netherlands and is at least dating back to 1397, when a fire almost burnt down the entire city, but the inn was one of the few buildings which survived. City archives turned into ashes and smoke during this city fire, but experts say that Hotel de Draak was at least 100 years old when the city fire emerged.

In the centre of Oudenbosch - not far away from the impressive basilica: www.ipernity.com/doc/294067/46381994 - is the Big Chapel of the former boys boarding school Instituut Saint Louis . This boarding school was led by the Congregation of the Brothers of Aloysius Gonzaga; better known as the Brothers of Saint Louis. The neo-baroque chapel - modelled after Italian model with some similarities with the Saint Peter in Rome - and its former boarding school complex were built in 1865-1866. The interior is richly decorated and still almost intact with a 30 metres high dome, realised in 1889 (due to the limited opening hours we couldn’t visit the interior of the chapel). In 2008, the Saint Louis Chapel was transferred to a foundation ( Stichting Behoud Cultureel Erfgoed Saint Louis for the preservation of this cultural heritage in Oudenbosch. This foundation wants to ensure that the chapel will be preserved and that it will accommodate social and cultural activities, like concerts and exhibitions. The rest of the institute's buildings are renovated and act as appartments, a senior home and a hotel

The Begijnhof (or officially Catharinabegijnhof Breda ) was first mentioned in 1267, but must have existed some time before that. The beguinage was moved to its current location in the centre of Breda around the year of 1535. In the 19th century, the court was expanded with a second courtyard and the single-nave St Catherine church. The walled complex of the beguinage consists of 29 houses around an herb garden with 300 different kinds of spices and lawn, which was used as bleachfield by the beguines. The last living beguine in the Netherlands - Cornelia Catherina Frijters - died in 1990. The Begijnhof has a small museum, where one gets insight into the living of the beguines. Nowadays the houses around the courtyard can be rented, but still only by single women.

Heusden is located on the river (Bergsche) Maas. The history of the town began around the year 1200 with the establishment of an urban settlement. During the Eighty Years’ War ( Tachtigjarige Oorlog : 1568-1648) against the political and religious hegemony of of Spain, massive fortifications - with earthwork ramparts with bastions, moats and ravelins - were built on the orders of Willem van Oranje . Heusden became an important garrison town with thousands of soldiers. Towards the end of the World War II Heusden was seriously damaged. The fortress has been fully restored since 1968. The restoration of the town was based on the 17th century drawings made by the famous Amsterdam cartographer Joan Blaeu. The city harbour of Heusden was built during the construction of the fortifications after 1580. In 1904 the inner harbour was filled in to create a city park, but in the 1970’s it was restored to its original form. Nowadays it is one of the picturesque corners of Heusen with a white drawbridge and a black postmill (one of three on the ramparts).

The construction of the Grote Kerk or Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Church of Our Lady) started in 1410 and was completed around 1540. The church - covered with natural stone - is built in the Brabantine Gothic style. This is reflected in the gables, high windows and a large number of flying buttresses, as well as many details and decorations. The tower has a height of 97 metres and is one of the finest and richly decorated church towers in the Netherlands. Work on the tower started in 1468 and was finished 38 years later. In the past the church was far more furnished than today. Much was destroyed during the Iconoclastic Fury in 1566 and the occupation of the church by the Protestants. During the Eighty Years' War (1568 - 1648) the church changed various times between protestant and catholic use, to become finally protestant in 1637. The most important chapel in the church is the Prinsenkapel (PiP 2). This Prince Chapel is the old mausoleum of the House of Orange-Nassau. The chapel was built from 1520 until 1525 on orders of the Lord of Breda, Hendrik III van Nassau-Breda . Seventeen family members are buried in the chapel. The church building is free to visit and is nowadays mainly used for concerts, courses, symposia, fairs, fashion shows, school excursions and exhibitions. Nowadays there are about ten church services a year and also regular baptisms, weddings, memorial services and funerals. But the huge building is mainly used for concerts, courses, symposia, fairs, fashion shows, school excursions and exhibitions.