Hilvarenbeek (Dutch pronunciation: [ɦɪlˌvaːrə(m)ˈbeːk] ) is a municipality and a town in the south of the Netherlands, along the border with Belgium.

Hilvarenbeek
Former brewery now museum in Hilvarenbeek
Former brewery now museum in Hilvarenbeek
Flag of Hilvarenbeek
Coat of arms of Hilvarenbeek
Highlighted position of Hilvarenbeek in a municipal map of North Brabant
Location in North Brabant
Coordinates: 51°29′N 5°8′E / 51.483°N 5.133°E / 51.483; 5.133
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceNorth Brabant
Government
 • BodyMunicipal council
 • MayorHarrie Nuijten (acting) (PvdA)
Area
 • Total96.51 km2 (37.26 sq mi)
 • Land94.85 km2 (36.62 sq mi)
 • Water1.66 km2 (0.64 sq mi)
Elevation18 m (59 ft)
Population
 (January 2021)[3]
 • Total15,698
 • Density166/km2 (430/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
5080–5089
Area code013
Websitewww.hilvarenbeek.nl

The biggest tourist attraction is called Beekse Bergen, consisting of a safari park, amusement park/playground, holiday bungalow park, and camping parks.

In the centre of the town the Sint-Petrus'-Banden is a Gothic church from the 14th and 15th centuries. The tower is a highlight of the Kempen Gothic.

Population centres

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The municipality of Hilvarenbeek also includes the following villages with their own churches:

In addition, the following parts were historically separate, but are nowadays more like neighbourhoods:

  • Beerten
  • Driehuizen
  • Dun
  • Gorp
  • Groenstraat
  • Groot Loo
  • Grote Voort
  • Hoog Spul
  • Hoogeind
  • Klein Loo
  • Kleine Voort
  • Laag Spul
  • Rovert
  • Slibbroek
  • Westerwijk

Topography

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Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Hilvarenbeek, June 2015.

Notable people

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J G Becanus
  • Johannes Goropius Becanus (1519 in Gorp – 1573) a Dutch physician, linguist, and humanist
  • Martinus Becanus (1563 in Hilvarenbeek – 1624) a Jesuit priest, theologian and controversialist.[4]
  • Jacques Thomassen (born 1945 in Diessen) a Dutch organizational theorist and academic
  • Henny Vrienten (born 1948 in Hilvarenbeek – 2022) a Dutch composer of TV and film scores [5]
  • Annie Abrahams (born 1954 in Hilvarenbeek) a Dutch performance artist in video installations and the internet
  • Henk Baars (born 1960 in Diessen) a former professional Dutch cyclo-cross cyclist
  • Ronald van Raak (born 1969 in Hilvarenbeek) a Dutch politician, non-fiction writer and former academic
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References

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  1. ^ "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2020" [Key figures for neighbourhoods 2020]. StatLine (in Dutch). CBS. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Postcodetool for 5081CA". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  4. ^ O'Loughlin, Francis D. (1907). "Martin Becan" . Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2.
  5. ^ IMDb Database retrieved 08 February 2020
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