Tilburg

Tilburg is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of North Brabant. As of January 2, 2024, it has a population of 229,833 people, making it the second-largest city in North Brabant after Eindhoven and the seventh-largest in the whole country.

Important schools such as Tilburg University, Avans University of Applied Sciences, and Fontys University of Applied Sciences are based in Tilburg. The city has three railway stations to help people travel easily: Tilburg, Tilburg Universiteit, and Tilburg Reeshof.

One exciting part of Tilburg is the "Spoorzone" area. This 75-hectare (185-acre) space was once a train maintenance yard for Dutch Railways. Now, the city is changing it into a lively urban zone around Tilburg Central station.

History

Little is known about the early days of Tilburg. The name Tilliburg first appeared in records from the year 709, but then it wasn’t mentioned again for many years. During the later Middle Ages, Tilburg referred to a wider area rather than just one town or village. One of the small villages was called “Eastern Tilburg,” later known as Oisterwijk.

In the 14th century, Tilburg became known as a manor, along with a nearby place called Goirle. Over time, different noble families controlled Tilburg. In the 15th century, a leader named Jan van Haestrecht built Tilburg Castle. The castle was torn down in 1858 to make way for a factory, but a copy of its base was made in 1995 after the factory was removed.

Tilburg became an official city in 1809, with around 9,000 people living there. In 2009, the city celebrated 200 years as a city.

Tilburg grew around places where roads met, forming triangle shapes that were used as grazing areas for sheep. The wool from these sheep was woven into textiles, and by the 17th century, about 300 homes had looms for weaving. By 1881, Tilburg had 145 wool mills, making it famous for wool products. After World War II, Tilburg stayed important for wool, but by the 1980s, the wool industry declined.

In the 1980s, old wool factory sites were turned into housing areas. Tilburg also built some tall buildings, including the Westpoint Tower, which was the tallest residential building in the Netherlands until another was built in Rotterdam.

King William II liked Tilburg very much and helped improve the area by supporting sheep farming and building new farms. He also planned to build a palace there as his country home, but it was finished just after he passed away in 1849. Today, the palace is part of Tilburg City Hall.

Topography

Tilburg Centrum

Tilburg Centrum is the downtown area of Tilburg. It is located between several roads and contains many shops, hotels, restaurants, and cafes. In 2008, a new public square called Pieter Vreedeplein was opened to give the city more shopping space. This area is connected to the rest of the city by Tilburg railway station.

Oud-Noord

Oud-Noord is north of the railway tracks that cross Tilburg. It has many homes and includes a modern art museum called De Pont. Part of the old railway area is being turned into a new space for Fontys University of Applied Sciences and a central library.

Oud-Zuid

Oud-Zuid is south of downtown Tilburg and has many tall buildings. It includes important places like a music venue and a theater built in 1961. The area also has a main square with a library and a park.

Noord

Tilburg-Noord is north of a canal and was built between 1966 and 1974. It has many apartment buildings and streets named after musicians. There is a shopping area called Wagnerplein, and some parts of the district are still used for farming.

Oost

Tilburg-oost is mainly an industrial area with only a few homes. It is not considered part of the city center.

Zuid

Tilburg-Zuid is the southernmost part of the city. It has homes, businesses, a football club called Willem II, and a large public park. Fontys University of Applied Sciences and a hospital are also located here.

West

Tilburg-west was built after World War II and has many small houses and schools. It includes Tilburg University and another university called Avans. There is a large shopping area and a hospital here as well.

Reeshof

The Reeshof is the newest and westernmost part of Tilburg. It became the largest district by population. The first homes were built in 1980, and new neighborhoods are still being built. The area has a railway station and includes a nature project with cattle grazing in a protected area.

Villages of Berkel-Enschot, Biezenmortel, and Udenhout

See also: Berkel-Enschot, Biezenmortel, and Udenhout

Demographics

Tilburg had a population of around 222,601 in July 2021. Some people in Tilburg come from outside the Netherlands, making up about 23.3% of the population.

Different groups of people live in Tilburg, including those who follow the Roman Catholic faith, those who do not believe in any religion like Atheism, and others who follow Dutch Reformed or Islam beliefs.

Geography

Climate

Tilburg has an oceanic climate, which is common throughout the Netherlands. This means the weather is generally mild with plenty of rain. Western Brabant, where Tilburg is located, experiences thunderstorms more frequently than any other part of the Netherlands, with up to 31 thunderstorm days each year.

Economy

Tilburg used to be known for making wool, but since the 1960s, the city has grown in many different ways. The government helped Tilburg grow new industries to keep the city strong. Today, big companies like IFF, Fujifilm, Interpolis, and Iris Ohyama have offices or factories there. Even Tesla builds cars in Tilburg.

Tilburg is also a key place for moving goods around. Because it is in the middle of the Benelux countries and close to big cities like Antwerp and Rotterdam, many companies use Tilburg for their logistics and services. The area around Waalwijk and Tilburg is one of the best places in the Netherlands for this work.

Education

Tilburg is a place where many students come to learn. Tilburg University is a big school with about 13,000 students, and many of them come from other countries. The university teaches in both Dutch and English and is known for its good work in learning and studying.

Another school in Tilburg is the Fontys School of Fine and Performing Arts, where students can learn about music, art, dance, and theater. This school is part of a larger group called Fontys Hogescholen and is located in a special building called 'Kunstkluster' in the middle of the city.

Culture and recreation

Tilburg is part of special programs run by groups in Europe.

Beverages

Schrobbelèr is a special drink from Tilburg. It is sweet and has less alcohol than many other drinks. People enjoy it cold, often during festivals. Another drink is Peerke's Nat, which has more alcohol and is sold in small bottles. The Koningshoeven Brewery makes a type of beer called trappist beer.

Open air art

Tilburg has many artworks shown outside in public places. One famous example is a turning house on a roundabout, built in 2008.

Festival city, music

Tilburg holds many music festivals, like Incubate and the Roadburn Festival. There are places where people can listen to different kinds of music, from pop to jazz.

Museums

Tilburg has many museums. De Pont shows modern art, and there is a museum about textiles. There is also a museum about nature with many animals, plants, and rocks. The Tilburg City Museum changes its displays and tells stories about the city's history.

Parks and Forests

Tilburg has many parks and forests where people can relax. Leijpark and Reeshofpark are two of the biggest parks. The city also has several forests and a nearby national park with sandy dunes.

Sports

Tilburg has teams for many sports. The local football team is Willem II. There are also teams for field hockey, ice skating, and ice hockey. In 2024, the city started a new club for a sport called bandy.

Attractions

Near Tilburg is a famous amusement park called The Efteling. Inside the city is a small zoo called Zoo De Oliemeulen, where visitors can see over 1,000 different animals.

Transport

Tilburg has three railway stations: Tilburg (Centraal), Tilburg Universiteit and Tilburg Reeshof. The main station, Tilburg (Centraal), is where intercity trains stop. There are plans for a fourth station in Berkel-Enschot, which is part of Tilburg.

The city has many buses run by Arriva. In the past, children and people aged 55 and older could ride for free for a few years. Tilburg also has many paths for bicycles called Sternet-Routes. The first path was built in 1975, and many more have been added since then.

Tilburg is connected to other cities by the A58 / E312 motorway. There are also important roads to Waalwijk and 's-Hertogenbosch, though they can get busy.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Netherlands

Tilburg has friendly partnerships with cities in several countries. These include:

• Changzhou in China
• Lublin in Poland
• Matagalpa in Nicaragua
• Minamiashigara in Japan
• Same in Tanzania
• Zemun in Serbia
• Taksony in Hungary

These partnerships help the cities work together and share ideas.

Notable people from Tilburg

The arts

• Gerard van Spaendonck and Cornelis van Spaendonck were Dutch painters.
• Joseph August Knip and Henriëtte Geertruida Knip were also painters.
• Vincent van Gogh went to school in Tilburg and learned painting there.
• Ludolph Berkemeier was a painter of landscapes and city scenes.
• Bernardus Weber was a sculptor and artist.
• Theo l' Herminez was a painter who changed from impressionism to realism.
• Frans de Kok was a musician who led the Dutch entry in the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest.
• Theo van de Sande works as a cinematographer.
• Ruud Janssen is known for his work in fluxus and mail art.
• Leonard Retel Helmrich is a cinematographer and film director.
• Arjen Anthony Lucassen is a singer and songwriter with bands like Ayreon and Star One.
• Marc-Marie Huijbregts is a comedian, actor, and TV host.
• Richard Rijnvos is a composer.
• Guus Meeuwis is a singer-songwriter who studied at Tilburg University.
• Ruud Jolie is the lead guitarist for the band Within Temptation.
• Tarik Azzougarh, known as Cilvaringz, is a rapper linked to the Wu-Tang Clan.
• Joris Oprins is an animation director.
• Floor Jansen is a singer with the band Nightwish.
• Daan Janzing is a producer and guitarist for the band My Favorite Scar.
• Firebeatz is an EDM duo made up of Tim Benjamin Smulders and Jurre van Doeselaar.
• Bassjackers is another Dutch EDM duo.
• Maxim Anokhin, known as Limewax, is a music producer and DJ who moved to Tilburg when he was 11.

Public thinking & public service

• Bl. Peerke Donders was a missionary who cared for people with leprosy and was recognized for his work.
• Franciscus Janssens was the 76th General Abbot of the Common Observance.
• Carl Romme was a Dutch politician and lawyer.
• Norbert Schmelzer was a politician, diplomat, economist, and minister.
• Ernst Hirsch Ballin is a former politician and lawyer living in Tilburg.
• Henk Krol is a journalist, publisher, entrepreneur, and politician.
• Yvonne van Rooy is a former politician, diplomat, and businesswoman.
• Roger van Boxtel is a former politician and now the CEO of Dutch Railways.

Science & business

• Franciscus Donders was a Dutch eye doctor.
• Eduard Jan Dijksterhuis studied the history of science.
• Bart le Blanc works in economics, banking, and asset management.
• Henri Termeer was a leader in biotechnology.
• Jozien Bensing is a psychologist and academic.
• Marc van Roosmalen is a scientist who studies primates.
• Marijn Dekkers was the CEO of Bayer AG from 2010 to 2016.
• Caroline Nevejan is the Chief Science Officer for the City of Amsterdam.
• Ron Heeren is a professor who studies mass spectrometry imaging.
• Michael van Poppel founded and leads BNO News.

Sport

• Jan Pijnenburg won a silver medal in cycling at the 1928 Summer Olympics.
• Toon Becx was a footballer who played for Willem II.
• Toon Ebben was an equestrian who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics.
• Toon van Helfteren is a former basketball player and current coach.
• Bud Brocken was a professional footballer.
• Anita Staps was a judoka who won a world title in 1980.
• Jean-Paul van Poppel was a racing cyclist.
• John Lammers was a football player and manager.
• Bas Rutten is an actor and former mixed martial artist.
• Ageeth Boomgaardt was a field hockey player who won Olympic medals.
• Remy Bonjasky was a kickboxer.
• Floris Evers won Olympic silver medals in field hockey.
• Mike van der Zanden is a Paralympic swimmer who won bronze medals.
• Margot van Geffen is a field hockey player with Olympic gold and silver medals.
• Benito van de Pas is a darts player.
• Jackie Groenen is a footballer and former judoka.