Eye-catchers in the great outdoors
Travelling past the most beautiful monuments in North Brabant
North Brabant brings you closer to Van Gogh, the Nassaus and the Marquis, closer to life in a monastery and closer even to Rome. Top monuments located in historic inner cities and in the midst of luscious greenery display the Dutch history of Brabant origin.
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The largest cathedral in the Netherlands
The heart of the Brabant capital city ‘s-Hertogenbosch contains the largest cathedral in the Netherlands. A guided tour brings the stories of the St. John’s Cathedral to life, from war and fire to the Gothic age of Brabant. The immense height of the tower offers a view over the fortified city with its narrow medieval streets and attractive squares that entice you for more than just a quick visit. Climb aboard for a round trip over the narrow waterways of the Binnendieze underground river (April to October) and learn about the master painter Hieronymus Bosch, after whom the city is named, in Het Noordbrabants Museum.
The royal allure of Breda
The current icon of Breda was the mausoleum of the Nassau family in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Grote Kerk (Great Church) is thus the crowning glory of Breda’s royal chapter, with its beautiful frescos, sculptures and gravestones. The Stedelijk Museum offers a glimpse of the noble city history, with on its doorstep a city centre filled with monuments. The former court houses are now the stylish Hotel Nassau, and Nassau castle is now an entrance gate to what has been chosen the best city centre in the Netherlands several times over.
Castles in the Brabant landscape
The expansive countryside of North Brabant holds contains cultural treasures in its castles. With an eventful history of a thousand years, Heeswijk Castle is a real eye-catcher. Visitors can wander through the ancient castle corridors and learn about the power and culture of the Brabant elite while, outdoors, there are miles of paths to follow throughout Heeswijk Estate. This is how the castles in North Brabant attract people to explore the green surroundings. Maurick Castle is located on an island in the Dommel river near ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Near Eindhoven, the Strabrechtse Heide cycle route passes by Heeze Castle. If you can’t seem to get enough of these fairy tale-like castles, there are plenty more to discover in North Brabant! Check out the most beautiful castles here.
An excursion to Rome in Oudenbosch
A Brabant surprise with a touch of Italian awaits you in Oudenbosch. The West Brabant village has a scaled copy (1:16) of Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. The 19th-century masterpiece was designed by architect Pierre Cuypers, also famous for Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum and Central Station. A spiral staircase in the Basilica of Oudenbosch leads to the crest of the dome that is 30 metres high, providing a view of the impressive details of one of the largest architectonic masterpieces in the Netherlands.
Experience monastic life in Brabant
North Brabant has a rich monastic history. You can learn more about by following ten different hiking circuits, each of which will take you past the most beautiful monasteries and abbeys within a maximum of two hours. They are an invitation to slow down, reflect and enjoy. Monuments like Sint Agatha, the oldest inhabited monastery in the Netherlands, play a principal role. But other monastery experiences also contribute, such as beautiful gardens and abbey beer at Berne Abbey in Heeswijk-Dinther and unique dining or staying overnight at the Missieklooster Heilig Bloed (Mission Convent of the Precious Blood) in Aarle-Rixtel.
The tours join up with the pilgrimage Ons Kloosterpad or Monastery Path – a 330-kilometre walking tour split up into 15 stages.
In the footsteps of Van Gogh
North Brabant is where Van Gogh grew from Brabant’s ‘painter boy’ into a world-famous master painter. His story is told by monuments throughout the entire region, such as the Van GoghHuis in his place of birth, Zundert, and the permanent exhibition in the Van Gogh Church in Etten-Leur. As a 13-year-old, Vincent took his first drawing lessons in the Palace of Tilburg. Visitors are taken on a journey through his life at the Van Gogh Village Museum in Nuenen. A unique experience awaits in Eindhoven, where cyclists on the Van Gogh-Roosegaarde cycle path with thousands of small stones that glow in the dark seem to cycle right through his famous work ‘Starry Night’. Van Gogh’s story is best explored via the Van Gogh cycle and walking tours – signposted routes that link the monuments with one another by means of the Brabant landscape.
The oldest city palace in the Netherlands
In the 15th century, the Markiezenhof was the residential palace for the gentlemen and Marquis of Bergen op Zoom. The largest city palace in the Netherlands – one of the most beautiful in Europe – has never lost its charm. The galleries, stately halls and period rooms reveal the story of that time and form the decor for permanent and changing exhibitions. Your visit here is not complete without a stroll through the French garden, ending at the historic centre of this monumental fortified city.
Tips from Locals
What must you not miss in North Brabant? Our locals know the area better than anyone else. They give you the best tips.