Koningsbosch
Encyclopedia
Koningsbosch (51°3′N 5°57′E) is a village
within the municipality
of Echt-Susteren
, in the Dutch
province of Limburg
. Koningsbosch is located next to the German
border, approximately 10 kilometres east of the town of Echt.
The neighbourhood of Koningsbosch, which also includes the hamlets Echterbosch, Spaanshuisken, Aan Reijans and the surrounding countryside, covers an area of 0.27 km², has 1.711 inhabitants (as of 1 May 2005) and consists of some 700 houses.
The main roads within the village are the Prinsenbaan and the Kerkstraat.
. Charles V had some possessions in the region, including some forests, hence the name Koningsbosch.
In those days the forests were guarded by a Spanish forest keeper. The house he lived in was called Spaanshuisken, "Spanish House". The hamlet Spaanshuisken evolved around this house.
The parish of Koningsbosch was founded in 1861. The first priest was Petrus Antonius Kelleners. The first church was built in 1863, designed by the famous Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers
. However, this church soon proved to be too small. Therefore a new church was built by Cuypers' former employee Jan Stuyt
in 1926. This church still exists today.
In 1873 a nunnery was built, which was abandoned in 1995. At the moment the nunnery, which has monumental status, is empty.
Until today the church and the nunnery dominate the skyline of Koningsbosch.
Patron Saint
of the parish of Koningsbosch is Saint Godehard.
St. Joseph) won the OLS. The local mixed choir
Mes Amis became provincial champion in 1992 and 1993 and the local wood-wind and brass band (Harmonie St. Cecilia) became national champion in 1997. Successes of the local male choir "Koninklijk erkend mannenkoor St. Caecilia" are from earlier days. Periodically events are organised where various local associations perform together. In sept 2006 Mes Amis, the male choir and Harmonie St. Cecilia celebrated the 85th anniversary of the Harmonie in the Bürger-Treff in Waldfeucht, Germany. Every second week of December Mes Amis, the male choir, Harmonie St. Cecilia and the local church choir St. Caecilia perform together in a Christmas concert.
(Website of Koningsbosch)
(Website of Harmonie St. Cecilia Koningsbosch)
(Website of Kon. Erkend mannenkoor St. Caecilia Koningsbosch)
(Website of zanggroep Mes Amis Koningsbosch)
(Website of carnival club de Papegaai)
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...
within 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 Echt-Susteren
Echt-Susteren
Echt-Susteren is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. Echt-Susteren was created in 2003 by merging the former municipalities of Echt and Susteren....
, 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 of Limburg
Limburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
. Koningsbosch is located next to the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
border, approximately 10 kilometres east of the town of Echt.
The neighbourhood of Koningsbosch, which also includes the hamlets Echterbosch, Spaanshuisken, Aan Reijans and the surrounding countryside, covers an area of 0.27 km², has 1.711 inhabitants (as of 1 May 2005) and consists of some 700 houses.
The main roads within the village are the Prinsenbaan and the Kerkstraat.
History
The name Koningsbosch, "King's Forest", dates back from the time of Charles V, Holy Roman EmperorCharles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
. Charles V had some possessions in the region, including some forests, hence the name Koningsbosch.
In those days the forests were guarded by a Spanish forest keeper. The house he lived in was called Spaanshuisken, "Spanish House". The hamlet Spaanshuisken evolved around this house.
The parish of Koningsbosch was founded in 1861. The first priest was Petrus Antonius Kelleners. The first church was built in 1863, designed by the famous Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers
Pierre Cuypers
Petrus Josephus Hubertus Cuypers was a Dutch architect. His name is most frequently associated with the Amsterdam Central Station and the Rijksmuseum , both in Amsterdam. More representative for his oeuvre, however, are numerous churches, of which he designed more than 100...
. However, this church soon proved to be too small. Therefore a new church was built by Cuypers' former employee Jan Stuyt
Jan Stuyt
Jan Stuyt was a Dutch architect.Stuyt started his architectural career in 1883 at the office of A.C. Bleys , whose neo-Romanesque style would become of great influence on Stuyt...
in 1926. This church still exists today.
In 1873 a nunnery was built, which was abandoned in 1995. At the moment the nunnery, which has monumental status, is empty.
Until today the church and the nunnery dominate the skyline of Koningsbosch.
Patron Saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of the parish of Koningsbosch is Saint Godehard.
Corporate life
The village of Koningsbosch has a thriving corporate life. In 1992 the local shooting club (SchutterijSchutterij
Schutterij refers to a voluntary city guard or citizen militia in the medieval and early modern Netherlands, intended to protect the town or city from attack and act in case of revolt or fire. Their training grounds were often on open spaces within the city, near the city walls, but, when the...
St. Joseph) won the OLS. The local mixed choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
Mes Amis became provincial champion in 1992 and 1993 and the local wood-wind and brass band (Harmonie St. Cecilia) became national champion in 1997. Successes of the local male choir "Koninklijk erkend mannenkoor St. Caecilia" are from earlier days. Periodically events are organised where various local associations perform together. In sept 2006 Mes Amis, the male choir and Harmonie St. Cecilia celebrated the 85th anniversary of the Harmonie in the Bürger-Treff in Waldfeucht, Germany. Every second week of December Mes Amis, the male choir, Harmonie St. Cecilia and the local church choir St. Caecilia perform together in a Christmas concert.
External links
(Website of Koningsbosch)
(Website of Harmonie St. Cecilia Koningsbosch)
(Website of Kon. Erkend mannenkoor St. Caecilia Koningsbosch)
(Website of zanggroep Mes Amis Koningsbosch)
(Website of carnival club de Papegaai)