Zevenbergen

Zevenbergen is a Dutch city which is a part of the municipality of Moerdijk. Zevenbergen is located in the northwest of the province of Noord-Brabant near Breda.

For the American basketball player, see Phil Zevenbergen.
Zevenbergen
Coat of arms
Coordinates: 51°38′43″N 4°35′59″E
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceNorth Brabant
MunicipalityMoerdijk
Area
 • Total49 km2 (19 sq mi)
Population
14,127

History

Zevenbergen (literal translation: Seven Mountains) is presumably named after the hills that formed a natural barrier of protection during the time of the Roman Empire. The actual number of hills is debatable however and was most likely not seven. Archeological excavations in 1964 and 1965 revealed that two of the hills were already present during the Bronze Age.

From the mid-nineteenth century until the end of the twentieth century, Zevenbergen was most famous for its sugar production comprising three sugar factories. As a result of the sugar transport requirement, Zevenbergen got its railways, as well as the harbour located at the end of the "Mark" canal.

Zevenbergen was a separate municipality until 1997, when it merged with Fijnaart en Heijningen, Klundert, Standdaarbuiten and Willemstad. The name of the new municipality was originally "Zevenbergen", but was changed to "Moerdijk" in 1998.[1]

Public transport

The Zevenbergen railway station has, together with nearby Oudenbosch, one of the oldest station buildings still existing in the Netherlands. The only older station building is the Valkenburg railway station.

Facts
  • Vincent van Gogh, the famous Dutch painter, lived in Zevenbergen for part of his life.
  • Leo Riemens (1910–1985) from Zevenbergen was a Dutch musicologist and cultural journalist, co-author of Großes Sängerlexikon.
  • Joost van der Linden, neighborhood icon in Zevenbergen, thanks in part to his major contribution to the well-being of the elderly in Zevenbergen

References
  1. Ad van der Meer and Onno Boonstra, Repertorium van Nederlandse gemeenten, KNAW, 2011.


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