Kaatsheuvel

Kaatsheuvel
Village

Windmill De Eendragt in 2008
Kaatsheuvel

Location in North Brabant in the Netherlands

Coordinates: 51°40′N 5°04′E / 51.667°N 5.067°E / 51.667; 5.067
Country Netherlands
Province North Brabant
Municipality Loon op Zand
Population (1 January 2007)
 • Total 16,600
 • Density 706/km2 (1,830/sq mi)
  Source: CBS, Statline.
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)

Kaatsheuvel (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈkaːtsɦøːvəl]) is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant, situated along highways N261 and N628. With a population of roughly 16,600, it is the largest village in and the capital of the municipality of Loon op Zand, which also consists of the villages of De Moer and Loon op Zand. As Kaatsheuvel is a municipality capital, it had a town hall located in the town centre. The town hall has been torn down in 2010 as part of a ambitious plan tot build a lively new town centre. Currently the new town centre is being built, working title Bruisend Dorpshart (Sparkling Village's Heart). Kaatsheuvel is (internationally) well known for the Efteling theme park and a gateway to National Park Loonse en Drunense Duinen.

Etymology

Kaatsheuvel is a combination of the words Kaats and Heuvel, Heuvel being the Dutch word for "hill". The etymology of Kaats is less clear. One theory regarding the origin of the name is that it originates from St. Catharina, a popular saint at the time. Another theory holds that the early inhabitants of Kaatsheuvel were well known for playing a game called kaatsspel on a hill nearby. However, the most likely explanation is that a man named Hendrik Cets lived in the 17th century on a hill where Kaatsheuvel now stands, and over time this place came to be known as Cetsheuvel, and eventually Kaatsheuvel.

Economy

Historically, the economy of Kaatsheuvel was primarily dependent on the shoe industry, and some companies, such as Bunnies Kinderschoenen, still have their headquarters located in Kaatsheuvel. In the 1950s, then mayor Van der Heijden wanted to attract other industries to the burgeoning village in order to secure its economic future. To this end a theme park, called The Efteling, was completed on 31 May 1952, and tourism gradually replaced the shoe industry as the major economic draw of the city. The economy of Kaatsheuvel was further bolstered by Ben Mandemakers, when he established his now famous Mandemakers Keukens.

Location

Kaatsheuvel is situated near the municipalities of Waalwijk and Drunen. It is also close to the cities Tilburg, 's-Hertogenbosch, and Breda.

People born in Kaatsheuvel

Coordinates: 51°40′N 5°04′E / 51.667°N 5.067°E / 51.667; 5.067

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 5/19/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.