NETHERLANDS GUIDE

HALDERBERGE
Welcome to the heartwarming
municipality of Halderberge
TEXT: EMMA WESSELING | PHOTOS: HALDERBERGE
People often look at Amsterdam or
other centrally located cities when they
think about visiting the Netherlands.
But did you know that the south of this
little country is filled with heartwarming,
peaceful towns that will win you
over in a heartbeat? The Halderberge
municipality is most certainly one such
place, whether you’re just stopping by
for a short visit or intend on staying
long-term.
Halderberge is a small municipality that
comprises villages like Oudenbosch,
Hoeven and Oud Gastel. Located
in the west of Brabant province, it’s
just two short train rides away from
Rotterdam and other central cities. The
name Halderberge symbolises a collective
past of when monks put down the base
for the villages of Gastel, Hoeven and
Oudenbosch in the Sint Bernard abbey.
Stepping into Oudenbosch means
stepping into the Roman-catholic world.
The ambiance of previous centuries can
still be felt in the air and tasted through
the food. A special icon from this time
is the H.H. Agatha and Barbara basilica
that was built between 1865 and 1892.
One of the most striking buildings in
Hoeven has its roots in the time when
Hoeven itself was founded. The building
Bovendonk, currently being used as a
conference centre, was designed by
world renowned architect P.J. Cuypers,
who is very famous for designing the
Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam) among
others. The beautiful, Neo-gothic building
is definitely worth a visit. Bovendonk
was built right on the place where the
48 | Issue 71 | November 2019