Eindhoven is a modern, vibrant city lying not far from Flanders in the south of the Netherlands. After being destroyed in the Second World War, the city turned towards the future with its artistic, creative, cultural production. Nicknamed the City of Light due to the presence of the Philips
light-bulb factory, Eindhoven is also the Dutch design capital. This, the fifth-largest town in the Netherlands, has everything it needs to be a big city only with a more convivial feel.
Set close to the Belgian and German borders, Eindhoven is
said to have been founded in or around the 12th century. It expanded
quickly in the 19th century with the arrival of textile and tobacco
factories as well as the famous Philips plant in 1891. In 1920 it merged with 5
other municipalities resulting in the metropolis that today has a population of
over 210,000. Located in the North Brabant, Eindhoven enjoys excellent road,
rail and air service from all the regions of Europe. Although the city has
retained its economic and industrial attraction, it is more focused on the
future and has become a genuine hub of technology as well as being the design
capital of the Netherlands – and of the world during DDW (Dutch Design Week).
Lastly, the city is renowned among football fans across Europe for its team,
the famous PSV (Philips Sport
Vereniging).
Modern and vibrant, Eindhoven is an astonishing city where there is less old stone than in other towns. But its Van Abbe Museum is home to works by Picasso, Chagall, Kandinsky and Mondrian. One of the city’s curiosities is the Artificial Light in Art Centre in the first Philips factory, as well as the Designhuis (design house). Architecturally, the space-age Evoluon conference centre, the Lichttoren and the De Admirant Tower all showcase the city’s modernity. In the evening visitors can take a stroll to enjoy the ambience in the Stratumseind, the biggest café street in the Netherlands, discover the lift bridge, and the cafés in the Wilhelminaplein. The conviviality of the city is best appreciated with a monastery beer, typical fare in this Dutch city.
- Time difference: no jetlag
- Currency: Euro
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