Kaatsheuvel
Encyclopedia
Kaatsheuvel 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 has a town hall located in the town centre.
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 thata man named Hendrik Cets lived on a hill where Kaatsheuvel now stands in the 17th century, and over time this place came to be known as Cetsheuvel, and eventually Kaatsheuvel.
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.
and Drunen
. It is also close to the cities Tilburg
, 's-Hertogenbosch, and Breda
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
of North Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
, 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
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of Loon op Zand
Loon op Zand
Loon op Zand is a municipality and a village in the southern Netherlands. It has 23.000 residents.- Loon op Zand :Loon op Zand is the oldest village of the municipality. Somewhere around the year 1000, this village was founded in a very wet and swampy area. There was also a lot of drift-sand whose...
, which also consists of the villages of De Moer and Loon op Zand
Loon op Zand
Loon op Zand is a municipality and a village in the southern Netherlands. It has 23.000 residents.- Loon op Zand :Loon op Zand is the oldest village of the municipality. Somewhere around the year 1000, this village was founded in a very wet and swampy area. There was also a lot of drift-sand whose...
. As Kaatsheuvel is a municipality capital, it has a town hall located in the town centre.
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 saintSaint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
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 thata man named Hendrik Cets lived on a hill where Kaatsheuvel now stands in the 17th century, and over time this place came to be known as Cetsheuvel, and eventually Kaatsheuvel.
Economy
Historically, the economyEconomy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
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
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
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 WaalwijkWaalwijk
Waalwijk is a municipality and a city in the southern Netherlands.It is a member of the Langstraat.It has a population of around 38,920 and is located near the motorways A59 and N261...
and Drunen
Drunen
Drunen is a town with a population of 17,783 in the municipality of Heusden in the southern Netherlands. Drunen is part of a region called the Langstraat which is historically known for its leather and shoe industry...
. It is also close to the cities Tilburg
Tilburg
Tilburg is a landlocked municipality and a city in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of Noord-Brabant.Tilburg municipality also includes the villages of Berkel-Enschot and Udenhout....
, 's-Hertogenbosch, and Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
.
People born in Kaatsheuvel
- Marius van Amelsfoort (1930–2006), Dutch politician
- Anne Govaert (1983- ), rez
- Jacqueline GovaertJacqueline GovaertJacqueline Govaert is a Dutch singer, songwriter, and pianist. She is best known as the lead singer of Dutch band Krezip.After Krezip disbanded in 2009, Govaert started working on her solo career. She released her debut album Good Life in August 2010.-Musical career:Govaert wrote her first songs...
(1982- ), KrezipKrezipKrezip was a Dutch band from Tilburg, formed in 1997. It is notable for the band member's young ages during their original breakthrough. Since then, the band has had several successful albums and singles in the Benelux countries...