Bergen op Zoom (; called ''Berrege'' in the

local dialect Local may refer to: Geography and transportation * Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand * Local, Missouri, a community in the United States Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Local'' (comics), a limited series comic book by Bria ...

) is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in southwestern

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

. It is located in the

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

North Brabant North Brabant ( ; ), also unofficially called Brabant, Dutch Brabant or Hollandic Brabant, is a province in the south of the Netherlands. It borders the provinces of South Holland and Gelderland to the north, Limburg to the east, Zeeland to ...

, at the provincial border with

Zeeland Zeeland (; ), historically known in English by the Endonym and exonym, exonym Zealand, is the westernmost and least populous province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the southwest of the country, borders North Brabant to the east ...

. In 2025, the municipality had a population of 70,216.

Etymology

The city was built on a site where two types of soil meet: sandy soil and marine clay. The sandy soil pushed against the marine clay, accumulating and forming hills over several centuries. People called those hills the ''Brabantse Wal'', literally meaning "ramparts of Brabant". ''Zoom'' refers to the border of these ramparts and ''bergen'' in Dutch means mountains or hills. The name has nothing to do with the little channel, the Zoom, which was later built through Bergen op Zoom.

History

Bergen op Zoom was granted

city status City status is a symbolic and legal designation given by a monarch, national or subnational government. A municipality may receive city status because it already has the qualities of a city, or because it has some special purpose. Historically, ci ...

probably in 1212. In 1287 the city and its surroundings became a

lordship A lordship is a territory held by a lord. It was a landed estate that served as the lowest administrative and judicial unit in rural areas. It originated as a unit under the feudal system during the Middle Ages. In a lordship, the functions of eco ...

as it was separated from the lordship of

Breda Breda ( , , , ) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Brabant. ...

. The lordship was elevated to a margraviate in 1559. Several noble families, including the

House of Glymes The House of Glymes was an old Belgian nobility, Belgian noble family, an illegitimate branch of the Reginarids, House of Reginarid, which ruled the Duchy of Brabant. Glymes or Glimes is a municipality of Incourt, Belgium, Incourt. Their descend ...

, ruled Bergen op Zoom in succession until 1795, although the title was only nominal since at least the seventeenth century. During the

early modern period The early modern period is a Periodization, historical period that is defined either as part of or as immediately preceding the modern period, with divisions based primarily on the history of Europe and the broader concept of modernity. There i ...

, Bergen op Zoom was a very strong fortress and one of the main armories and

arsenal An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...

s of the United Provinces. It had a remarkable natural defensive site, surrounded as it was by marshes and easily flooded

polder A polder () is a low-lying tract of land that forms an artificial hydrology, hydrological entity, enclosed by embankments known as levee, dikes. The three types of polder are: # Land reclamation, Land reclaimed from a body of water, such as a ...

s. Furthermore, it could receive reinforcements and supplies by sea, if the

besieging A siege () . is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or by well-prepared assault. Siege warfare (also called siegecrafts or poliorcetics) is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characte ...

army did not have a fleet to blockade its port. Due to these features, the city was one of the strategic points held by the Dutch during their revolt in the

Eighty Years War The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt (; 1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish government. The causes of the war included the Reformation, centralisation, exce ...

, beginning in the late sixteenth century. It was at that time besieged by Alessandro Farnese first in 1588, and by

Ambrosio Spinola Ambrogio Spinola Doria, 1st Marquess of Los Balbases and 1st Duke of Sesto (1569 – 25 September 1630) was an Italian military leader and nobleman of the Republic of Genoa, who served as a Spanish general and won a number of important battles. ...

a second time in 1622. Both sieges were unsuccessful, and Bergen op Zoom got the nickname ''La Pucelle'' or ''The Virgin'' as it was never successfully taken in a siege. In 1747, during the

War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession was a European conflict fought between 1740 and 1748, primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italian Peninsula, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Related conflicts include King Ge ...

, the

French army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...

laid siege to the city. Bergen op Zoom had been fortified by new works built at the beginning of the 17th century by

Menno van Coehoorn Menno, Baron van Coehoorn (; March 1641 – 17 March 1704) was a Dutch States Army officer and engineer, regarded as one of the most significant figures in Dutch military history. In an era when siege warfare dominated military campaigns, he a ...

, with three forts surrounding the city and a canalized diversion of the

Scheldt The Scheldt ( ; ; ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of Netherlands, the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to Old Englis ...

acting as a ditch around its walls. However, it had no second line of fortifications, nor any

fortress A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from L ...

. After seventy days of siege, the city was taken and thoroughly sacked; the garrison was slaughtered. During the

War of the Sixth Coalition In the War of the Sixth Coalition () (December 1812 – May 1814), sometimes known in Germany as the Wars of Liberation (), a coalition of Austrian Empire, Austria, Kingdom of Prussia, Prussia, Russian Empire, Russia, History of Spain (1808– ...

, the town was again besieged by the British in March 1814 in a failed attempt to dislodge the French garrison.

Trading town

During the reign of Jan II van Glymes (1417–1494), nicknamed "Jan metten Lippen" (meaning "Jan with the big lips", probably caused by an infection), a surge in economic growth occurred in the city. Large fairs were held twice a year, in spring and fall, that were known both nationally and internationally. Merchants from all over Europe came to Bergen op Zoom to sell their goods. Because of this major economic growth, the Sint-Gertrudischurch was enlarged. The enlargement was called the ''Nieuw Werck'' but was never finished, because of the economic recession of the mid-16th century. It fell into ruin. The economic recession was largely caused by the poor accessibility of the port, due to a number of floods in Zeeland and West-Brabant. Because of the great reliance on the port, the economic growth received a major blow. In addition, the modernization of trade techniques, such as establishing of a permanent stock exchange instead of the fairs, which took place twice a year, also damaged the local economy. The fairs continued until 1910. Despite the end of the two big fairs, Bergen op Zoom still hosts all kinds of smaller fairs and events.

Religion

During the

Eighty Years' War The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt (; 1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish Empire, Spanish government. The Origins of the Eighty Years' War, causes of the w ...

, Bergen op Zoom chose the side of the Dutch Republic, and, simultaneously, Protestantism. The Catholics of the city either adapted or moved to the surrounding countryside, which remained largely Catholic. The inhabitants who chose to stay Catholic went to church in secret barns and houses, since the local Sint-Getrudischurch was assigned to the Protestant community. Slowly, most of the city council members of Bergen op Zoom became Protestant. Protestants dominated the council until the 18th century. After that, the number of Catholics in Bergen op Zoom increased and, during the second part of the 18th century, a majority of Bergen op Zoom's population was Catholic again. Although the Catholics enjoyed religious freedom during the French period in 1795–1814, their emancipation did not take place until later. In 1832, a Catholic parish, the ‘Heilige Maagd ten Ophemeling’, was allowed to have its own church. In the same period, the Jewish community built a synagogue for their use. In 1972, the Protestant community, after the loss of many members, gave the Sint-Getrudischurch to the Catholic parish. Since the return of the Church, Catholic services have been held here again. As a result of

Turkish Turkish may refer to: * Something related to Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities in the former Ottoman Empire * The w ...

and Moroccan immigration to the Netherlands, the city has a significant Muslim minority.

Population centres

*Bergen op Zoom (population: 65,691, July 2006) ** Heimolen ** Halsteren (11,410) ** Lepelstraat (2,070) ** Kladde

City of Bergen op Zoom

File:Bergen op zoom 008.jpg, Gevangenpoort, the oldest monument in Bergen op Zoom File:Bergen op zoom 005.jpg, Grote Markt File:Bergen op Zoom, Sint Gertrudiskerk foto2 2010-09-11 09.11.JPG,

Gertrudiskerk The Gertrudiskerk is a church approachable from the large market in the center of Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands. The towers of the church are called "pepper plant towers". An old legend says Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, abbess of the abbey in Nivell ...

File:Bergen op Zoom, fontein en brug in Anton van Duinkerkenpark foto6 2015-05-24 10.54.jpg, Bergen op Zoom, fountain and bridge in park File:The Marketplace in Bergen op Zoom E11381.jpg, ''The Marketplace at Bergen op Zoom''. Attributed to Abel Grimmer, 1590s. National Gallery of Art, Washington. The Markiezenhof Palace, built in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, houses a

cultural centre A cultural center or cultural centre is an organization, building or complex that promotes culture and arts. Cultural centers can be neighborhood community arts organizations, private facilities, government-sponsored, or activist-run. Africa * ...

and a museum with a picturesque courtyard, paintings, period rooms, and temporary exhibitions.

SABIC Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (), known as SABIC (), is a Saudi chemical manufacturing company. 70% of SABIC's shares are owned by Saudi Aramco. It is active in petrochemicals, chemicals, industrial polymers and fertilizers. It is the second ...

Innovative Plastics operates a major manufacturing facility in Bergen op Zoom. Philip Morris was another major employer until it closed its plant in 2014.

Transport

Bergen op Zoom railway station Bergen op Zoom is a railway station located in Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands. The station was opened on 23 December 1863 and is located on the Roosendaal–Vlissingen railway. The services are operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen (, , NS ) is the ...

Notable people

The arts

Jacob Obrecht Jacob Obrecht (also Hobrecht; 1457/8

(1457–1505) composer, mainly of sacred music *

Desiderius Erasmus Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus ( ; ; 28 October c. 1466 – 12 July 1536), commonly known in English as Erasmus of Rotterdam or simply Erasmus, was a Dutch Christian humanist, Catholic priest and Catholic theology, theologian, educationalist ...

(1466–1536) humanist, philosopher, author * Abel Grimmer (1570–1619) a Flemish late Renaissance painter, mainly of landscapes * Gerrit Houckgeest (1600–1661) a

Dutch Golden Age The Dutch Golden Age ( ) was a period in the history of the Netherlands which roughly lasted from 1588, when the Dutch Republic was established, to 1672, when the '' Rampjaar'' occurred. During this period, Dutch trade, scientific development ...

painter of architectural scenes and church interiors * Bartram de Fouchier (1609–1673) a

painter *

Marcus Zuerius van Boxhorn Marcus Zuerius van Boxhorn (August 28, 1612 – October 3, 1653) was a Dutch people, Dutch scholar (his Latinized name was Marcus Zuerius Boxhornius). Born in Bergen op Zoom, he was professor at the University of Leiden. He discovered the similar ...

(1612–1653) historian, author and scholar *

Thomas Willeboirts Bosschaert Thomas Willeboirts Bosschaert (1613 – 23 January 1654) was a Dutch Republic-born Flemish Baroque painter. Biography Willeboirts Bosschaert was born in Bergen op Zoom, where his Catholic family had moved in the late sixteenth century. He moved ...

(1613–1654) a

Flemish Baroque painter Flemish Baroque painting was a style of painting in the Southern Netherlands during Spanish control in the 16th and 17th centuries. The period roughly begins when the Dutch Republic was split from the Habsburg Spain regions to the south with th ...

* Pieter van der Willigen (1634–1694) a

Govert-Marinus Augustijn Govert-Marinus Augustijn (Bergen op Zoom, 27 October 1871 – Hilversum, 26 May 1963) was a Dutch potter in the style of the Art Nouveau.Art Nouveau Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...

potter * Kees Smout (1876–1961) a Dutch sculptor *

Anton van Duinkerken Wilhelmus Johannes Maria Antonius Asselbergs (2 January 1903 in Bergen op Zoom – 27 June 1968 in Nijmegen), better known under his pseudonym Anton van Duinkerken, was a Dutch poet, essayist, and academic. Asselbergs considered a career as a pr ...

(1903–1968) a Dutch poet, essayist and academic * Louis Boekhout (1919–2012) a Dutch painter who emigrated to Québec, Canada *

Pleuni Touw Pleuni Touw (born 8 November 1938) is a Dutch film, television and theatre actress best known for her role in the 1974 miniseries '' De Stille Kracht'', which featured the first televised nude scene in Dutch history. Life and career Touw was bor ...

(born 1938) a Dutch film, television and theatre actress *

Adriaan Ditvoorst Adriaan Ditvoorst (23 January 1940 – 18 October 1987) was a Dutch film director and screenwriter. He directed nine films between 1965 and 1984. His 1967 film ''Paranoia'' was entered into the 17th Berlin International Film Festival. Selec ...

(1940–1987) a Dutch film director, screenwriter *

Cornald Maas Cornald Maas (born 22 July 1962) is a Dutch people, Dutch television presenter who has been known for presenting talk shows in the Netherlands. He is the brother of Frans Maas. Early career He was an editor involved in ''The Scream of the Lion'' ...

(born 1967) a Dutch television presenter * Martin Fondse (born 1967) a Dutch pianist and composer who plays the vibrandoneon * Bob van Luijt (born 1985) a Dutch technology entrepreneur, technologist and new media artist * Julia Boschman (born 2002) a Dutch singer in famous girl group K3

Public thinking and public service

Pieter Gerardus van Overstraten Pieter Gerardus van Overstraten (19 February 1755 – 22 August 1801) was Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1796 until 1801. He was the last Governor-General of the Dutch East India Company, which was dissolved, bankrupt in 1799, bu ...

(1755–1801) last

Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies The governor-general of the Dutch East Indies (, ) represented Dutch rule in the Dutch East Indies between 1610 and Dutch recognition of the independence of Indonesia in 1949. Occupied by Japanese forces between 1942 and 1945, followed by the ...

* Gerrit Verdooren van Asperen (1757–1824) vice-admiral of the

Royal Netherlands Navy The Royal Netherlands Navy (, ) is the Navy, maritime service branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. It traces its history to 8 January 1488, making it the List of navies, third-oldest navy in the world. During the 17th and early 18th centurie ...

* Jacob Van Braam (1729–1792) a soldier of fortune, swordmaster and mercenary. * Gillis Pieter de Neve (1823–1883) commander of the

Royal Netherlands East Indies Army The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (; KNIL, ; ) was the military force maintained by the Kingdom of the Netherlands in its colony of the Dutch East Indies, in areas that are now part of Indonesia. The KNIL's air arm was the Royal Netherl ...

* Albert Vogel (1874–1933) a Dutch Army officer and teacher * Peter Sitsen (1885–1945) a military officer, building contractor and public servant in colonial Indonesia *

Ed Nijpels Eduardus Hermannus Theresia Maria Nijpels (born 1 April 1950) is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and nonprofit director. Biography Nijpels studied Civil law at the Utrecht University obtaining a Maste ...

(born 1950) a retired Dutch politician * Virginie Korte-van Hemel (1929–2014) a Dutch politician *

Bernard de Wit Bernard Quirinus Petrus Joseph de Wit (born 1945 in Bergen op Zoom) is a Dutch theoretical physicist specializing in supergravity and particle physics. Bernard de Wit studied theoretical physics at Utrecht University, where he got his PhD under ...

(born 1945) a Dutch theoretical physicist and academic *

Paul Schnabel Paul Schnabel (born 17 July 1948) is a Dutch politician and sociologist who served on the Social and Economic Council (SER) from 2013 to 2015 and in the Senate on behalf of Democrats 66 (D66) from 2015 until 2019. Schnabel, a professor at Utrech ...

(born 1948) a Dutch sociologist, academic and politician *

Wim Crusio Wim E. Crusio (born Wilhelmus Elisabeth Crusio on 20 December 1954) is a Dutch behavioral neurogeneticist and a '' directeur de recherche'' (research director) with the French National Centre for Scientific Research in Talence, France. Educ ...

(born 1954) a Dutch behavioral neurogeneticist and academic * Fatma Koşer Kaya (born 1968) a Dutch lawyer and politician of Turkish origin

Sports

Reindert de Favauge Romain "Reindert" Henri Theodor David de Favauge (22 December 1872 – 8 October 1949) was a Dutch sport shooter who competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics and the 1920 Summer Olympics. He was born in Bergen op Zoom and died in Bloemendaal B ...

(1872–1949) a sport shooter, competed at the

1908 This is the longest year in either the Julian or Gregorian calendars, having a duration of 31622401.38 seconds of Terrestrial Time (or ephemeris time), measured according to the definition of mean solar time. Events January * January ...

and

1920 Summer Olympics The 1920 Summer Olympics (; ; ), officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad (; ; ) and commonly known as Antwerp 1920 (; Dutch language, Dutch and German language, German: ''Antwerpen 1920''), were an international multi-sport event held i ...

* Henk Kersken (1880–1967) a sailor who competed at the

1928 Summer Olympics The 1928 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the IX Olympiad (), was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated from 28 July to 12 August 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The city of Amsterdam had previously bid for ...

Barent Momma Barent Momma (15 February 1897 – 31 January 1936) was a Dutch modern pentathlete. He competed at the 1924 Summer Olympics The 1924 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the VIII Olympiad () and officially branded as Paris 1924, ...

(1897–1936) a modern pentathlete, competed at the

1924 Summer Olympics The 1924 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the VIII Olympiad () and officially branded as Paris 1924, were an international multi-sport event held in Paris, France. The opening ceremony was held on 5 July, but some competitions had al ...

* Willem van Rhijn (1903–1979) a modern pentathlete, competed at the

1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly demonstrating that DNA is the genetic material. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris B ...

and

1932 Summer Olympics The 1932 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the X Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1932) were an international multi-sport event held from July 30 to August 14, 1932, in Los Angeles, California, United States. The Games were held du ...

* Janus van der Zande (1924–2016) a marathon runner, competed in the

1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics (, ), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad (, ) and commonly known as Helsinki 1952, were an international multi-sport event held from 19 July to 3 August 1952 in Helsinki, Finland. After Japan declared in ...

* Maarten Sikking (1948–2009) a field hockey goalkeeper, competed at the

1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...

and

1976 Summer Olympics The 1976 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Montreal 1976 (), were an international multi-sport event held from July 17 to August 1, 1976, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Montreal ...

Rico Verhoeven Rico Verhoeven (born 10 April 1989) is a Dutch professional kickboxer, former professional boxer and mixed martial artist who currently competes in the heavyweight division of GLORY, where he is the reigning Glory Heavyweight Champion. A profes ...

(born 1989) a kickboxer *

Oussama Idrissi Oussama Idrissi (; born 26 February 1996) is a professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Midfielder#Winger, winger for Liga MX club C.F. Pachuca, Pachuca. Born in the Netherlands, he represents Morocco national football team, ...

(born 1996) a footballer

Twin towns — sister cities

Bergen op Zoom is twinned with: *

Oudenaarde Oudenaarde (; ; in English sometimes ''Oudenarde'') is a Belgium, Belgian City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region, Flemish Provinces of Belgium, province of East Flanders. The municipality ...

, Belgium *

Szczecinek Szczecinek (; ) is a historic city in Middle Pomerania, northwestern Poland, capital of Szczecinek County in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, with a population of more than 40,000 (2011). The town's total area is . The turbulent history of Szcze ...

, Poland *

Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...

, Canada

Notes

References

External links

*
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bergen Op Zoom Cities in the Netherlands Municipalities of North Brabant Populated places in North Brabant