Sights of Breda - what to see. A complete guide to iconic places. Netherlands. Rainy Breda Breda Netherlands

Breda is a small town, the birthplace of the great painter Diego Velazquez. Despite the fact that the city has been and remains the largest center of the food industry for many years, it is quite attractive for tourists. The fact is that there are absolutely no large modern metropolises in the Netherlands, and Breda is considered one of the most cozy and picturesque ancient cities. Rest here is measured and calm.

The main attraction is Breda Castle, which was founded in 1536. Now the Royal Military Academy has been opened within its walls, which trains the country's best officers. An interesting fact is that among the academy cadets, 25% are representatives of the fairer sex. The architecture of the castle is the personification of the best traditions of the Middle Ages; special excursion tours are held for tourists. Not only the castle itself is of interest, but also its surroundings. You can walk through the ancient watchtowers, which were converted into chapels. One of them is Protestant, and the other is Catholic, the chapels were created specifically in order to maintain a tolerant attitude towards religion among future officers.

In the very center of the city is its most important religious landmark - the beautiful Grotekerk church. In 1637, this medieval church became Protestant; it is also notable for the fact that the family crypt of the city’s rulers is located within the walls of the church. The only thing missing here is the grave of Prince William, who was forced to be buried in Delft. When he died, Breda was under siege by the Spanish conquerors.

In the heart of Breda's historic district is the Market Square. Near it, several interesting ancient buildings have been preserved, including old meat stalls. For many years, this picturesque square has remained a constant venue for interesting holidays and fairs; it will be especially interesting to stroll along it on the day of one of the national holidays.

The harbor is an attractive place for walking, where vacationers are offered exciting boat excursions along the canals of Breda. In the immediate vicinity of the harbor there are many attractive restaurants and cafes, and some tourists come here specifically to admire the picturesque bridges.

I spent more than a year in Breda and all this time I discovered the city from new sides. Despite the fact that this is a rather small town, it is extremely attractive for foreign tourists.

People come here for a calm and measured holiday. In Breda you can enjoy ancient architectural buildings, cozy parks, majestic castles and cobbled streets along which royal carts traveled a couple of centuries ago.

How to get there

You can get to the city by plane, bus or private car. At the same time, of course, each of the listed methods has both obvious advantages and distinctive disadvantages.

I will now tell you about the features of each option!).

By plane

The city does not have its own airport, so if you decide to fly by plane, then be prepared for the fact that after getting off the ramp, you will have to get to Breda for about an hour and a half.

Nearest airports

Eindhoven

This is an international airport that does not accept direct flights from Russia. Therefore, you can fly from Moscow to Eindhoven only with a transfer in Amsterdam or Budapest. The flight is operated by the Dutch airline KLM.

The cost of a round-trip ticket is about 400 EUR. You will have to spend about 7 hours in the air.

How to get to the city:

The distance from Eindhoven Airport to Breda is 55 kilometers. The easiest way to get to point “B” is to take a taxi. There is no need to order it; you can leave the airport and choose any car. The price of the trip will be about 25 EUR.

You can also use the intercity bus; it runs every hour and a half from the airport stop (it is located right at the main exit). The ticket can be purchased from the driver. The cost of the trip is 12 EUR.

Rotterdam

This airport is located 60 kilometers from Breda. It is also international. But despite this, it does not accept direct flights from Moscow. If you decide to fly to Rotterdam, you will have to change planes in Prague or Geneva.

The following airlines fly from Moscow on this route: Lufthansa, British Airways and Turkish Airline. The ticket price (round trip) will cost 450 EUR. Flight time is 8 hours.

How to get to the city:

You can get to the center of Breda by bus, it runs every hour from the airport stop. The fare is 16 EUR, the ticket must be purchased from the driver.

You can also call a taxi. This can be done at the counter on the ground floor of the airport right next to the exit. They will also calculate the cost of your trip there. Usually, the average price is 20-25 EUR.

By bus

Breda can be reached with the help of a fairly well-known carrier company, Euroline. Buses stop at the central square of the city.

In this case, you will have to spend about 40 hours on the road. The cost of the trip (round trip) will be about 340 EUR.

One of the advantages of this travel option is that you will not need to apply for a transit visa.

By car

To get to Breda by car you need to cross the borders of several states at once. So, starting from Moscow, you will have to visit Belarus, Poland and Germany. This journey will take about 30 hours (with stops only at the border), so be patient ;).

The distance between Moscow and Breda is 2200 kilometers. Of course, this is quite impressive, but if you are traveling in good company, I bet you will not even notice how you will end up at your destination!

So, now I will tell you about the most convenient route from the Russian capital to the Dutch town:

Head towards Smolensk. To do this, it is better to choose the M-1 highway. To get to the border with Belarus without traffic jams, it is better to leave at night or early in the morning. By the way, cars cross the Russian-Belarusian border quite quickly.
Next, a rather serious test awaits you: the Polish border. There is no other word for this; Polish border guards are very unpredictable guys. From my own experience, I can say that they either completely inspect all the documents and the car, or briefly glance at the passports. In general, in any case, keep all the documents in your hands so that you can hand them over at the first request.
From Poland, head towards Berlin. Don’t be afraid to take a wrong turn; there will be signs on the highway literally every 20 kilometers. Have you reached the heart of Germany? Stop for a break.)
The next day, head towards Breda along the A2 highway

As for the cost of gasoline, they amounted to about 13,000 rubles or 190 EUR.

Clue:

Breda - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow 1

Kazan 1

Samara 2

Ekaterinburg 3

Novosibirsk 5

Vladivostok 8

When is the season? When is the best time to go

Breda is a city of architecture, and you can enjoy ancient buildings all year round. That is why I would not single out a specific period.

But, of course, each season in Breda has its pros and cons, which I will now tell you about).

Breda in summer

The real hot days begin with the onset of May. The average temperature in summer is +22°C. In the morning you can often notice fogs, and in the evenings there is light rain.

This adds incredible freshness to the air. Therefore, walking in such weather conditions, without exaggeration, is a pleasure!

Breda in autumn

Autumn comes into its own only with the arrival of October. It is then that the foliage on the trees begins to turn yellow, and the temperature drops to +10°C. But despite this, the weather in the city remains extremely sunny and windless.

There is practically no rain at this time, so you won’t find any slush or puddles in Brenda).

Breda in the spring

In spring the city blooms. Already at the beginning of April you can notice how the flowers are blooming and everything is becoming lush green. This is one of the most beautiful periods, the city seems to wake up from sleep.

By the way, due to the rather active flowering, spring is clearly not the best time for tourists suffering from allergies. Therefore, be careful!

Breda in winter

Winter in Breda is predictable: snow falls in the morning, and by the evening there is no trace of it left. The air temperature from December to February remains stable at +2°C.

Winter in Breda is surprisingly sunny, and you can often see completely clear skies. The only negative is the dense fog that falls on the city in the morning and completely dissipates only closer to the day.

Breda - weather by month

Clue:

Breda - weather by month

Districts. Where is the best place to live?

Breda is a very small and fairly compact town, in which all the main and memorable places are located a few hundred meters from each other. There are few districts in the city, I will tell you about the two most popular of them:

Breda Centrum;
Breda Oost.

Breda Centrum

Most hotels are located in the central part of the city. The area is literally buried in a large number of ancient buildings, galleries and museums, small parks and alleys. You can also stroll along the simple streets to blend in with the locals and experience the incredible flavor.

By the way, this is an ideal area for those who want to spend a relaxing holiday, without rushing anywhere and gradually immersing themselves in the culture, traditions and realities of the city.

Everyone will feel comfortable here, from young couples, since there are many cafes, bars and restaurants, and for travelers with children, because on every corner you can see a children’s playground or public garden.

If we talk about the cost, then you will have to pay about 32 EUR per night at the hotel.

Breda Oost

This is an ideal option for those who want to save on apartment rentals. The area is located near the center, and the cost of hotel accommodation here is an order of magnitude lower than the pricing policy of hotels in the central part of Brenda. So, for a day in Breda Oost hotels you will need to pay about 25 EUR.

In addition, Breda Oost is a residential area. It is mainly inhabited by local residents, which means that there will definitely be no drunken companies or fun under your windows).

What are the prices for holidays?

Breda, against the backdrop of The Hague and Amsterdam, is a fairly budget city for tourists. Prices here for housing, entertainment, travel and restaurants seem reasonable.

So, here is a list of all the expenses necessary for a tourist for one day:

Accommodation- 25 EUR;
Transport- 6 EUR;
Restaurant/cafe (3 trips)- 30 EUR;
Museums- 6 EUR;
Other little things(bottle of water, ice cream, baguette) - 5 EUR.

And so, for 72 EUR per day you can spend a good day in Breda and not deny yourself anything).

Clue:

Cost of food, accommodation, transportation and other things

Currency: Euro, € US Dollar, $ Russian Ruble, Rub

Main attractions. What to see

Top 5

Here are the five favorites:

Beaches. Which ones are better

There is only one beach in Breda. It is located near the city center and is quite popular with locals.

The beach has good infrastructure: a rescue station, a medical office, changing cabins, as well as an indoor area with a cafe and islands where you can rent sun loungers (4.5 EUR) and umbrellas (6 EUR).

The local beach will appeal to both adults and children. The entrance to the water is sandy, and the shore itself is quite clean.

Exact address: Veilingkade 12a.

Churches and temples. Which ones are worth visiting?

There are quite a few beautiful and very majestic religious buildings in Breda. I will tell you about the most interesting of them:

Museums. Which ones are worth visiting?

I included the two most interesting museums in the city among the top five attractions. Therefore, here I will tell you about another very unusual cultural attraction:

Parks

There are a lot of parks and squares in Breda, but they are all compact and, to be honest, do not differ much from each other.

The only park that is really worth setting aside time for on your trip is:

Tourist streets

Unfortunately, there are no tourist streets in Breda, but there are shopping districts and a huge square with a paved road, shops and cozy cafes. By the way, it plays the unspoken role of the main street of the city)

Great Market Square (Grote Markt)

Grote Markt is one of the most popular places for walking in Breda. Just imagine, five centuries ago, freshly caught fish and overseas scarves, sweets and tobacco were sold here.

Today, on the Market Square you can also buy many unusual little things, mainly souvenirs.

In addition to retail outlets, here you can enjoy the architecture of beautiful buildings of the last century, taste national dishes on the terrace, or simply take a photo as a souvenir.

What to see in 1 day

If I were in Breda for just one day, I would arrange for myself the following program:

19:00. End your day in Valkenberg Park, I also talked about it. By the way, it borders Beguinage, so you won’t have to look for it for long;)

What to see in the area

As I already said, there are practically no large natural areas in Breda where you can feel peaceful and inspired by the landscapes.

Do you want to get in touch with flora and fauna? Then head to the De Biesbosch National Park.

Park De Biesbosch (93 km)

This is a unique natural area in which representatives of the animal world feel at home in their natural environment. That is why all visitors have the opportunity to see sika deer, hand-feed squirrels or watch beavers build their dams.

The park made an incredible impression on me. Thanks to the well-developed infrastructure, it is a comfortable place to relax here, both for couples without children and for tourists with young travelers.

On the territory of De Biesbos you can enjoy lakes, mountain heights and inspiring natural beauty, as well as have a picnic, taste fresh meat on the coals and even rent houses. By the way, the park also has a medical center, a children's room, a currency exchange office and gazebos.

The route from Breda to De Biesbosch Park is extremely popular. Buses go there every day. You can buy a ticket for them at the city railway station; by the way, their route starts from there. The cost of a round-trip ticket is 26 EUR.

Food. What to try

In Breda, I did not notice any distinctive gastronomic features. Basically, in restaurants and supermarkets you can find exactly the same dishes that are offered in Amsterdam. If everything is clear with the taste preferences of the locals, then what about the prices and portions?).

Prices

Surprisingly, both in the center and on the outskirts, prices in restaurants practically do not differ from each other. The average bill is about 15 EUR. A trip to the supermarket will cost 10 EUR.

Dishes and portions

In Breda, the portions are quite small, unlike neighboring Germany. But, basically, all the dishes are filling and tasty. Quite often in restaurants, as a bonus from the establishment, freshly baked bread is served with the first courses, and bruschetta with cheese is served with wine.

Budget

If you want to save money and eat deliciously, then go here:

Den Boerenstamppot (Schoolstraat 3-5);
centwich (Akkerstraat 14);
Coffeelicious (Ginnekenweg 59).

Mid-level

Mid-level gastronomic establishments:

Gauchos (Grote Markt 33);
Block 62 (Ginnekenweg 62);
Zand & Klei (Veemarktstraat 76).

Expensive

Do you want to enjoy gourmet cuisine? Here are some really cool places:

Wolfslaar (Wolfslaardreef 100-102);
Zuyd (Ginnekenweg 35);
Chocolat (Torenstraat 9a).

Holidays

The most striking event of the beginning of autumn is redhead festival (Roodharigendag). It is celebrated on the first weekend of September on a grand scale. During these two days, the central part of Breda turns into a noisy platform where musical groups perform, competitions, dance marathons and sweepstakes are held. The festival ends with bright fireworks.

Another event that all locals are looking forward to is hot air balloon festival. It takes place in the suburbs of Breda at the end of August and lasts three days. During this period, hundreds of balloons soar into the sky. All festival participants try to design their balloon as original as possible in order to take home the main prize.

By the way, viewers can not only enjoy this beauty from the ground, but also fly in a hot air balloon.

Safety. What to watch out for

Breda is a calm city, even at night walking along its streets is not at all scary. Personally, I felt extremely safe on this trip.

The only advice is don’t leave home without documents, even if you go to get a bun across the street)

Things to do

The uniqueness of Breda lies in the fact that despite the fact that it is a small city, both lovers of active and connoisseurs of passive recreation can satisfy their needs here.

Shopping, bars, nightclubs, bike rides, diving, going to the zoo - in general, here you will definitely find something to your liking.

Shopping and shops

If you want to choose a product in one place, then it is best to go shopping at a shopping center. Well, if you like to stroll leisurely from one store to another, while stopping somewhere for tea, then the best solution would be retail outlets in the city center.

Shopping centers

The largest shopping center is located in the heart of the city and is called The Baroness. It is located at De Barones 73. There you can buy clothes and shoes, choose souvenirs and household chemicals, and also buy groceries.

On the ground floor there are several cafes and a play area for children.

Street shops

Single brand stores are also represented in the central part of the city. They are located within walking distance of each other, some even in the same building.

Discounts

It is customary to distinguish two seasons - summer and winter discounts. The period of total sales falls on the Christmas holidays and the first weeks of summer. Then you can “snatch” things with a profit of up to 20-30%.

Bars. Where to go

There are relatively few bars in the city; they are all located mainly in the center. Here are a couple of the most popular:

Clubs and nightlife

Breda is the hometown of Dj Tiesto, so there is no doubt that the club life here is quite active!

A couple of clubs that are popular:

Reeperbahn(Belcrumweg 46). Crowded, fun and very loud: the dance floor in the club is large, the DJs are very lively, and often play tracks from the 90s. There is a bar inside and a seating area. Going through face control at Reeperbahn is much easier than at Luxx. Here it is rather formal. Entrance fee - 8 EUR. Opening hours: Fri-Sun from 21:00 to 06:00.

Extreme Sports

Unfortunately, you won't be able to do extreme sports in Breda. Local residents are used to living a fairly measured life in a small town, so tourists have no choice but to simply come to terms with this state of affairs).

The only event where you can really get a dose of adrenaline is the balloon festival, which I wrote about above. By the way, it is there that anyone can fly over the city and its surroundings completely free of charge under the supervision of real professionals.

There is also a skate park in the city. It is located at Veilingkade 12.

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

I won't talk about typical souvenirs like magnets and mugs, I will share with you original memorabilia items:

Gastronomic: dried cheese, wine, sauces, sweets, chocolate, waffles and cookies. By the way, all these goodies survive the flight well and can be stored for more than two months;
Tulip and iris seeds;
Accessories and clothing made from hemp fabric(for example, a scarf or T-shirt);
Tobacco.

How to get around the city

The best way to get around Breda is on foot or by bike. You can rent a two-wheeled vehicle in special rental departments - the cost of an hour of use is 2 EUR.

But if you don’t want to waste time walking, then the best option for getting around is the bus. Travel by public transport costs 1.2 EUR. Tickets can be purchased at the terminal, special kiosks and from the driver. When entering the transport, be sure to validate your ticket!

As for discounts, to save money you can purchase a special OV-chipkaart card. The cost of such a card is 10 EUR, it is valid for a week for an unlimited number of trips.

Taxi. What features exist

There are only three companies in the city that provide taxi services. Therefore, there is special competition among them, by the way, for this reason the standard price for 1 kilometer was set - 0.7 EUR.

You can only pay for the trip in cash. At the passenger's request, drivers provide receipts. The easiest way is to take a taxi on the street; from my own experience I can say that there are taxi cars at almost every turn.

Buses

The bus is the most popular and most convenient way to get around the city. It runs according to a schedule, which can be checked at the stop.

Note: drivers often stop only on request. In order to exit at the place you need, you need to indicate this by pressing the “stop” button. It can be found on the handrails.

Transport rental

There is only one car rental point in the city. The choice there is extremely modest, and the prices are simply astronomical - about 50 EUR per day.

If you still decide to rent, then you must have: a passport, driving license, credit card and a deposit of half the rental amount.

The advice will be pretty standard:

obey the speed limit(fines in Holland are simply astronomical);
be prepared for the fact that There are no free parking in the city, which means you will have to pay 3.5 EUR per hour for a parking space.

Breda - holidays with children

There are many places in Breda where you can go with young tourists. Here are a few of them:

Wolfslaar Farm(Wolfslaardreef 95);
Big Joepie Playground! Binnenspeeltuin(Terheijdenseweg 514);
Miniaturenmuseum Doll Museum(Catharinastraat 23).

Useful information for tourists about Breda in the Netherlands - geographical location, tourist infrastructure, map, architectural features and attractions.

Breda is a city with a population of one hundred and seventy thousand, representing the community of the same name in the Netherlands. Its location at the confluence of the still navigable Aa and Mark rivers attracted settlers as early as the 10th century. The foresight of the village’s founders was confirmed a century later by the Holy Roman Empire, which established its feud here.

The actions of the overlords and their successors brought city rights to Breda in 1252, which allowed the construction of fortifications. Residents took advantage of the given opportunity to isolate themselves from the vicissitudes of medieval Europe, and soon the city was surrounded by a solid stone wall. As a result of a series of sales and inheritances, the city became the property of the Orange-Nassau dynasty, in which it remained until 1795.

The name of the noble owners attracted nobles who were partial to titles to Breda, whose residences have been partially preserved in the ancient quarters of the city to this day. Concern for the safety of the thriving city prompted Henry III of Nassau-Breda to reconstruct the city fortifications in 1534. But trouble came from within.

In the same 1534, the flames of a gigantic fire incinerated the expanding city, leaving only one and a half hundred houses, making up no more than 10% of the former buildings. By the will of Providence, among the surviving buildings were churches, the town hall and chapels.

The following centuries in the history of Breda are full of military events. He had to experience the Flemish-Spanish occupation organized in 1581 by Claude de Berlaymont, the penetration of the pikemen of Moritz of Nassau into the city in 1590, a ten-month siege by the Spaniards, who managed to overcome the resistance of the townspeople in 1625. The last event was captured in a pictorial masterpiece by the great Spaniard Velazquez.

The struggle for Breda did not end there. The city could not withstand the next siege, this time for four months, in 1637. Frederick Henry of Orange took possession of it, so that a year later, according to the Peace of Westphalia, he would cede the disputed settlement to the Republic of the United Provinces.

The spirit of the French Revolution was brought to the city, which had begun to get used to stability, when French troops entered it in 1795. Their arrival was marked by the liquidation of the old classes, including the seemingly unshakable barony. The end to the revolutionary transformations of the French was brought in 1813 by the Russian troops of Major General Benckendorff, who took the city.

Brad managed to understand the liberation mission of the Slavs at the end of the Second World War. The city was liberated by the First Polish Division. The townspeople erected a monument to her and the general Maciek who led her.

The former patrimony of the Counts of Nassau - the Dutch city of Breda - is an organic fusion of antiquity and the latest trends. Samples of diverse architecture and the finest restaurants, brooding museums and frivolous cafes coexist here. Even tourists purposefully hurrying to the port of Antwerp or to Rotterdam, which is somewhat inferior to it, willingly visit Breda.

History buffs will find the old part of the city full of canals, island buildings, bridges, and ancient buildings. The aristocrats who rushed to follow the family glory of Nassau left their descendants mansions, the classical beauty of which survived the waves of fashion trends.

Breda could be called a small-town European city, but there are no megacities in the Netherlands. The population of the largest cities rarely reaches two hundred thousand; just over 169 thousand people live in Breda. Breda is not sung by poets, but is immortalized by the brush of Diego Velazquez. The painting “The Surrender of Breda” was painted in 1635 and currently adorns the walls of the Prado Museum in Madrid. The city is very industrial, focused on food production (beer, sugar, lemonade tinctures).

In the Middle Ages, Breda was ruled by barons and counts, one of whom later became William of Orange - the first Stadtholder of the Netherlands. In the 16th century, many nobles close to Orange lived here. Then Charles II waited out the English revolution here, and in 1660 he issued the Declaration of Breda and left for his homeland to continue the monarchy. In 1667, a treaty was signed in Breda, according to which New York and the surrounding colonies were transferred to Britain. The main and most important landmark of the city is Breda Castle (1536), which houses the Royal Military Academy (Koninklijke Militaire Academic).

The Academy has existed since 1826 and trains officers for the whole country. It is interesting that among the cadets, 25% are girls. Breda Castle is impressive with its size and architecture. You can get inside, however, only as part of special tours, which you can find out about at the local travel agency. But near the castle, by the canal, you can see the ancient watchtowers of the early 16th century. There are two of them - Garnet and Dove, and they are now used as chapels - one Catholic, the other Protestant - for future officers in the spirit of religious tolerance.

The castle is located halfway from the station to the center and is adjacent to Valkenbergpark, which is also worth a walk - fountain, teahouse, etc. The center of Breda preserves the antiquity of its architecture and is very cozy. In the main church of the city, Grotekerk (XV century, 97 m), there are many graves of barons and counts and a good organ (1534). The main square has bars and restaurants, the main ingredient is the local Orangeboom beer. There is a beguinage (Catharinastraat, no. 29), a local history museum in the former barracks and a Beer Museum (Bierreclamemuseum). In 2008, a new station was built, and a little earlier the New Theater of Avant-Garde Forms was built.

There is a special attitude towards Poles in Breda- It was they who liberated the city from the Germans in October 1944. The Museum of General Stanislav Maczek is dedicated to the events of the Second World War, near which there is a German tank. By the way, in Breda there was a prison for the Dutch who collaborated with the fascists - in 1989 an amnesty was declared for those who did not die. Breda is surrounded by all sorts of estates and forests, among which the hunting castle of Bouvigne (Kasteel Bouvigne, 17th century) stands out for its picturesqueness and classicism. But there is some kind of organization inside, and therefore they are not allowed in. But the forest is full of paths for cycling and horse riding. The village of Rietdijk hosts a three-day hot air balloon festival in August.

Weather in Breda

Just a couple of months ago, I had no idea about the existence of a city with such a cute name. To some extent, he justifies him. You remember my post from Yesterday about? There we left our rented car and went for a walk around the city. So - a little quiet provincial Low Countries, that is, the Netherlands.

First, a few words about the entire short trip. We flew to the Belgian Charles-Roi airport, took a car and went to Eindhoven, where a room was booked. This is a unique case in my travels, but I did not take a single photo in Eindhoven. Firstly, it was raining heavily; secondly, having driven through the center by car, we did not find anything interesting at first glance. Plus the hotel was on the outskirts. In general, we left for Breda, where the Internet promised a certain castle, and then we completely left the Netherlands and “lay low in Bruges,” visiting the Belgian Ghent along the way, and then a couple of seaside towns. But that's all later. In the meantime, about our Brad.

The story is literally in a nutshell; those who are interested in the details can easily find it on the Internet. Founded in the 10th century, it received city status in the 13th century, at the same time the fortress walls were built, and a century earlier a castle was built, which, with some changes, has survived to this day. In the 16th century there was a big fire that destroyed almost the entire city. Afterwards the castle was rebuilt, four towers were added to it.

No external fortress walls or their remains were found. There are ancient buildings, but they are few. The city probably suffered during World War II, but I couldn’t find any quick details. Interestingly, Breda was liberated from Nazi occupation by Polish troops.

3. The Netherlands (it is incorrect to call this place Holland, because it is a different province, and here is North Brabant) - a country of canals, architecture, including modern architecture, and of course, bicycles! They even ride them in the rain.

4. I must say that the streets are very clean. Otherwise, cyclists would be covered in mud in this weather.

5. I am not an expert on local styles, which is why I find it difficult to determine the time of construction of many buildings. I assume that this is precisely the ascetic second half of the twentieth century. Ascetic, but nevertheless pleasing to the eye.

6. We are going to the center. Old houses are also starting to appear. But there is still no feeling of a complete fairy tale (like in Bruges or Ghent, let me jump ahead again).

7. A castle appeared in the distance.

8. And here it is, the castle. Someone lost their bike.

9. o_o! A complete surprise. The castle, as in the Middle Ages, is occupied by the military; you cannot go inside. At one time I was indignant at what many people posted. Why, the Turks are the most secret facility in the country.

10. Okay, let's go for a walk further, we will still come out to the castle from the other side. We were one day late for some All-Dutch carnival, all the bright things you see in the photo are its consequences. Well, the main church is Grotekirk. Even a non-linguist can understand that this means “Big Church.” Dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In the past it was Catholic, since the 16th century Protestant.

11. I didn’t find the opportunity to photograph it in its entirety due to the dense buildings. That's why it's only fragmentary.

12. From the apse side.

13. The beauty of late Gothic is impressive, despite the certain darkness inherent in this style.

15. What is this? Constructivism? If so, then it’s very original, quite in the spirit of the Low Countries.

16. This is the street-square with an equestrian statue of the king. The red box is a little confusing. What is your opinion, does he fit in here or not? The second option is a temporary giant trash can for the occasion of the carnival.

17. I don’t know what this building is, but for some reason I associate it with the school. And behind us is the castle again.

18. Some of its fragments stand right in the water. I wonder how things are going with waterproofing?

19. On the other side of the castle there is a small park. The grass and moss in the Netherlands, even in winter, are a very rich, bright green color.

20. Another surprise for the city of Breda. Where does Hercules come from? However, it is there.

21. Let's look a little more at the castle from the outside, since we can't go inside.

22. Cool slingshots on the fence. Instead of unpleasant barbed wire.

23. A simple gate, but with an elegant archivolt.

24. And literally right there again modern architecture. This is surprising, but there it does not cause such sharp dissonance as, for example, in the center of Moscow. Again, a difficult fact to explain.

25. Construction. No dirt around. For some reason, the sand-cement streams that can be found in winter in Montenegro do not flow, with all due respect to the latter.

26. For some reason I remembered “Dunno in the Sunny City”, or rather the character of this book, the architect Vertibutylkin.

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