Aalst is a village located 6 km south of
Eindhoven
Eindhoven () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of North Brabant of which it is its largest. With a population of 238,326 on 1 January 2022,[Tongelreep
The Tongelreep is a small tributary of the Dommel that flows through Belgium and the Netherlands. It begins in Belgium near Neerpelt (where the stream is called the Warmbeek) and runs into the Dommel in Eindhoven by way of Valkenswaard and Aalst. ...]
stream and the road to
Valkenswaard
Valkenswaard () is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands, in the Metropoolregio Eindhoven of the province of North Brabant. The municipality had a population of in and spans an area of of which is water.
The name Valkenswaard ...
. It was an independent municipality until 1923, when it merged with the municipality of
Waalre
Waalre () is an affluent municipality and town in the province of North Brabant in the southern Netherlands, immediately south of the city of Eindhoven.
Population centres
* Aalst
* Waalre
Waalre is the so-called ''Groenfontein'' (Green founta ...
.
Aalst experienced rapid growth during the 1970s and 1980s as housing estates were built in the Ekenrooi area, which served as an overflow area for Eindhoven. Despite this development the area remains very green and pleasant with large stretches of managed forest and heathland. Notable places include 'De hut van Mie Pils', a cafe and restaurant located in the wooded area in the east of the municipality.
In September 1944, Aalst saw the
British XXX Corps
XXX Corps (30 Corps) was a corps of the British Army during the Second World War. The Corps was formed in the Western Desert in September 1941. It provided extensive service in the North African Campaign and many of its units were in action at ...
pass along the main road from Valkenswaard to Eindhoven as part of
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an Allies of World War II, Allied military operation during the World War II, Second World War fought in the Netherlands from 17 to 27 September 1944. Its objective was to create a Salient (military), salient into G ...
.
The spoken language is Kempenlands (an
East Brabantian
East Brabantian ( nl, Oost Noord-Brabants or Oost Brabants) is one of the main divisions of the Brabantian dialect group recognized by the ''Woordenboek van de Brabantse dialecten''. East Brabantian dialects are mainly spoken in the eastern part of ...
dialect, one of the many southern dialects of
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
).
[Jos & Cor Swanenberg: Taal in stad en land: Oost-Brabants, ]
Economy
In recent decades, Aalst has developed from an agricultural community into a village of Eindhoven. From 1919 there was an industrial company (Brabantia) that makes metals and plastics household products sold worldwide, located in Aalst. Today, Brabantia's head office is located in
Valkenswaard
Valkenswaard () is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands, in the Metropoolregio Eindhoven of the province of North Brabant. The municipality had a population of in and spans an area of of which is water.
The name Valkenswaard ...
.
Gallery
Image:Kerk Aalst.JPG, Church in Aalst
File:The Tongelreep stream 2016.jpg, The Tongelreep stream in Aalst.
File:Eindhovenseweg 65, Aalst GM.JPG, Villa in Aalst
File:Eindhovenseweg 91, Aalst GM.JPG, House in Aalst
References
Populated places in North Brabant
Former municipalities of North Brabant
Waalre
{{NorthBrabant-geo-stub