Babyloniënbroek is a village in the
Dutch province of
North Brabant. It is in the municipality of
Altena, about 7 km northwest of the town of
Waalwijk.
Babyloniënbroek consists of a single street, and has about 400 inhabitants. The name
Babylon
''Bābili(m)''
* sux, 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠
* arc, 𐡁𐡁𐡋 ''Bāḇel''
* syc, ܒܒܠ ''Bāḇel''
* grc-gre, Βαβυλών ''Babylṓn''
* he, בָּבֶל ''Bāvel''
* peo, 𐎲𐎠𐎲𐎡𐎽𐎢 ''Bābiru''
* elx, 𒀸𒁀𒉿𒇷 ''Babi ...
has the suffix Broek added. 'Broek' is a word linked to the root of the English word, 'Brook' for stream or the springs of a stream, and the meaning in Dutch is very similar, meaning swamp or swampy. The village was first mentioned in 1131 as Babilonia.
Babyloniënbroek is a
linear settlement which started as a cultivation project by the monastery of
Sint-Truiden around 1130 alongside a canal which no longer exists.
The Dutch Reformed church building probably dates from the 14th century. In 1664, the nave was enlarged using material of the older church. It was restored until 1975.
The church used to function as a place of refuge in case of floods. The last time it was used was in 1809.
Babyloniënbroek was home to 250 people in 1840.
Notable citizens
*
Marianne Vos (born 1987), cyclist
Gallery
File:Dorpsgezicht van het streekdorp Babylonienbroek.jpg, Village view
File:Babyloniënbroek, monumentale boerderij aan de Broekweg 75 RM10596 foto2 2012-10-22 14.46.jpg, Farm in Babyloniënbroek
File:Babylonienbroek.jpg, Farm in Babyloniënbroek
File:We komen Babylonienbroek binnen op de Hillestraat.jpg, Street view
References
Populated places in North Brabant
Geography of Altena, North Brabant
{{NorthBrabant-geo-stub