Refresh Magazine

Breda city 1252 - 2017
BREDA'S
MANY SURPRISING
FACETS
Breda is granted town privileges
At the end of the 12 th century, a fortress was
built on the site where two small rivers converged.
The fortress offered protection to those who
lived in the area, and the settlement slowly
grew into a town. In 1252, Breda was granted
town privileges. In the early 14 th century,
medieval Breda evolved into a small city with
wooden houses, narrow streets, alleyways,
masses of people in close quarters and animals
roaming free.
All sorts of tradespeople worked inside the city
walls. During the 14 th century, Breda had an
estimated population of 2,700.
Church and castles
Nothing is as eye-catching as the city's main
Church of our Lady. This church had been a
work in progress for decades when construction
on the characteristic tower began in 1468.
Reaching 97 metres into the sky, the eye-catching
tower was fully completed in 1509. It took until
1547 to finish the church in its entirety.
The interior of the church is stunning and
continues to attract visitors in droves.
The fortress from the 12 th century gradually
turned into a castle. During the 16 th century,
it changed shape once again, this time into a
palace in the heart of Breda, inspired by Italian
architecture. It took on a new function in 1828:
Koninklijke Militaire Academie (Royal Military
Academy). The Academy occupies the building
to this day. The city has another striking castle:
Castle Bouvigne, an important historic
monument on the outskirts of Breda. A stone
house with a moat slightly south of Breda is
first mentioned in documents from 1554.
Through the ages, the structure has often been
rebuilt, changed owners and even narrowly
escaped the demolition hammer. It is now the
property of Waterschap Brabantse Delta (the
Brabant Delta water district) and an official
wedding location in Breda.
War and a world-famous tactic
During the Eighty Years' War (1568 - 1648),
the war of Netherlands independence from
Spain, Breda was frequently in the line of fire.
Maurice, Prince of Orange, concocted a
now-famous tactic whilst Breda was under Spanish
control in 1590. A group of approximately
70 soldiers hid in a barge carrying peat (which
was used for fuel) into the city. The ship moored
at the castle and the brave soldiers attacked in
the middle of the night at just the right moment,
drove out the occupiers and captured the city.
This did not signal the end of the battle, however.
The city went back and forth between Spanish
and Dutch control. For example, the city fell
back into Spanish hands in 1625 following a
lengthy siege. The Spanish painter Diego
Velazquez's 'The Surrender of Breda' depicts
the moment of surrender. The painting is on
display in the Prado museum in Madrid.
After the 1625 capture, the Spaniards destroyed
every reminder of the peat barge ruse: not only
the ship itself, but also documents in the city
archives.
Fleeing
If we take a giant leap forward in history, we
find ourselves in May 1940. Two days after
Germany invaded the Netherlands, the citizens
of Breda were called to leave the city.
This evacuation was referred to as 'De Vlucht'
('The Flight'). The 50,000 Breda residents left
the city in a hurry. A large number of them
returned within a few days; however, by the
end of May it turned out that 4,800 residents
were missing. Massive searches were organised
with assistance from the German occupier.
It took until February 1941 for the great
majority of residents who had fled to return
to Breda. A statue in Valkenberg Park near the
castle commemorates this event. There are
numerous other monuments and memorial
sites in the city, for example to honour Polish
soldiers. On 29 October 1944, Polish soldiers
liberated Breda from the German occupier.
During the battles, hundreds of Polish were
killed and many of them, including General
Maczek, were laid to rest in the Polish military
cemetery. There is a museum named after this
general in Breda, too. Breda also has a Polish
Monument and a Polish Chapel.
Perfect host
Some of the impressive history can be seen in
the Stedelijk Museum Breda, which officially
opens in spring. The museum is a collaboration
between Breda's Museum and the MOTI
(Museum of the Image). Together, they form
a museum for cultural heritage, the history of
Breda and contemporary visual culture.
Which brings us to the city's attractions.
In 1965, the historic port was filled in. For the
sake of bringing back ambiance in the historic
downtown area, the district council decided to
let water once again flow through the city
centre. The project was completed in 2007.
Breda's historic atmosphere was partially
restored. Conversely, the city also features
feats of modern architecture. After years of
demolition, redesign and construction, the
new railway station officially opened in 2016.
It is much more spacious and offers travellers
more comfort. Breda finally has the longawaited
connection to Antwerp. The Mezz
concert venue is a mix of old and new.
This crowd puller unites the historic Breda
officers' mess with striking modern architecture.
Mezz is the perfect host for hundreds of bands
and events.
Festival of photography
One eye-catching event and bona fide attraction
is RedHeadDays. The name says it all: an event
just for those with red hair, but other hair colours
are welcome, too. Every year, thousands of
red-headed people from all over the world
(80 countries) congregate in Breda.
One of the highlights is the traditional group
photo. The 2016 edition featured nearly 2,000
people. Speaking of photos: BredaPhoto is an
innovative event held every two years.
Exhibitions, workshops, guided tours and
lectures are offered throughout the entire city.
People call it 'the festival of photography'.
The next edition will be held 5 - 11 September
2018.
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