Baarle () is a village whose territory is divided into a patchwork of Belgian and Dutch territories. The Belgian parts of the village are called
Baarle-Hertog
(; french: Baerle-Duc, ) is a Flanders, Flemish Municipalities of Belgium, municipality of Belgium, much of which consists of a number of small Belgian enclaves fully surrounded by the Netherlands.
Parts of are surrounded by the Dutch province ...
and the Dutch elements are called
Baarle-Nassau
Baarle-Nassau () is a municipality and town in the southern Netherlands, located in the province of North Brabant. It had a population of in . The town is the site of a complicated borderline between Belgium and the Netherlands, with 22 small ...
. The Belgian part includes 16
exclaves
An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...
within Dutch territory. The exclaves, in turn, surround seven Dutch areas. Belgian territory also surrounds an eighth Dutch area near Ginhoven. In 1995, the border was finalized to include a formerly neutral grassland. Baarle also includes a quadripoint shared by two of the exclaves.
The line of the border means that some buildings straddle both countries. This is the case for a branch of the retail store Zeeman. For these properties, the (literally: "front door rule") policy applies: their address lies in the country that contains their front door. The exception is house on Loveren street with both Belgian (#2) and Dutch (#19) front doors whose front door is on the border line itself. For convenience, every house number plaque shows a flag.
Toponymy
There are various theories about the origin of the name "Baarle" (referred to in old sources as ''Barle'' or ''Barlo''). The last part certainly originates from the -loo suffix, which means forest on sandy ground, next to a settlement. The first part could be interpreted as:
* ''baar'': a bare, flat or uncultivated land
* ''barza'':
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic (abbreviated PGmc; also called Common Germanic) is the reconstructed proto-language of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages.
Proto-Germanic eventually developed from pre-Proto-Germanic into three Germanic bran ...
word for softwood.
* ''Baro'' or ''Bera'', an old first name.
The suffixes ''Hertog'' and ''Nassau'' refer respectively to the ''Hertog'' (Duke) of Brabant and the
House of Nassau
The House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The lords of Nassau were originally titled "Count ...
which held the Lordship of Breda.
The name of the Tommel hamlet has its origins in the Latin word ''tumulus'', meaning
Tumulus
A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds or ''kurgans'', and may be found throughout much of the world. A cairn, which is a mound of stones bu ...
and there are a number of prehistoric tumuli in the vicinity.
Urns
An urn is a vase, often with a cover, with a typically narrowed neck above a rounded body and a footed pedestal. Describing a vessel as an "urn", as opposed to a vase or other terms, generally reflects its use rather than any particular shape or ...
have also been found around Tommel, evidence that this area has been inhabited since the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second prin ...
.
History
During the twelfth century the area was
marsh
A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found a ...
land. In 1198, Henry I, Duke of Brabant (in Dutch, Hendrick I) made over some of the land to Godfried of Schoten, the Lord of Breda. Hendrick kept the lands that were paying him a rent. The area that Hendrick kept is now part of Belgium. The area that was given to Gotfried is now in the Netherlands. The title "Lord of Breda" is now held by
Willem-Alexander
Willem-Alexander (; Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand; born ) is King of the Netherlands, having acceded to the throne following his mother's abdication in 2013.
Willem-Alexander was born in Utrecht as the oldest child of Princess Beat ...
, king of the Netherlands. The title "Duke of Brabant" is now a courtesy title of the heir to the Belgian throne.
Baarle-Hertog and Baarle-Nassau each have a
burgemeester
Burgomaster (alternatively spelled burgermeister, literally "master of the town, master of the borough, master of the fortress, master of the citizens") is the English form of various terms in or derived from Germanic languages for the chief m ...
(mayor). Each town has its own elected town council and each has a police station. Each town has its own church. In some areas the two town councils can cooperate. They have set up a joint council to look after things like electricity, water and gas supplies, highway maintenance and refuse collection. The border was only finally defined in 1995.
Both councils also fund a joint cultural centre that houses a combined library. The cultural centre has two official entrances. The international border passes through the building. The Dutch entrance is at 7 Pastoor de Katerstraat. The Belgian entrance is at 5 Pastoor de Katerstraat. The tourist office is affiliated to both the Dutch and the Belgian tourist boards.
Dutch trading law applies to the Dutch parts of the town. Belgian trading laws apply to the Belgian parts of the town. Differences in the laws have long encouraged smuggling, but European integration, especially since 1993, has made it much less relevant. After the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
many people smuggled butter from the Netherlands into Belgium. In modern times many people still buy fireworks in Belgium and smuggle them into the Netherlands.
Economy
The areas of Baarle-Nassau and Baarle-Hertog are essentially agrarian in character, although there is some industrial activity. The complex situation led to smuggling becoming a significant source of income in this area. The middle class also profited from the exceptional situation. There is an expensive and busy selection of shops. There are also numerous parks in the vicinity.
As predicted, the population of Baarle, for the first decade of the 21st century, shows a downward trend.
Geography
Baarle contains, alongside broad agricultural settlements, a number of natural areas. Merkshe in the south is a beautiful stream valley and the Hollandse Bossen (Dutch Forests) in the west form an estate. Bels Lijntje, a former railway line, is now a bicycle path for tourists that runs from
Riel Riel may refer to:
Places
* Riel, Netherlands, a town in the Netherlands
*Riel (electoral district), a provincial electoral district in Manitoba, Canada, named after Louis Riel
* Riel, Winnipeg, a community committee comprising three city wards
Pe ...
to
Turnhout
Turnhout () is a Belgian municipality and city located in the Flemish province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises only the city of Turnhout proper. In 2021, Turnhout had a total population of 45,874. The total area is . The agglomeration, ho ...
.
Utilities
Electricity
The power grid has been set up redundantly.
*In Baarle-Hertog and Zondereigen the electricity is delivered by from Belgium
*In Baarle-Nassau and its parish of Ulicoten the power is provided by
TenneT
TenneT is a transmission system operator in the Netherlands and in a large part of Germany.
''TenneT B.V.'' is the national electricity transmission system operator of the Netherlands, headquartered in Arnhem. Controlled and owned by the Dutch ...
from the Netherlands. The village of Castelré is powered by Eandis in Belgium
Cable (radio, television and internet)
Until 26 August 2012, the Flemish company
Telenet
Telenet was an American commercial packet-switched network which went into service in 1975. It was the first FCC-licensed public data network in the United States. Various commercial and government interests paid monthly fees for dedicated lines ...
provided both Dutch and Flemish television to Baarle. Since 26 August 2012, Telenet may not offer more services to the Dutch section of Baarle, because the cable, which belongs to Eandis, was bought out by the Dutch company Reggefiber. They have locked the cable distribution and provides fiber to the Dutch network. That means that the Dutch area of Baarle is now serviced by Dutch providers (such as
KPN
KPN (in full Koninklijke KPN N.V., also Royal KPN N.V.) is a Dutch landline and mobile telecommunications company. KPN originated from a government-run postal, telegraph and telephone service and is based in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
History Un ...
,
Tele2
Tele2 AB is a Swedish telecommunications operator headquartered in the Kista Science City, Stockholm, Sweden. It is a major telephone operator in Sweden, Russia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Tele2 also has a 25% share in T-Mobile Netherland ...
and
Telfort
Telfort was a brand of Dutch mobile telecommunication company KPN.
It operated a GSM mobile telecommunications service in the Netherlands. It marketed itself as being the cheapest option available, and went to some lengths to give the appeara ...
) can provide service, but Flemish providers can no longer be used (such as receivers of Flemish commercial broadcasters, for example VTM).
In the Belgian area of Baarle there have been few changes. Telenet continues to offer service to the area, the Dutch commercial broadcasters (such as
RTL 4
RTL 4 (Radio Télévision Luxembourg 4) is a Dutch free-to-cable television channel; it is the most-watched commercial station in the country, popular especially with those aged between 20 and 49. RTL 4 is a general entertainment channel with in ...
) have removed the analogue cable offerings and these stations only provide digital reception. These are only available through cable (and thus through Telenet); other Belgian providers of radio, TV and internet are accessed via
ADSL
Asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) is a type of digital subscriber line (DSL) technology, a data communications technology that enables faster data transmission over copper telephone lines than a conventional voiceband modem can provide. ...
. They have no Dutch commercial broadcasters included within their package.
Many streets are visited by a rubbish collector twice per week (1× Dutch, 1× Belgian). The recycling centre on Smederijstraat can be used by the whole population of Baarle-Nassau and Baarle-Hertog.
Post
The mail is delivered by
PostNL
PostNL (), formerly TNT N.V., is a mail, parcel and e-commerce corporation with operations in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and the United Kingdom. It provides universal delivery in the Netherlands, and is publicly listed at Euronex ...
in the Dutch area and
bpost
Bpost (stylised ''bpost'') also known as the Belgian Post Group, is the Belgian company responsible for the delivery of national and international mail. The Belgian Post Group is one of the largest civilian employers in Belgium. It provides a r ...
in the Belgian area.
Telephone
The telephone network is redundantly served by
KPN
KPN (in full Koninklijke KPN N.V., also Royal KPN N.V.) is a Dutch landline and mobile telecommunications company. KPN originated from a government-run postal, telegraph and telephone service and is based in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
History Un ...
and
Belgacom
The Proximus Group is a provider of digital services and communication in Belgium and the international markets. In Belgium, its main products and services are offered under the Proximus, Scarlet, and Mobile Vikings brands. The Group is also ac ...
, but with a special condition: calls between Baarle-Hertog and Baarle-Nassau are available at local rates. Also, mobile phones throughout Baarle can easily connect to cell towers from either country.
Shopping
Due to legislation, there is an erotic video store in Baarle-Nassau and a fireworks store in Baarle-Hertog which is open the entire year. In Baarle there is
Sunday shopping
Sunday shopping or Sunday trading refers to the ability of retailers to operate stores on Sunday, a day that Christian tradition typically recognises as a day of rest. Rules governing shopping hours, such as Sunday shopping, vary around the worl ...
every week — because stores can always be open on Sunday in Belgium, and in Baarle-Nassau, many rely on the tourist attractions resulting from its enclave status.
Emergency services
The police of Baarle-Hertog and Baarle-Nassau are located within the same office on the Parallelweg in Baarle-Hertog and are locally established. The local police officer of Baarle is sometimes called the 'Dirco'.
The fire services of Baarle-Nassau and Baarle-Hertog merged into a single body on 1 January 2010. The joint fire service is formed by Dutch and Belgian volunteers and the station is located at C.A. Bodestraat 2 in Baarle-Nassau.
Public transport
Traffic
The village of Baarle is easily accessible by car via the two Dutch provincial roads N260, N639 and the Belgian regional road N119. The highways A58 in the Netherlands, E19 and E34 in Belgium also run near the village.
Bus
Lines from
De Lijn
Vlaamse Vervoersmaatschappij De Lijn (English: Flemish transport company ''De Lijn''), usually known as De Lijn (, "The Line"), is a company run by the Flemish government in Belgium to provide public transportation with about 2240 buses and 399 tr ...
Arriva
Arriva plc is a British multinational public transport company headquartered in Sunderland, England.spoorlijn Tilburg - Turnhout.
This line has now been converted into a 31-kilometre-long cycle path called "Het Bels Lijntje", that links the two villages.
Education
Baarle-Hertog
(; french: Baerle-Duc, ) is a Flanders, Flemish Municipalities of Belgium, municipality of Belgium, much of which consists of a number of small Belgian enclaves fully surrounded by the Netherlands.
Parts of are surrounded by the Dutch province ...
has two schools: De Vlinder and De Horizon.
Baarle-Nassau
Baarle-Nassau () is a municipality and town in the southern Netherlands, located in the province of North Brabant. It had a population of in . The town is the site of a complicated borderline between Belgium and the Netherlands, with 22 small ...
and
Baarle-Hertog
(; french: Baerle-Duc, ) is a Flanders, Flemish Municipalities of Belgium, municipality of Belgium, much of which consists of a number of small Belgian enclaves fully surrounded by the Netherlands.
Parts of are surrounded by the Dutch province ...
have a joint library with Belgian and Dutch staff.bibliotheek " Baarle-Hertog. Retrieved on January 6, 2017.
Activities
Baarle has several clubs and societies. Some have both Belgian and Dutch counterparts: for example, the football clubs of Gloria US (Netherlands) and KVV Dosko (Belgium). In other cases there is only one club in Baarle. They include:
*Harmonie Sint Remi
* Stichting Jeugdwerk Baarle
*Heemkundekring Amalia van Solms
*De Baarlese Beeldhouwclub
*Karnavalsvereniging De Grenszuukers
Media
Website
Both villages had a community website that could be accessed through both baarle-nassau.nl and baarle-hertog.be. By using European subsidies for border projects, the first community website opened on 30 March 2002. The website was taken down in 2004, after a Dutch opinion poll found that baarle-nassau.nl/baarle-hertog.be was one of the worst municipal websites. A new community website opened on 8 July 2005. At the time of writing this article (2012), each of the two Baarles has a different website.
Radio and television
The village of Baarle has its own local broadcasting, Baarle's local broadcasting, also known as ''Stille Genieter''. In addition, there are still a number of regional broadcasters that are received in Baarle,
Omroep Brabant
Omroep Brabant is the Netherlands Public Broadcasting regional television and radio broadcaster in the North Brabant Province in the Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_t ...
(In Baarle-Hertog one receives digital TV via Telenet) and RTV (only available in the Belgian area).
Brabants Dagblad
''Brabants Dagblad'' is a daily Dutch newspaper. It is distributed in the center and northeast of North Brabant, in 's-Hertogenbosch and Tilburg and their surrounding regions. The paper's office is in 's-Hertogenbosch.
History
18th century
T ...
Ulicoten
Ulicoten is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is a part of the municipality of Baarle-Nassau
Baarle-Nassau () is a municipality and town in the southern Netherlands, located in the province of North Brabant. It had a populati ...
,
Castelré
Castelré () is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is a part of the municipality of Baarle-Nassau, and lies some 20 km south of Breda.
In 2000 a millennium chapel was built at the "Kempische-driehoek" 't Groesje.
Castelr ...
Weelde
Weelde is a village in the municipality of Ravels, in the province of Antwerp
Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. ...
Chaam
Chaam () is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of Alphen-Chaam, about 13 km southeast of Breda.
History
The village was first mentioned in 1236 as de Cambe, and probably means beer brewer ...
See also
*
Belgium–Netherlands border
The Belgium–Netherlands border separates Belgium and the Netherlands and is long.
Belgium and the Netherlands are part of the Schengen Area. This means there are no permanent border controls at this border.
On the Belgian side, the border i ...