Oirschot (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈoːrsxɔt] ; Orskot in the local dialect) is a municipality and town in the province of North Brabant (Noord-Brabant) in the southern Netherlands. It is 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from Eindhoven and 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Tilburg. The municipality had a population of 18,842 in 2021.

Oirschot
Former city hall of Oirschot
Former city hall of Oirschot
Flag of Oirschot
Coat of arms of Oirschot
Highlighted position of Oirschot in a municipal map of North Brabant
Location in North Brabant
Coordinates: 51°30′N 5°18′E / 51.500°N 5.300°E / 51.500; 5.300
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceNorth Brabant
Government
 • BodyMunicipal council
 • MayorJudith Keijzers-Verschelling (CDA)
Area
 • Total102.84 km2 (39.71 sq mi)
 • Land101.78 km2 (39.30 sq mi)
 • Water1.06 km2 (0.41 sq mi)
Elevation17 m (56 ft)
Population
 (January 2021)[4]
 • Total18,842
 • Density185/km2 (480/sq mi)
DemonymOirschottenaar
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
5090–5091, 5688–5689
Area code013, 0499
Websitewww.oirschot.nl
Map of the municipality of Oirschot, June 2015

Population centres

edit
 
Saint Petrus church

Sights

edit

There are more than 300 monuments in the municipality Oirschot.

Some of the historic buildings in the town of Oirschot are:

  • The Roman Catholic Church named Sint-Petrus’-Bandenkerk. This 15th and 16th century Gothic church is the biggest building in the town, and has a 73 meter tower
  • The old town hall built in 1513 in the town centre
  • Maria-church (Maria-kerk). A 12th-century Romanesque church in the town centre
  • Monastery Nazareth (Klooster Nazareth) with a chapel in Neo-Romanesque style (1910)
  • Former Brewery De Kroon (Brouwerij de Kroon) built in 1773
  • Hof van Solms, palace of Arnoldus Feij (or Arnold Fey)
  • The Big Chair (De Grote Stoel) the biggest chair of Europe
  • Huize Groenenberg, a house built in 1613

Monuments outside the town include:

  • Chapel of the Holy Oak (Kapel van de Heilige Eik), stone chapel dated 1854 built on the foundations of a stone chapel of 1606 (there was another stone chapel and a wooden chapel on the same location before the one of 1606). The chapel of 1606 was demolished by order of the States General in 1649 (Catholicism could not be practiced openly)
  • The Old Tower (Oude Toren) of Oostelbeers, a church tower of the 14th century in a patch of forest surrounded by fields
  • The Old Church of Middelbeers (Het Oude Kerkje – Oude Sint-Willibrorduskerk) – intact gothic rural church (15th century) typical for the region
  • Maria Chapel (Mariakapel) of Westelbeers – chapel dating to 1637; it is unknown why this chapel was not demolished during the 1640s or 1650s like most other Catholic chapels in the region

Events

edit

Among the festivals held in Oirschot every year are:

  • Zinderend Oirschot
  • Countery & Western weekend

Politics

edit

City council

edit

The municipal elections in March 2022 resulted in the following make-up of the City Council (17 seats in total):[5]

  • De Gewone Man (local party): 5 seats
  • CDA: 4 seats
  • Dorpsvisie (local party): 3 seats
  • Sociaal Progressief Oirschot (local party): 2 seats
  • VVD: 2 seats
  • D66: 1 seats

Mayor

edit

The mayor of the municipality is Judith Keijzers-Verschelling, a member of the CDA political party.

Notable people

edit
edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Samenstelling" [Members] (in Dutch). Gemeente Oirschot. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  2. ^ "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2020" [Key figures for neighbourhoods 2020]. StatLine (in Dutch). CBS. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Postcodetool for 5688AK". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
  4. ^ "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Oirschot municipal election 2022". verkiezingsuitslagen.nl (in Dutch). 16 March 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
edit