Destinations historiques

Nassau City of Breda Breda may be historic in outlook, but the inhabitants conduct their active daily lives with a modern down-to-earth approach – against a gorgeous historical backdrop. The Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Church of our Lady) is the most important monument and a landmark of Breda that can be admired from almost every place in the city. Breda has been voted best city centre in the Netherlands, with plenty of pavement cafes, trendy restaurants and excellent shopping. The so-called ´Spanjaardsgat´ reminds visitors of the time Breda was in hands of the Spaniards. The Breda Castle shows the historical relation between Breda and the home of Oranje Nassau. The ancestors of the Dutch Royal Family, the Nassaus, were of great importance for the city.

Together with St. John’s Cathedral in ’s-Hertogenbosch, the Grote Kerk church in Breda and the Markiezenhof in Bergen op Zoom, Kasteel Heeswijk is one of the four official Top Monuments in Brabant. You can experience the chequered history of almost one thousand years of power, pride and culture of the elite of Brabant, all prominently located in the River Aa valley close to ’s-Hertogenbosch. The castle is also the Nature Gateway to Brabant and is encircled by the Heeswijk Estate where you can spend some relaxing time among beautiful countryside. Come and enjoy this imposing monument weekly from Tuesdays to Sundays. ‘Bij de Barones’ is the place for visitors to the castle and estate to enjoy coffee, lunch or drinks in beautiful historic surroundings!

’s-Hertogenbosch is one of the oldest medieval cities in the Netherlands. The maze of narrow medieval streets and alleyways can be explored on foot. Another option is to marvel at the picturesque bridges and perfectly preserved historical buildings from a small boat: admire Den Bosch from its waterways, the Binnendieze. You will gain an entirely different perspective floating beneath the walls of the fortified city. When you visit the capital city of Brabant, make sure that the Den Bosch delicacy is on your menu. Find a table at one of the many outdoor cafes and order a ‘Bossche Bol’ (chocolate ball) with your coffee. The Korte Putstraat in the historical city centre is a street known across the country for offering culinary treats in a variety of cuisines. Throughout the year, all the eateries have extensive outdoor seating areas. You will find two museums in the middle of the city, the Noordbrabants Museum and the Design Museum Den Bosch. Together, they form the Museum Quarter, already dubbed ‘the Dutch branch of the Guggenheim’. The lovely Sint-Janskathedraal on the corner of the Parade impresses through its size and enormous wealth of sculptures.

Het Noordbrabants Museum collects art and other objects which are related to the art, history and culture of North Brabant and the Southern Netherlands. The museum collection contains more than 30,000 objects, such as paintings, prints, drawings, textile, coins and medals, glass, silver, craft work and archaeological and typical objects from Brabant.