Eersel Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Eersel

Eersel municipal hall

Flag	Coat of arms

Location in North Brabant

Government

• Body

Municipal council

Area

• Total

83.33 km² (32.17 sq mi)

• Land

82.47 km² (31.84 sq mi)

• Water

0.86 km² (0.33 sq mi)

Elevation

31 m (102 ft)

Population

(May 2014)

• Total

18,262

• Density

221/km² (570/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Eerselnaar

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Postcode

5511–5525

Area code

040, 0497

A map showing Eersel in the Netherlands

The beautiful Sint-Willibrorduskerk in Eersel

Eersel is a municipality and a town in the southern part of the Netherlands. It is located in the province of North Brabant. Eersel is part of an area known as the Campine (Kempen).

Eersel is one of the "Acht Zaligheden," which means "Eight Beatitudes." It is famous for its lovely market square. This market and a nearby area called the Hint were made a protected village in 1967. This was done to keep their special, old-fashioned look safe for the future.

The people in Eersel speak a dialect called Kempenlands. This dialect is very much like everyday Dutch.

Towns and Villages
History of Eersel
Places to Visit
Famous People from Eersel
Gallery
See also

Towns and Villages

Eersel is a municipality that includes several smaller towns and villages. These places are all part of the Eersel community.

Duizel
Eersel
Knegsel
Steensel
Vessem
Wintelre

History of Eersel

The area around Eersel has a very long history. People have lived here for thousands of years.

Early Settlements

About 3,500 years ago, the first people in Eersel built ancient burial mounds. Later, in the late Bronze Age, people from the Urnfield culture lived here. We know this because an urn with ashes was found in a place called ‘Schadewijk’.

Before the Romans came, a group called the Eburones lived in this area. The Romans called the area Toxandria. We have found many pieces of Roman pottery near the church of Eersel. After the Roman period, not many people lived here for a while.

Frankish Influence

Around the year 700, a group called the Franks settled in the region again. They built their farms in places where high and low lands were close. One such high area was called Ereslo. From this time on, there was a form of government here.

The Franks built their farms around a triangular open space. This type of settlement was like a large estate owned by important Frankish families.

First Written Records

The oldest known written mention of Eersel is in an old book called the Codex Aureus of Echternach. In this book, there is a document from the year 712. It says that a man named Aengilbertus gave his land, called Eresloch, to Saint Willibrord.

Saint Willibrord then gave this land to the Abbey of Echternach in Luxembourg. For a long time, until about the year 1000, Eersel was part of the county of Taxandria.

Growth and Trade

Later, Eersel came under the control of the Earl of Guelders. In 1203, it became part of the Duchy of Brabant. Trade began to grow, and Eersel became an important crossroads. Routes from Leuven and 's-Hertogenbosch crossed with routes from Antwerp and Turnhout.

The original triangular village square, called 'Hint', was made bigger. A new, oval-shaped square called ‘de Markt’ (the Market) was built. This was used for trade and as a parking place for carts. Around this market, many buildings appeared, like taverns and guesthouses. There were also stables for horses and places for blacksmiths.

In 1325, Eersel was given special "freedom" rights by Duke Jan III of Brabant. This meant the people of Eersel could choose their own leaders. Eersel became the main town for a group of villages, including Hapert, Hoogeloon, Vessem, Knegsel, Steensel, Bergeijk, Westerhoven, Dommelen and Borkel en Schaft.

Prosperity and Decline

Around the 14th century, Eersel became quite rich. The tall, impressive tower of Eersel church was built then. Other towers in nearby Steensel and Duizel were also built around this time. In 1464, a chapel was built in Eersel between the market and 'het Hint'.

After the Middle Ages, the region became poorer. Villages did not grow much between 1500 and 1800. This was the time of the ‘Teuten’. These were traveling traders who went from village to village. They offered services like coppersmithing and sold goods like pottery, kitchen tools, and textiles. They were not gypsies; they built their homes in places like Eersel and traveled from there. Some of their old houses can still be seen at the market.

Modern Times

Things started to get better around 1800, during the time of King Willem I. Roads were improved, and a steam tram railway was built in 1897.

In 1923, Eersel took over the nearby municipality of Duizel en Steensel. In the 1900s, new land was cleared for farming. The cigar industry also grew. During difficult economic times, the cigar industry helped keep many people employed in Eersel. Eersel is still known as an important cigar exporter.

After Second World War, the population of Eersel grew quickly. It went from about 3,700 people to 12,500.

Places to Visit

Eersel has several interesting historical buildings and places you can visit.

Saint Willibrord Church

The original church in Eersel was a simple wooden building. It might have been founded by the Catholic Abbey of Echternach. The church was first mentioned in records in 1480. Its tower was built in the second half of the 14th century.

A special part of the church is its large, beautiful organ. It was fully restored in 1972. This organ combines the work of two famous organ builders: Bernard Petrus van Hirtum (from 1838) and the Smits Brothers (from 1852).

Chapel of Our Lady of Campina

This chapel was built in 1464 in the Gothic style. It is the oldest building on the market square. After the Peace of Münster, it was no longer used for church services. Instead, it became a town hall, a prison, and even a storage place for the fire engine.

It was used as a town hall for 300 years, until 1948. Then, it was given back to the church and is now used as a chapel again.

Protestant Church

The Protestant church was first built in 1812 and rebuilt in 1861. It is a simple stone church. The ceiling has a special shape that gives it very good sound quality.