Gemert-Bakel

Gemert -Bakel is a Dutch village in the south of the country in the province of North Brabant. It has 29 088 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2013) and an area of ​​123.36 km ².

The municipality was created in 1997 by the merger of the previously independent municipalities Gemert (which is the largest district and is the administrative headquarters ), Bakel and Milheeze.

Places

In parentheses are the approximate number of inhabitants (as of January 2007).

  • Gemert ( 14,700 )
  • Bakel ( 5600)
  • Milheeze (2000)
  • De Rips (1100)
  • Elsendorp (1000)
  • Trade ( 1850)

Location and economic

Traffic

Gemert -Bakel borders in the south to the city of Helmond; Eindhoven is located 20 kilometers (km) south-west, 34 km north-northeast of Nijmegen and Amsterdam, 102 km north-west (all figures in a straight line from Gemert to the respective city centers).

The next highway exits are located in the south near Someren at the A67/E34, in the east at Boxmeer at the A73/E73 and in the west at the Best of the A2/E25.

In Helmond, Deurne, Eindhoven, Best, Venray, Boxmeer are the nearest train stations; Bus connections there are, inter alia, with Helmond, Uden and Eindhoven. In Eindhoven and Rotterdam airports are of more regional significance.

Economy

In the industrial area north-east of the village center Gemerter is the headquarters of a major factory that manufactures plastic roofing and other building materials. In addition, there are many small-scale enterprises. Agriculture, including pig farms, is very important in the community. Tourism also is becoming increasingly important. The village contains many commuters who have jobs in the surrounding cities to live.

History

The territory of the former municipalities of Bakel and Milheeze was, as is evident from archaeological finds, already roams around 10,000 BC by people. Also, some coins and parts of a soldiers equipment were found from the Roman period. The village of Bakel was first mentioned in 714 urkündlich. The name is from baka -lo for " sand ridge " or " forest " (compare English back, " back " ), have arisen.

It soon developed here a devotion to St. Willibrord, the soon a church was consecrated. In the village trade was in 1368 under the influence of prevailing in Gemert Teutonic Order today still living tradition of pilgrimage to the local Church of Our Lady. In the 16th century was added a second destination for pilgrims: the ( until about 1960, especially when they are designated as gypsy people ) popular Chapel of St.. Mary Magdalene of Esdonk.

Unlike Gemert itself, the other places came to the Peace of Westphalia of 1648, under the Dutch, so Calvinist rule. The result was that the Roman Catholic faith was forbidden until 1804. The Catholics, who still constitute the majority of the population, had only a so-called Schuilkerk available. This is an illegal, disguised as another building church. In the 19th century, this discrimination ended.

Most people in this whole area were until about 1920 turf cutters and peasants who had only a meager existence because of the barren moors and sandy soils. From about 1875 became a part of the moor the Peel partly in wood ( for timber production ), converted to some extent in fields and meadows. The application of fertilizer after the 2nd World War contributed significantly to the improvement of the situation of the farmers. As part of the reclamation settlement De Rips built around 1875 to a farm of the same name, and in 1910 Elsendorp, named after a former pastor. The core of the Peel preserved as a nature reserve.

Attractions

  • The castle on the western edge of Gemert was built by the Knights of the Teutonic Order; in the summer organized from time to castle tours VVV ( the Tourist Office).
  • Built in 1695, small chapel in Esdonk ( 3 km west of Commerce, 3 km northwest of Gemert ) is a pilgrimage of Saint Mary Magdalene. But even a picture of the deceased Christ, which is considered to be miraculous, is worshiped. People who suffer from skin diseases, sacrifice not only prayers but also rusty nails.
  • The Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary in trade every year is still visited by many pilgrims.
  • Dating back to the 15th century Willibrordiskirche in Bakel.
  • In Bakel and Milheeze are remarkable windmills.
  • The St. John's Church in Gemert.
  • The forest, moorland and heath areas, including Stippelberg at De Rips, and around the nature reserve De Groote Peel.
Statistics Netherlands Telephone numbers in the Netherlands As the crow flies A67 motorway (Netherlands) Best, Netherlands Deurne, North Brabant Teutonic Knights Calvinism Clandestine church Jesus Aalburg Alphen-Chaam Asten, Netherlands Baarle-Nassau Bergeijk Bernheze Bladel Boekel Boxtel Breda Cranendonck Cuijk Dongen Drimmelen Eersel Etten-Leur Geertruidenberg Goirle Grave, North Brabant Haaren, North Brabant Halderberge Hilvarenbeek Laarbeek Landerd Loon op Zand Maasdonk Mill en Sint Hubert Oirschot Oisterwijk Oosterhout Roosendaal Rucphen Schijndel Sint-Oedenrode Son en Breugel Steenbergen Tilburg Valkenswaard Veghel Veldhoven Vught Waalre Waalwijk Woensdrecht Woudrichem
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