Tilburg Maps

Tilburg is a city and municipality in the southern Netherlands, located in the province of North Brabant. It is the second-largest city in North Brabant, after Eindhoven, with a population of approximately 203,000 residents (2023). The city's history dates back to the late medieval period, though it gained significant prominence during the Industrial Revolution as a major center of wool and textile manufacturing, earning it the nickname "the wool capital of the Netherlands."

The city experienced substantial growth during the 19th century due to its textile industry. However, in the 1960s, the textile industry declined dramatically, forcing Tilburg to reinvent itself. Today, it has transformed into a modern city with a strong focus on education, culture, and services. The city is home to Tilburg University, established in 1927, which is particularly well-known for its economics, law, and social sciences programs. Additionally, Tilburg hosts several other educational institutions, including Fontys University of Applied Sciences and the Rock Academy.

Among the city's most notable attractions is De Pont Museum, a contemporary art museum housed in a former wool spinning mill. The city also features the TextielMuseum, an innovative working museum that showcases the history of the textile industry while simultaneously functioning as a modern textile laboratory. In the heart of the city stands the Heuvelse kerk, a neo-Gothic Roman Catholic church built in 1877, which serves as one of the city's most recognizable landmarks with its distinctive 75-meter-high tower. Natuurmuseum Brabant, focusing on natural history, and the Vincent's Drawing Room, where Vincent van Gogh took his first drawing lessons, are other significant cultural institutions.

Tilburg is known for hosting several major events throughout the year. The most famous is Tilburg Kermis, the largest fun fair in the Benelux region, attracting around a million visitors annually. The city also hosts Festival Mundial, a world music festival, and Roadburn Festival, an internationally renowned heavy metal and experimental music festival.

The city's transportation infrastructure is well-developed, with direct rail connections to major Dutch cities and a comprehensive bus network. The central railway station, Tilburg Centraal, is an important regional transportation hub. In recent years, Tilburg has made significant strides in sustainability, implementing various green initiatives and promoting bicycle use through an extensive network of cycling paths.