Breda

Sister cities

• Wrocław

History

In the 11th century, Breda was a direct fief of the Holy Roman Emperor, The city of Breda obtained a municipal charter in 1252. After that Breda had the rights to build fortifications. The city constructed brick walls and Roman-style gates. In 1327, Adelheid of Gaveren sold Breda to Duke Johannes III of Brabant. In 1350, the fief was resold to Johannes II of Wassenaar (d. 1377). In 1403, the heiress of his line, Johanna of Polanen (1392–1445), married Engelbert I of Nassau (1370–1442; his sarcophagus is in the Grote Kerk in Breda). Through her, the city came into the possession of the House of Nassau, where it remained until 1795, passing to William I of Orange (1533–1584), stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, and Utrecht and leader of the Dutch revolt. Thus, the baron of Breda was also Count of Nassau in the Holy Roman Empire, Prince of Orange, and (the main) stadtholder in the Dutch Republic (from 1572 to 1650, 1672–1702, 1747–1795). Breda remained part of the barony of Breda until it was captured by French revolutionary forces in 1795. The acquisition of the city by the House of Orange-Nassau marked its emergence as a residentiestad (residence city). The presence of the Orange-Nassau family attracted other nobles, who built palatial residences in the old quarters of the city. The most impressive one, built by the Italian architect Thomas Vincidor de Bologna for the first Dutch prince, was the first renaissance-style palace built north of the Alps. In the 15th century the city's physical, economic and strategic importance expanded rapidly. A great church was built in Brabantine Gothic style with an elegant tower, called Grote Kerk (main church) or also Onze Lieve Vrouwe Kerk (Church of Our Lady). In 1534 Henry III of Nassau-Breda rebuilt the modest medieval…

Most-observed species

• Great Tit

  Parus major Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  20,938
• Common Chaffinch

  Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  20,822
• Common Buzzard

  Buteo buteo (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  20,438
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  19,671
• Common Chiffchaff

  Phylloscopus collybita (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  19,053
• Eurasian Blue Tit

  Cyanistes caeruleus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  18,759
• Gray/Purple Heron

  Ardea cinerea Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  18,202
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  18,186

Most recent

• M 2.9 — 2018-05-25
  1 km S of Reppel, Belgium
• M 2.9 — 2013-01-20
  0 km WNW of Brachterbeek, Netherlands
• M 4.2 — 2011-09-08
  3 km ENE of Heijen, Netherlands
• M 2.8 — 2008-08-12
  0 km SSW of Wessem, Netherlands
• M 2.6 — 2007-02-07
  2 km SE of Montfort, Netherlands
• M 2.9 — 2007-02-07
  2 km ESE of Montfort, Netherlands