About the tour

We practically put the ensuing relationship between Breda and Spain in the spotlight with “Spanish tour” Breda. The journey takes you through Breda’s Burgundian city center, where you can look around, walk about, taste, and drink. The opulence of the Burgundian Court will charm you, and the political game of power will interest you. But first, we reject current ideas like the Netherlands and Belgium, because Breda is located in Brabant at the time, which is part of Burgundy, to which we have belonged for centuries: de Flandès, Les Paisos bajos, de Lage Landen bij de Zee..Viva España, olé!

There will be two tours given that day. Group 1 starts at 11:00 and Group 2 starts at 14:00. The programme is the same for both groups.

Programme

11.00 or 14:00
Starting point beguinage’s gate (het begijnhof), Catharinastraat 23. Breda Promotions’ guide and BUas’ up-and-coming guide will lead you on a Spanish tour of Breda.

11.15 or 14:15
The Argonauts’ statue is located on the Catharinastraat, over the city yard, and past the Willem Merkx Park. The Knights of the Golden Fleece, of which practically all Bredase Nassaus were members, were the time’s ambassadors. This statue represents the knightly order’s virtues of honor, loyalty, and fidelity.

11.30 or 14:30
Visit to the town hall, where a copy of Las Lanzas, depicting the surrender of Breda to the Spaniards, may be found. Justin of Nassau will be seen giving over the keys of the city to Spinola. The original painting can be found in Madrid’s Prado Museum.

12.00 or 15:00
We’re on the verge of stumbling over the Spanish past. The inhabitants of Breda marveled at all the pleasures of the Burgundian court at a banquet in and around the market.

12.15 or 15:15
The Nassau graves in the Grote Kerk or Onze Lieve Vrouwe Kerk are worth a visit.

12.35 or 15:35
We arrive at the Spanjaardsgat via the Havermarkt, where the peat skipper acquired a house after ‘liberating’ Breda from the Spanish occupant. The Peat Ship’s tale represents the ‘Trojan Horse,’ and it achieved the city’s ‘liberation’ in 1590.

12.45 or 15:45
We stroll to the Waalse Kerk via the Cingelstraat, past the Breda Castle, now the KMA, and through the Valkenberg Park, which was previously the castle garden

13.00 or 16:00
We finally make it to the Waalsekwerk. Johanna van Polanen dedicated this chapel to Wendelinus, a German saint who was adored by Johanna van Polanen. Count I of Nassau married Johanna.

Registration

Please register if you would like to attend the event via EventBrite. If you are unable to attend but registered, please inform us via breda.internationals@breda.nl at least 48hours in advance. Your spot will then be given to someone on the waiting list. To decrease the amount of no-show of our event, it is important that you do deregister, as these tour cost money but we want to provide the activity for free for our international community to discover Breda. Therefore we’d like to ask you to be thoughtful with us and let us know in advance if you are unable to attend.