Oirschot Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Oirschot

Former city hall of Oirschot

Flag	Coat of arms

Location in North Brabant

Government

• Body

Municipal council

Area

• Total

102.84 km² (39.71 sq mi)

• Land

101.78 km² (39.30 sq mi)

• Water

1.06 km² (0.41 sq mi)

Elevation

17 m (56 ft)

Population

(May 2014)

• Total

18,016

• Density

177/km² (460/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Oirschottenaar

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Postcode

5090–5091, 5688–5689

Area code

013, 0499

Map of the municipality of Oirschot, June 2015

Oirschot is a town and a municipality in the southern Netherlands. It is located in the province of North Brabant. The town is about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) from Eindhoven. It is also about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) from Tilburg. In 2014, the municipality of Oirschot had a population of around 18,016 people. People from Oirschot are called Oirschottenaar.

Towns and Villages
Historic Buildings and Sights
Fun Events
Famous People from Oirschot
Gallery
See also

Towns and Villages

The municipality of Oirschot includes several smaller towns and villages. These are all part of the larger Oirschot area.

Oirschot
Middelbeers
Oostelbeers
Spoordonk
Westelbeers

Historic Buildings and Sights

Saint Petrus church

Oirschot is a very old place with a rich history. There are more than 300 historic buildings and monuments in the municipality. This means there are many interesting places to visit and explore.

Some of the most famous historic buildings in the town of Oirschot include:

Sint-Petrus’-Bandenkerk: This is a large Roman Catholic Church. It was built in the 15th and 16th centuries. It is the biggest building in town and has a tall 73-meter tower.
Old Town Hall: This building was constructed in 1513. It is located right in the center of the town.
Maria-church (Maria-kerk): This is a very old Romanesque church. It dates back to the 12th century and is also in the town center.
Monastery Nazareth (Klooster Nazareth): This monastery has a beautiful chapel. The chapel was built in 1910 in a Neo-Romanesque style.
Former Brewery De Kroon: This old brewery was built in 1773.
Hof van Solms: This was once the palace of Arnoldus Feij.
The Big Chair (De Grote Stoel): This is known as the biggest chair in Europe.
Huize Groenenberg: A historic house that was built in 1613.

There are also important monuments outside the main town:

Chapel of the Holy Oak (Kapel van de Heilige Eik): This stone chapel was built in 1854. It stands on the site of even older chapels. One earlier chapel was taken down in 1649 because people were not allowed to practice Catholicism openly then.
The Old Tower (Oude Toren) of Oostelbeers: This is a church tower from the 14th century. It stands in a forest area surrounded by fields.
The Old Church of Middelbeers (Het Oude Kerkje): This is a complete Gothic church from the 15th century. It shows the typical style of churches in this region.
Maria Chapel (Mariakapel) of Westelbeers: This chapel dates back to 1637. It is special because it was not destroyed like many other Catholic chapels during that time.

Fun Events

Oirschot hosts several fun festivals and events every year. These events bring people together and celebrate the community.

Some of the popular annual events include:

Zinderend Oirschot
Country & Western weekend

Famous People from Oirschot

Many interesting people have come from Oirschot. They have made contributions in different fields.

Frans van Lith (1863–1926): A Jesuit priest who worked in Central Java.
Cornelius Van de Ven (1865–1932): He became a Bishop in Louisiana, USA.
Carl Romme (1896–1980): A Dutch politician.
Michiel van Kempen (born 1957): A Dutch writer, art historian, and literary critic.
Anita Smits (born 1967): A former archer who competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Truus Smulders-Beliën (1902–1966): She was the first female mayor in the Netherlands.
Sophie van Gestel (born 1991): A Dutch beach volleyball player who participated in the 2012 Summer Olympics.