Valkenswaard
Valkenswaard | |||
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Municipality | |||
Church in Valkenswaard | |||
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Location in North Brabant | |||
Coordinates: 51°21′N 5°28′E / 51.350°N 5.467°ECoordinates: 51°21′N 5°28′E / 51.350°N 5.467°E | |||
Country | Netherlands | ||
Province | North Brabant | ||
Government[1] | |||
• Body | Municipal council | ||
• Mayor | Anton Ederveen (CDA) | ||
Area[2] | |||
• Total | 56.49 km2 (21.81 sq mi) | ||
• Land | 55.01 km2 (21.24 sq mi) | ||
• Water | 1.48 km2 (0.57 sq mi) | ||
Elevation[3] | 25 m (82 ft) | ||
Population (August 2017)[4] | |||
• Total | 30,615 | ||
• Density | 557/km2 (1,440/sq mi) | ||
Demonym(s) | Valkenswaarder / Valkenswaardenaar | ||
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) | ||
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) | ||
Postcode | 5550–5556 | ||
Area code | 040 | ||
Website |
www |
Valkenswaard (
The name Valkenswaard stems from its history of falconers, who caught wild falcons there; valk is Dutch for "falcon". It lay on a route where falcons migrated south each year. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, Valkenswaardian falconers were active at many European courts, in which falconing was a beloved pastime. Valkenswaard's falcon-catching area has now been built over and falcons are no longer caught there.
In the 19th and 20th century, a number of large cigar factories were founded in Valkenswaard, the two most renowned of which being Willem II and Hofnar.
The spoken language is Kempenlands (an East Brabantian dialect, which is very similar to colloquial Dutch).[5]
The Eurocircuit Valkenswaard is a motorsport racetrack that has hosted the European Rallycross Championship and the FIM Motocross World Championship.
Population centres
- Borkel en Schaft
- Dommelen
- Valkenswaard
Topography
Dutch topographic map of the municipality of Valkenswaard, June 2015
Partner municipalities
Tienen (Belgium) Salvaterra de Magos (Portugal)
Notable people born in Valkenswaard
- Pieter van Geel, politician
- Dominique van Hulst ("Do"), singer
- Jan Tops, equestrian
- Daniëlle van de Donk, footballer
References
- ↑ "Samenstelling college van B&W" [Members of the board of mayor and aldermen] (in Dutch). Gemeente Valkenswaard. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
- ↑ "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten" [Key figures for neighbourhoods]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
- ↑ "Postcodetool for 5554DA". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
- ↑ "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 27 October 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
- ↑ Jos & Cor Swanenberg: Taal in stad en land: Oost-Brabants, ISBN 9012090105
External links
Media related to Valkenswaard at Wikimedia Commons - Official website