Best, Netherlands Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Best

Chapel in Best

Flag	Coat of arms

Location in North Brabant

Government

• Body

Municipal council

Area

• Total

35.10 km² (13.55 sq mi)

• Land

34.31 km² (13.25 sq mi)

• Water

0.79 km² (0.31 sq mi)

Elevation

16 m (52 ft)

Population

(May 2014)

• Total

28,655

• Density

835/km² (2,160/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Bestenaar

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Postcode

5680–5685

Area code

0499

Topographic map of the municipality of Best, June 2015

Best is a town and a municipality (which is like a local government area) in the southern part of the Netherlands. It's located in a province called North Brabant, just northwest of the city of Eindhoven. Best is also part of a larger group of cities in the Brabant region.

Best is home to some important companies! One of Europe's biggest meat processing companies, Vion NV, has its main office here. You can also find parts of Philips Healthcare, which makes medical equipment, and Bata Corporation's "Bata Protective" operations, which focuses on business-to-business safety footwear and gear.

History of Best
Areas in Best
Getting Around Best
Famous People from Best
- Sports Stars from Best
Gallery
See also

History of Best

Best used to be part of a nearby town called Oirschot. But this caused problems, especially for the military. If soldiers needed to stay in Best, they had to get permission from Oirschot, which was 10 kilometers away! To make things easier, the government decided to make Best a separate municipality in 1819.

Ancient Discoveries

Archaeological digs around Best show that people lived in this area as far back as the Roman times. The Armenhoef is a very old farm in Best. Its stable is the oldest one still being used in Western Europe! Research in 2009 showed that the stable's wooden frame was built in 1263. The house part of the farm is newer, built around 1680. This farm is now a protected monument. The first time Best was mentioned in writing was in 1421.

How Best Grew

The town of Best itself didn't exist until the 1800s. Before that, there were three smaller villages: Naastenbest in the west, Wilhelminadorp in the south, and Verrenbest. Over time, these villages grew together and formed the town we now know as Best.

Railway Development

Best got its own railway station on the line connecting Rotterdam, Breda, and Maastricht. At first, the line only had one track. As more people used it, a second track was added. In the 2000s, even more tracks were added to handle the busy train traffic. Now, you can easily travel to Best by train from cities like Utrecht or Eindhoven.

The language spoken in Best is North Meierijs. This is a local dialect that is very similar to everyday Dutch.

Areas in Best

Best is made up of several smaller areas or neighborhoods. These include:

Aarle
Batadorp
De Vleut
Dijkstraten
Heikant
Heivelden
Heuveleind
Hoge Akker
Kantonnier
Koekoeksbos
Naastenbest
Oud-Best
Salderes
Speelheide
Steegsche velden (This area is currently being built)
Wilhelminadorp

Getting Around Best

For train travel, you can use the Best railway station.

If you prefer buses, you can take bus number 9 from Eindhoven central station to Best. Or, if you're coming from Tilburg central station, you can take bus numbers 141 or 142 to Best.

Famous People from Best

José Hoebee, 1979

Best has been home to several notable people:

José Hoebee (born 1954) is a Dutch pop singer. She was a member of the popular girl group Luv'.
Rob Kemps [nl] (born 1985) is a Dutch comedian and artist, known for his work with Snollebollekes.
Ralf Mackenbach (born 1995) is a Dutch singer and dancer. He won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2009.

Sports Stars from Best

Eric Swinkels (born 1949) is a sports shooter who won a silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Hans Stacey (born 1958) is a Dutch rally driver.
Peter Aerts (born 1970) is a famous Dutch kickboxer who trained in Best.
Jesse Mahieu (born 1978) is a field hockey player who won a team silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Dennis Retera (born 1986) is a Dutch racing driver.
Roel van de Sande (born 1987) is a Dutch professional football player.