Hoensbroek
Encyclopedia
Hoensbroek is a Dutch
town in the municipality of Heerlen
. It is situated in the southeast of Limburg
, a province in the southeast of the Netherlands. Until 1982, Hoensbroek was a separate municipality.
Hoensbroek is known for its medieval castle, Kasteel Hoensbroek
, named after Knight Hoen, a member of the Hoen Family. It dates from around 1250.
Hoensbroek is also known for the fair on Ascension Day. (Hemelvaartsdag) brings as many as 100,000 people every year to Hoensbroek.
In medieval times, the town was known under the name of Gebrook, meaning as much as "Swampy Landscape", and belonged to the Family Hoen. Their family name eventually mingled with the original one, resulting in the name Hoensbroeck for the location and Van Hoensbroeck
as the family name. The spoken dialect, Gerbrooker Plat, refers to the ancient name of Gebrook.
The population of Hoensbroek is estimated to be around 25,000.
The town remained modest until the early 20th century, when several mines were opened (including the Emma), caused a substantial increase in population. This necessitated the construction of new residential areas, with the result that Heerlen
& Hoensbroek grew closer to each other.
Today
Hoensbroek & Heerlen
now form a contiguous and built-up area. Only the tip, the former Oranje Nassau III mine, currently designed as a park, represents a kind of barrier between the towns. The mines in the area are now all closed, but many of the workers before landscaped areas still exist.
. The town can also be reached from Heerlen railway station
and Sittard railway station
.
Bus: The town can be reached by bus, in this city there are public buses from Veolia Transport(Limburg)
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
town in the municipality of Heerlen
Heerlen
Heerlen is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. The municipality is the second largest in the province of Limburg. It forms part of Parkstad Limburg, , an agglomeration of about 220,000 inhabitants.After its early Roman beginnings and a rather modest medieval period, Heerlen...
. It is situated in the southeast of Limburg
Limburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
, a province in the southeast of the Netherlands. Until 1982, Hoensbroek was a separate municipality.
Hoensbroek is known for its medieval castle, Kasteel Hoensbroek
Hoensbroek Castle
Castle Hoensbroek or Gebrookhoes is one of the largest castles in the Netherlands. It is situated in Hoensbroek, a town in the province of Limburg. This imposing watercastle is known as 'the most lordly stronghold between Rhine and Meuse'...
, named after Knight Hoen, a member of the Hoen Family. It dates from around 1250.
Hoensbroek is also known for the fair on Ascension Day. (Hemelvaartsdag) brings as many as 100,000 people every year to Hoensbroek.
In medieval times, the town was known under the name of Gebrook, meaning as much as "Swampy Landscape", and belonged to the Family Hoen. Their family name eventually mingled with the original one, resulting in the name Hoensbroeck for the location and Van Hoensbroeck
Van Hoensbroeck
Van Hoensbroeck is an aristocratic family with medieval origins in the town of Hoensbroek near Heerlen in Limburg, The Netherlands. Nicolaes Hoen is the first known ancestor of the family; he was killed in the Battle of Baesweiler in 1371. During many centuries, the family owned and lived on...
as the family name. The spoken dialect, Gerbrooker Plat, refers to the ancient name of Gebrook.
The population of Hoensbroek is estimated to be around 25,000.
Recent history
Coal MiningThe town remained modest until the early 20th century, when several mines were opened (including the Emma), caused a substantial increase in population. This necessitated the construction of new residential areas, with the result that Heerlen
Heerlen
Heerlen is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. The municipality is the second largest in the province of Limburg. It forms part of Parkstad Limburg, , an agglomeration of about 220,000 inhabitants.After its early Roman beginnings and a rather modest medieval period, Heerlen...
& Hoensbroek grew closer to each other.
Today
Hoensbroek & Heerlen
Heerlen
Heerlen is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. The municipality is the second largest in the province of Limburg. It forms part of Parkstad Limburg, , an agglomeration of about 220,000 inhabitants.After its early Roman beginnings and a rather modest medieval period, Heerlen...
now form a contiguous and built-up area. Only the tip, the former Oranje Nassau III mine, currently designed as a park, represents a kind of barrier between the towns. The mines in the area are now all closed, but many of the workers before landscaped areas still exist.
Transportation
Railway station: HoensbroekHoensbroek railway station
Hoensbroek is a railway station located in Hoensbroek, The Netherlands. The station was opened in 1896 and is located on the Sittard–Herzogenrath railway...
. The town can also be reached from Heerlen railway station
Heerlen railway station
-History:The station was opened on 1 May 1896 and is located on the Sittard–Herzogenrath railway and the Heerlen–Schin op Geul railway. The station was an important mining station, until the mines closed down. From Heerlen, you can travel to Aachen and some other destinations in Germany, nearer to...
and Sittard railway station
Sittard railway station
Sittard is a railway station located in Sittard, The Netherlands. The station was opened in 1862 and is located on the Maastricht–Venlo railway and the Sittard–Herzogenrath railway. The services are operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen...
.
Bus: The town can be reached by bus, in this city there are public buses from Veolia Transport(Limburg)
Veolia Transport Nederland
Veolia Transport Nederland is, like Connexxion, a Dutch subsidiary of Veolia Transdev. It provides bus, train and ferry services.-History:The company first appeared in the Netherlands in 1997 when it traded as CGEA. This company had a 70% share in the train company Lovers Rail who operated trains...