Oosterhout

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Oosterhout
Municipality
Market square in Oosterhout
Market square in Oosterhout
Flag of Oosterhout
Flag
Coat of arms of Oosterhout
Coat of arms
Location in North Brabant
Location in North Brabant
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Country Netherlands
Province North Brabant
Government[1]
 • Body Municipal council
 • Mayor Stefan Huisman (VVD)
Area[2]
 • Total 73.09 km2 (28.22 sq mi)
 • Land 71.47 km2 (27.59 sq mi)
 • Water 1.62 km2 (0.63 sq mi)
Elevation[3] 5 m (16 ft)
Population (May 2014)[4]
 • Total 53,771
 • Density 752/km2 (1,950/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Oosterhouter
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postcode 4849, 4900–4911
Area code 0162
Website www.oosterhout.nl
File:Oosterhout-plaats-OpenTopo.jpg
Dutch Topographic map of Oosterhout, as per March 2014

Oosterhout (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈoːstərɦʌut]; from ooster, "eastern", and hout, "woods") is a municipality and a city in the southern Netherlands. The municipality had a population of 53,771 in 2014.

Population centers

The municipality of Oosterhout includes the following places:

History

Oosterhout is mentioned for the first time in 1277, although archaeological excavations showed the existence of human settlements in the area in prehistoric times. The Knights Templar had a temple here dedicated to St. John the Baptist. It was home to a castle which later acquired control over the surrounding area, up to Breda and Bergen op Zoom. The castle was destroyed by Spanish troops during the Eighty Years War, in 1573; only a tower of it survives today.

The city became the seat of a flourishing ceramics industry, which lasted until the 19th century. In 1625 the city was besieged by Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, and suffered heavy damage.

Despite the rise of Protestantism, it was home to several Catholic monasteries, including that of the Premonstratensians, which is still active. Oosterhout received city rights in 1809, by will of Louis Bonaparte.

Main sights

  • Slotjes (Castle)
  • Unfinished basilica of St. John. A Romanesque church existed in 1277, but from around 1473 it was rebuilt in the current Gothic style, being finished in 1493. The tower was constructed from 1519 to 1552. It was restored several times in the following centuries.
  • Monastery of St. Catherine, once a castle held by the Knights Hospitaller.
  • Slotbossetoren, destroyed castle

Sport

Oosterhout is home to several sports clubs, for example volleyball club VOKO, football clubs SCO-Tofs, VV Oosterhout, baseball club Twins and hockey club De Warande.

Sport Clubs:

  • VOKO, Volleyball
  • ATV Scorpio, Athletics
  • SCO-Tofs, Football
  • TSC, Football
  • VV Oosterhout, Football
  • De Warande, Hockey
  • OZ&PC De Warande, Swimming and Water polo
  • De Voltreffers, Korfball

Notable residents

References

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External links

  • Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons
  • Official website