Veghel

Veghel is a town in the province of Noord-Brabant, the Netherlands. Since 1994 forming one municipality with the village of Erp[?]. The municipality also comprises the following towns, villages and townships: Boerdonk, Eerde, Keldonk, Mariaheide, Zijtaart. Total population since 2001: 36.387. Tie of friendship with the German city of Goch[?].

History

The first settlements are dating back from Roman times and are founded near the river Aa. Since 1310 an official municipality when duke John II of Brabant gave the inhabitants the right for use of common grounds. Rulers of the municipality were the Lords of Erp, residing at their castle Frisselsteijn in Veghel.

Since 1648 part of the Republic of the Netherlands. As a former part of the duchy of Brabant, Veghel is situated in the Meierij of 's-Hertogenbosch. As a catholic village Veghel suffered economic and religious oppression from the protestant Dutch (as did all the former Brabant and Limburg (Netherlands) areas who came to the Netherlands by the peace of Munster) and belonged to the Dutch millitary boundarie areas. It wasn't until the French wars of 1795 that Veghel became a free village again and was guaranted all common rights by the Dutch government. Since 1810 part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Since the mid 19th century the agrarian village was developing into an industrial village as a result of the new Zuid-Willemsvaart canal. Since that time erection of monumental buildings like the neogothic basilica and the neoclassical city hall. Monastic orders made Veghel into a regional center of health care and education, what it still is.

In 1940 Veghel was occupied by the German troops. With the beginning of operation Market Garden in 1944 Veghel was one of the droppingplaces[?] for airborne airtroops due to the strategical location.

Since the 1950's settling of international companies and a large grow and new development of the industries. Shoppingcenter and marketplace gave Veghel the name Pearl of the Meierij. Educational centre for it's environments with several secondary schools, a senior secondary vocational school and one of the oldest Higher Vocational schools in the area: the Pedagogic academy, which excists since 1872.

Local Festivals

Every November celebration of Sinterklaas, every 1st of September celebrating the harbourfestivals and in February celebration of the traditional carnival.

Showplaces

• neogothic basilica of Sint-Lambertus and graveyard with war graves
• former neorenaissance city hall
• former gothic synagogue
• protestant Waterstaat church
• monastery of the order of the Franciscanessen with gardens and monastrychurch