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Introduction
's-Hertogenbosch, commonly known as Den Bosch, is the capital of the Noord-Brabant province in south-central Netherlands. Founded in 1185 by Henry I, Duke of Brabant, the city was originally conceived as a fortress to protect the duke's interests against encroachment from Gelre and Holland. Located at the confluence of the Dommel and Aa rivers, which join to form the Dieze river, 's-Hertogenbosch boasts one of the oldest and most complete historical city centres in the Netherlands. The city is renowned for being the birthplace of the northern Renaissance painter Hieronymus Bosch and features remarkable medieval fortifications, with extensive fifteenth-to-seventeenth-century city walls that earned it the title of European Fortress City of the year in 2004. Key attractions include the magnificent Gothic St. John's Cathedral (Sint-Janskathedraal), the Binnendieze network of subterranean canals, the historic town hall dating from 1671, and the Moriaan, the oldest existing brick house in the Netherlands.
History
Founded by charter in 1185, 's Hertogenbosch was intended to protect the interest of the Duke of Brabant against the Counties of Guelders and Holland. The city was therefore conceived as a fortress town from the very beginning. Destroyed in 1203, it was promptly rebuilt. The city walls were enlarged in 1475 to encompass a wider area. Artificial waterways were dug to serve as a city moat, through which the rivers Dommel and Aa were diverted.
The city grew to become the second largest in the present-day Netherlands (after Utrecht) at the begining of the 16th century. It is during this prosperous period that one of the city's most famous son was born: Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516), also known as "El Bosco" in Spanish, who was one of the greatest Renaissance painter in Northern Europe.
's Hertogenbosch would become the seat of an independent bishopric in 1559. However, the ideas of the Reformation spread through the Low Countries, and brought war between the Habsburgian rulers and the increasingly Protestant population. Under the reign of King Philip II of Spain (ruled from 1556 to 1598) a revolt started in the Spanish Netherlands, which would lead to the Eighty Years' War (1568-1648).
's Hertogenbosch first sided with the Habsburg authorities and even thwarted a Calvinist coup. The city was then besieged several times by the army of the United Provinces, under the command of Prince Maurice of Orange-Nassau (1567-1625). Heavily fortified and surrounded by vast marshes, Den Bosch was impregnable and earned the nickname of "Marsh Dragon".
Frederick Henry of Nassau (1584-1647) succeeded to his elder brother of Maurice as Prince of Orange in 1625, and carried on attempts to capture the Catholic city of 's Hertogenbosch. He diverted the rivers Dommel and Aa, created a polder by constructing a forty kilometre dyke and then pumped out the water by mills. After a 3-month siege, the city was forced to surrender. The area was treated by the Republic as an occupation zone without political liberties.
In 1672, the so called rampjaar ("disaster year") for the young Dutch Republic, saw the United Provinces attacked by England, France, Münster and Cologne, but the city held against the army of Louis XIV.
Afterwards, the city's history is basically linked to that of the Netherlands. Taken by the French Revolutionaries in 1794, it would remain part of France until 1814. In 1815 the United Kingdom of the Netherlands was created with neighbouring Belgium, which split in 1830.
Until 1878, the conservative city government prohibited to build outside the ramparts, which led to overcrowding and the highest infant mortality in the kingdom. They also prevented industrial investment and even the establishment of educational institutions, so as to keep the number of potential disruptive citizens (workers and students) low. This policy could only result in decreasing the importance of the city in the long run.
Den Bosch survived the Second World War relatively unscathed. Despite its annexation to the United Provinces over 300 years ago, the city and the province of North Brabant have remained predominantly Catholic.
Attractions
St. John's Cathedral
The city's main sight is St. John's Cathedral (Sint-Janskathedraal), one of the most beautiful Gothic churches in the Netherlands. It was originally built as a Romaneque-style parish church between 1220 and 1340. A new transept and choir were constructed in Gothic style from 1340 to 1450. In 1505, the original Romanesque church was demolished (apart from the clock tower) and the Gothic edifice was completed in 1525.
A fire destoyed the roof and clocktower in 1584. Another fire damaged the cathedral in 1830, but everything was repaired by 1842. The building has undergone three major renovations from 1859 to this day.
The interior of the cathedral was stripped of its ostentatious Catholic decoration by the Protestants from 1629. It is still worth a look for its organ, built by Heyeman in 1617-1621, and considered to be one of the most beautiful in the country.
Other sights
's Hertogenbosch was first and foremost a fortified city, and the ramparts have been preserved (for keeping out the water from the moat) almost intact on most of their length. The southern side of the wall borders on an old polder (converted into a nature reserve) stretching all the way to the next town of Vught. Many other fortresses still stand around the city.
's Hertogenbosch can also boast to have the oldest brick house in the Netherlands (the 13th-century de Moriaan), and one of the only two powder arsenals left in the country (the hexagonal Kruithuis, in the north of the old city).
Like every medieval city in the Low Countries, Den Bosch has its market square, where stands the town hall (stadhuis), built in 17th-century classical Dutch style.
How to get there
's-Hertogenbosch is centrally located in the Netherlands and easily accessible by various transport options. By train, the city has excellent connections with direct services from Amsterdam (1 hour), Utrecht (30 minutes), Eindhoven (20 minutes), and Tilburg (15 minutes). If travelling from Belgium, trains from Brussels (2.5 hours) or Antwerp (1.7 hours) require a change at Roosendaal. By car, the city is located on the E25 motorway connecting Amsterdam (85km), Utrecht (55km), and Maastricht (130km), though be aware of traffic jams during peak hours (weekdays around 8:30am and from 5pm onwards). The nearest airports are Eindhoven and Amsterdam Schiphol, both with good railway connections to 's-Hertogenbosch. The historic city centre is compact and best explored on foot, with most attractions within easy walking distance. For longer journeys, public buses operated by Arriva connect the central station with suburbs and surrounding areas, with fares starting from about €1.20 per zone (minimum two zones). A free electric city bus runs between the central railway station and the city centre. Cycling is an excellent option in this bike-friendly city, with rental services available at the station. If driving, note that parking is available in garages throughout the city, though more economical parking can be found at P+R facilities on the outskirts, which offer bus connections into the centre.