750 years of Oudenbosch and 750 years of Oud Gastel

Besides Amsterdam, a number of other municipalities are celebrating their 750th anniversary this year. In this blog, those are Oudenbosch and Oud Gastel. Perhaps you have never been to Oudenbosch. We paid a visit just before Pope Francis passed away. A restaurateur from Oudenbosch told me that busloads of tourists visit the Basilica of Saints Agatha and Barbara. Certainly at least 70.000 visitors a year, so it is nice that they can eat and drink at our restaurant opposite the basilica. Oudenbosch has a train station where the sprinter between Dordrecht and Roosendaal stops. After that, all of Oudenbosch's attractions are within walking distance. Will you travel with us?

Halderberge

Halderberge is a municipality in North Brabant. The municipality has 31.183 inhabitants (November 22, 2024, source: CBS). The municipality was formed on January 1, 1997, from the merger of the municipalities of Hoeven, Oudenbosch, and Oud en Nieuw Gastel. This was the result of the municipal reorganization in the province of North Brabant.

The centers of Halderberge consist of Bosschenhoofd, Hoeven, Oud Gastel, Oudenbosch (town hall), and Stampersgat.

Oudenbosch

Oudenbosch is a town in North Brabant. It is located not far from Etten-Leur and Roosendaal.

Oudenbosch is best known for the large Basilica of Saints Agatha and Barbara, built between 1865 and 1892. The design is inspired by two churches in Rome. The basilica's dome is a (scaled-down) copy of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, and the facade is a copy of the facade of St. John Lateran. If a new pope is elected in Rome, this is also visible at this church. White smoke emerges from the church's chimney, and the bells are rung. Additionally, the Vatican flag is hoisted. Upon the death of a pope, the Vatican flag is flown at half-mast at the church during the novemdiales, and a condolence register can be signed inside the church. Oudenbosch is a former hamlet and former municipality; the municipality merged into the municipality of Halderberge in 1997. The town hall of Halderberge is located in Oudenbosch.

In 1975, Oudenbosch celebrated its 700th anniversary. Who lived to see this jubilee?

Economic activity was greatly boosted after 1860 by the flourishing sugar industry in West Brabant. Three sugar factories were established in Oudenbosch, providing employment to many. These were closed again in the early 20th century. These were the NV Nederlandsche Beetwortelsuikerfabriek (1862-1902), Amunda (1866-1916), and Marie Cateau (1872-1917). A total of 690 people worked there. Related employment also emerged, such as the Soethoudt company, which sharpened the blades of the beet cutting mills. As many as 3000 ships docked in the harbor annually during the second half of the 19th century. The Oudenbosch breweries, such as Fortuijn and Den Anker, benefited from the busy passenger traffic, which, moreover, filled the municipal coffers thanks to beer excise duties. However, the last brewery was closed in 1948. The lively trade in brushwood and grain also provided a livelihood for many. After the Second World War, the major problem of the structural shortage of employment could be tackled. Thanks to government policy aimed at the regional distribution of jobs, the municipal administration was able to pursue an active policy.

Industrial estates were laid out and industrial halls constructed, attracting various companies. In the years 1953–1956, Oudenbosch benefited from the additional facilities granted by the national government to stimulate industrialization. Furthermore, provisions were established to improve the living environment, such as accommodations in the socio-cultural sector. Although Oudenbosch's standard of living rose, it was not spared from setbacks. The beginning of the twentieth century brought the downfall of the sugar factories, which fell victim to the centralization of this industry. The tree nurseries suffered heavy losses during the First World War, when exports to various markets stagnated. Much land was then taken into use for horticulture, a sector that has since acquired an important place in the agricultural sector.

The Oudenbossche Ruiterdagen is an event in Oudenbosch where riders can participate in dressage competitions in various classes, from B to ZZ-L. The event traditionally takes place on the grounds of Hunter Douglas. In addition to the competitions, there is also a children's village with pony riding, bouncy castles, and other activities for children.

Basilica of Sts. Agatha and Barbara

Basilica of Saints Agatha and Barbara: Overview of the north facade and choir side with dome. Photo: R. Koch.

The dome of the Basilica bears a strong resemblance to the dome of St. Peter's in Rome, and much has been copied on the inside as well. Two statues have been taken from St. Peter's: Michelangelo's Pietà is cast from mortar, and the statue of Peter is made of natural stone, whereas in St. Peter's it is bronze. The canopy above the altar is also a copy of Bernini's canopy. Even copies of paintings from the Sistine Chapel have been applied to the vaults of the left transept.

Pastor Willem Hellemons commissioned the construction of the church to replace the Gothic St. Agatha Church in Oudenbosch, which stood 200 meters to the east, where the Old Cemetery is now located. Hellemons had studied in Rome and had been impressed by the ecclesiastical architecture there. As a lasting memorial to the Papal Zouaves, a statue has been erected in the forecourt in front of the basilica. The statue, erected in 1911, depicts Pope Pius IX with a dying Zouave.

PJH Cuypers (1827 – 1921) – The Complete Works (2007).

Although the parish priest in charge of the construction had an aversion to Gothic and Neo-Gothic architecture, it was precisely P.J.H. Cuypers, the quintessential architect of Neo-Gothicism, who was commissioned to design the new church. Cuypers traveled to Rome for this purpose to study St. Peter's Basilica in particular. He adopted the dome from St. Peter's Basilica, as well as the forms of the interior, but the facade is that of St. John Lateran.

The building has a cruciform shape of broad units, with a nave with two side aisles, the central part of the dome with a transept on the east and west sides, the forechurch or apse, and the vestibule, or a small narthex.

Dome taken from the inside. Photo: R. Koch.

The basilica is 81 meters long, 55 meters wide, and the highest point of the dome is 63 meters. There is one large dome (22,5 meters in diameter and 51 meters high) and various smaller domes. The dome can be climbed via a narrow staircase, allowing visitors to view the paintings on the inside of the dome up close. Descending the dome staircase leads to the shop. This staircase is entirely masonry, with a small vaulted arch beneath each step. A Latin inscription stands beneath the dome: YOU ARE PETER, AND UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH. I WILL GIVE YOU THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. (You are Peter, and on this Rock I will build My Church. To You I will give the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven). The text is taken from the Gospel according to Matthew 16:18 and it is a copy of the inscription under the dome of St. Peter's.

At the top of the dome with a diameter of 22,5 meters, via a spiral staircase with 144 steps. Photo: R. Koch.

Oudenbosch Station

The station building from 1854 is the second oldest still existing in the Netherlands. Valkenburg Station opened one year earlier. Sprinters in the directions of Roosendaal and Dordrecht stop there. Facilities include: an unguarded bicycle parking area, bicycle lockers, car parking spaces, and a taxi stand. There is also a public toilet available and OV-bikes can be rented. The NS ticket counter closed on February 14, 2003. Tickets are sold via a ticket machine and there are poles for the OV-chipkaart. Furthermore, there is a bus stop for buses towards Breda, Klundert, Nispen, and Oud Gastel. The number of passengers transported by NS (per average workday) amounts to 1022 passengers in 2024.

Traveling was still a arduous undertaking at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Time-consuming, full of risks and difficulties. Until the railways arrived. Oudenbosch received a train connection and a station early on. It is, with one exception, the oldest train station in the Netherlands. It was therefore strategically located between Rotterdam and Antwerp. Partly thanks to the station, Oudenbosch was able to become a gathering place for the Papal Zouaves. These were the soldiers who defended the national borders of the Vatican.

Oudenbosch Station (2025): See the differences compared to the historical photo. Photo: R. Koch.

Zouaven

The Papal Zouaves (older Dutch: zouaven) (Italian: Zuavi Pontifici) were, following the example of the French Zouaves, an infantry unit of the Papal States (1861-1870), established in response to internal instability and the Risorgimento, the movement that sought to unite Italy, traditionally divided into larger and smaller states and principalities, into a single Italian state.

Zouave Museum Oudenbosch with original Zouave uniforms. Photo: R. Koch.

During the Risorgimento, the Papal States were threatened by military and guerrilla attacks led by Victor Emmanuel II, King of Sardinia, and his ally Giuseppe Garibaldi, a liberal and nationalist who sought the separation of church and state. Internal instability also posed a major threat to the continued existence of the Papal States. In the revolutionary year of 1848, there were uprisings that led to a short-lived Roman Republic (1849).

French armies then helped the Pope regain the saddle, but the problems persisted. To counter these threats, called Pope Pius IX in 1860 called upon the entire Catholic world to send young, unmarried men to serve as volunteers in this army unit. The Papal Zouaves, together with the Swiss Guard, formed the army of the Papal States.

On the Basilica Square, you can also see the monument to the Zouaves; these were soldiers who defended the territory of the Vatican. You see a Zouave receiving the blessing of Pope Pius IX. Photo: R. Koch.

Old Gaste

Oud Gastel is a village in the municipality of Halderberge. Surrounding places are Stampersgat, Oudenbosch, Roosendaal, and Kruisland. Before the municipal reorganization of 1997, Oud Gastel, together with Stampersgat, formed the municipality of Oud en Nieuw Gastel.

The name Gastel is probably derived from -gestel: high ground between two watercourses. The village's territory is nestled between the rivers Mark and Vliet and was perhaps entirely, or at least largely, formed by and from these rivers. In addition to Oud Gastel, there was also Nieuw Gastel. This was situated north of Oud Gastel on the Dintel in the polder area. It was lost to floods in the 16th century, shortly after its founding.

The village of Oud Gastel is a linear village; its length (south-north) is 4 km, while its width is considerably less (east-west 1 km). The main streets are the Roosendaalsebaan, Moleneind, Kerkstraat, Markt, Dorpsstraat, Rijpersweg, and Veerkensweg. The tram line from Roosendaal to Willemstad formerly ran through these streets. The buildings on the western side of this street are built against a dike on the boundary between sand and clay. At some points, the difference in height is 1 meter. The closer to the church, the greater the difference becomes. Thanks to Peter Janssen for the franking machine stamps. See www.frankeerstempel.nl for more information.