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Already in Roman times a settlement was at the place where now Bladel is. Later this place grew and became the centre of the agricultural region. As somewhat larger village, Bladel now keeps that regional central function and has the townhall as administrative centre of the Brabant "Kempen" area, stretching along the Belgian border.
Updated Oct 7, 2003
In this village in Brabant there also was a monastry. Well, actually I believe that in English it is called a convent as it was one for females only. From here the nuns did many charititive work for Bladel and surroundings, while spreading the Roman Catholic believe and being strict to themselves in matters of earthly manners.
Written Oct 7, 2003
The small reformed church in Bladel is a beautiful white little building and can easily be called a fox in the henhouse. Northern Brabant is Roman Catholic in heart and soul and despite many efforts to found Reformed (or any other Protestant) churches never ended with a successful growth. Until the present day, this Southern province is Catholic, though now-a-days, that actually doesn't mean anything anymore in everyday life.
Written Oct 7, 2003
Behind the basilica of Bladel there is a cemetry. For me a place of some importance as my grandparents are buried here. For visitors to Bladel, the lonely churchtower might be of some interest as this is the only left part of the original church that used to be here and was the main centre of Roman Catholicism in Bladel.
Written Oct 7, 2003
This basilica, with it's exceptional rare forms for the North Brabant surroundings, is the main Roman Catholic church of Bladel. It is quite a large building, but not that old. There used to be an older church here, but only the tower is left from that one (see cemetry). The parochie (Catholic group) is called Saint Peter and Paul, but I couldn;t find any indication that the church itself is also called after these two holy men.
Written Oct 7, 2003
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Easiest way in getting to Bladel is by car, though busses run frequently from and to the village. For Dutch standards, Bladel is quite isolated, as larger towns are rather distant. Eindhoven is some thirty kilometres North-East and Tilburg somewaht closer to the North-West. In Belgium the closest town is Turnhout, also thirty kilometres far.
Written Oct 7, 2003
Watch around in the outskirts of Bladel and you will find large low buildings between the new houseblocks. These farmhouses, with often wonderful straw roofs, are silent prooves that Bladel is the centre in a agricultural area. farming was and is still very important. It also is rather difficult as the soil (sandy) here is not that furtile as in - for example - the riverlands (clay). Still, the Brabant farmers did their best and obvioulsy with success. Until today it is one of the main drives of the economy here.
Updated Oct 7, 2003
Many will see the stones on the marketsquare and wonder what meaning they have. There are legends about them, varying from the witch-stories that always have been told in these surroundings to the idea that giants threw these blocks to the poor citizens of Bladel.
Close-by there is another stone-circle (Reusel) and maybe this has a connection with the ones in Bladel. Bladel is situated in the centre of the seven (or eight) "Zaligheden" (merry places) and there are stories that Bladel is doing it's utmost to also be taken into this group. The "status" that it brings would be welcome. Stones, especially the larger ones, always have had their meaning within these surroundings and stories (legends and myths) are very strong in the lands of the "Kempen" .
Written Oct 7, 2003
Okay, this statement is a little bit overdone, but Bladel is in touristic aspect not really the centre of the world, let even the centre of The Netherlands or even Northern Brabant. Still, as being the birthplace of my ancestors, I want to mention it here on VT and (later) add some personal travellogues with family-information. For those who are interested ... have a nice time on my Bladel-page and ... thank you!
Written Oct 7, 2003
Favorite thing: Already very early the people of Bladella Villa got freedom-rights. In the dark centuries of the Middle Ages, farmers as well as craftsmen, were often "property" of a landlord. In Bladel the people got much more freedom when Karel de eenvoudige (Charles the simple) granted them by manuscript certain rights through "Dirk 1" that was the Count of Holland and also ruled over large parts of the "Kempen". A small statue reminds of that important transaction that was done in the year 922 AD.
Fondest memory: Only the fact that my father was born and raised here, as well as many of my fore fathers, makes Bladel a very special place for me.
Written Oct 7, 2003
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Bladel, the village that my father was born
In the Southern part of Northern Brabant, just some kilometres from the Belgian border, Bladel is a typical village of the "Kempen". Small centre, surrounded by wide and intensive agricultural land....
I visited Bladel in North-Holland twice now,on camps,we stayed in like a big farm house,in which you live and cook your food in a big kitchen.They had some sheep outside,which broke out one day! I......
Build your own Bladel page
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