Historical destinations

Basilica Oudenbosch of the Holy Agatha and Barbara A hidden gem in the Western part of North Brabant. This church is unlike any other church in the Netherlands. Just like the center of Oudenbosch, where the church is located, it’s inspired by Roman architecture. The church and historical center around it are worth the visit. In the Oudenbosch Basilica and the museums surrounding it you’ll discover the special connection that Oudenbosch has with Rome and Vatican city.

With its picturesque streets, age-old buildings, many studios and galleries, unique shops and top restaurants, the charming town of Heusden is a great destination for lovers of art, culture, history and good cuisine. After painstaking restoration works the town received Europe’s highest restoration award, the “Europa Nostra”. Come and discover why visitors from over the whole world visit Heusden, and why locals love to stop over in the town during one of the many walking or cycling tours that are possible in the green surroundings.

These days the vibrant cultural climate and student population make the town highly inviting and fully future-proof. The quays, the water and the pier in the Piushaven are a lively stage for an array of events and activities. Every week at 013, you can enjoy live concerts, dance and club evenings and festivals late into the night. Tilburg was an important city for the Dutch textile industry. You can learn all about it at the TextielMuseum. And there is more. In the accompanying TextielLab, national and international designers, architects, artists and students discover endless possibilities in relation to yarns, the latest techniques and traditional crafts. And do not forget to visit De Pont Museum. The museum is located in a former wool mill and offers contemporary visual art from 1988. The collection includes more than 600 works of art from more than 60 national and internationally renowned artists.

Brabant is Vincent van Gogh’s homeland (1853 - 1890). Van Gogh’s masterpieces are scattered throughout the world, but their roots are in Brabant. Here is where Van Gogh produced his first masterpiece ‘The Potato Eaters’. To this day, Vincent’s footsteps can be traced in places like Zundert, Nuenen, Tilburg, Etten-Leur and ’s-Hertogenbosch. You can see the house where he was born, his young brother’s grave, his art class at school, the parsonage and several churches where his father worked. Nuenen is a historical village that offers a walking tour along 23 locations related to his work. The Noordbrabants Museum in ‘s-Hertogenbosch houses original works by Van Gogh in ‘The Story of Brabant’.