Bredevoort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bredevoort
Brevoort (Achterhoeks)
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| Country | Netherlands | ||
| Province | Gelderland | ||
| Municipality | Aalten | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 6.73 km2 (2.60 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 35 m (115 ft) | ||
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 1,660 | ||
| • Density | 246.7/km2 (638.8/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) | ||
| Postal code |
7121 & 7126
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| Dialing code | 0543 | ||
| Website | www.bredevoort.nu | ||
Bredevoort (in a local language called Low Saxon: Brevoort) is a cool, small city in the Netherlands. About 1,600 people live there. It's located between the towns of Aalten and Winterswijk.
Bredevoort is famous for being a "book town" (Bredevoort boekenstad). This idea came from places like Hay-on-Wye in Wales and Redu in Belgium. Now, Bredevoort has more than 20 shops that sell second-hand books!
Bredevoort used to be a special kind of area called a Heerlijkheid and had its own government until 1818. Back then, the villages of Aalten, Dinxperlo, and Winterswijk were part of Bredevoort's area. In 1818, Bredevoort became part of the Aalten municipality.
Contents
History of Bredevoort
The name Bredevoort first popped up in records way back in 1188! Back then, the Archbishop of Cologne owned parts of Bredevoort Castle. The name "Bredevoort" means "broad ford," which is a wide, shallow place in a river that you can cross. It's similar to the city of Bradford in England.
For nearly 200 years, there was a big fight over who owned Bredevoort Castle. The Count of Steinfurt tried to sell his part to the Bishop of Munster, and another count tried to sell his part to the Count of Gelderland. This caused a long conflict between the Bishop and the Count of Gelderland.
Bredevoort Becomes Part of Gelderland
In 1326, after four years of fighting, Bredevoort officially became part of Gelderland. However, between 1326 and 1697, Bredevoort changed hands many times during wars. The area of Bredevoort included the city itself, Bredevoort Castle, and the villages of Aalten, Dinxperlo, and Winterswijk.
Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange took over Bredevoort from the Spanish in 1597. But the Spanish got it back in 1606. Later, Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange freed the soldiers and citizens who had hidden in the Castle of Bredevoort.
The Castle Explosion
A terrible event happened in 1646. Lightning struck the gunpowder tower of the castle! This caused a huge explosion that destroyed parts of the castle and the town. Many people died, including Lord Haersolte of Bredevoort and his family. Only one son, Anthonie, survived because he wasn't home that day.
Later Years and Modern Times
In 1672, a year known as the "disaster year" in the Netherlands, Bernhard von Galen took over Bredevoort and held it for almost two years. In 1697, William III of England received the city and its surrounding area from the States of Gelderland. From that day until 1795, Bredevoort belonged to the House of Orange-Nassau, the royal family of the Netherlands. Even today, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands is still considered the Lord of Bredevoort.
After centuries of wars, the people of Bredevoort decided to tear down their old defenses. In 1818, the separate government of Bredevoort ended, and the city became part of the newly formed municipality of Aalten.
Places to See in Bredevoort
- St. Joriskerk: This is a beautiful Gothic style church with a fancy rococo chair from 1672.
- Windmill De Prins van Oranje: A classic Dutch windmill that you can visit.
- Historic Centre: The old part of town is great for walking around and seeing historic buildings.
- 19th-century Tea House: A charming old tea house located by the town ditch.
- Remains of the City Gate: You can still see parts of the old city gate from the 17th century.
Getting Around
The closest train station to Bredevoort is Aalten railway station. Trains run every half hour between Arnhem and Winterswijk, and they stop at Aalten.
From Arnhem railway station, you can catch frequent trains to big cities like Amsterdam, Utrecht, Nijmegen, and Alkmaar.
If you travel to Winterswijk, you can switch to a train that goes to Zutphen. From Zutphen, you can reach other cities like Apeldoorn, Deventer, and Zwolle.
To get to Aalten station from Bredevoort, you can take bus service 191. This bus also travels to Lichtenvoorde.
Gallery
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See also
In Spanish: Bredevoort para niños
