The 9 Wonders of Oudenbosch walking route

This 2.5 kilometre city walk takes you past the 9 Oudenbosch Wonders of Roman grandeur. Start at the impressive Basilica and be surprised by what else Willem Hellemons wants to show you of Oudenbosch. Discover the hidden square of Saint Louis and imagine yourself on the Sint Pieterplein or enjoy the greenery in the Botanical Garden Arboretum. Discover more about Oudenbosch and visit the adjacent museums along the route. End your walk at one of the cosy cafes and restaurants on the Jan Gielenplein, the Markt or the Jezuietenplein. View the complete route and all sights on visitbrabant.com/9wonderen.

\\\"A parish of my own. Yes, that sounds good to me. Nice to meet you. Willem is the name. Willem Hellemons. I just got back from Rome, where I was an apprentice to the Order of Cistercians for four years. And yes, what I saw there made my heart beat a few beats per minute faster. And that parish of my own, that will be Oudenbosch. Why not? After all, all roads lead to this village. History shows that. Did you know that Napoleon even arrived here once by carriage?\\\"

32 years old, and the brand new pastor of Oudenbosch. Proud as a peacock, that's Hellemons. Oudenbosch is familiar territory for him: his birthplace Roosendaal is located a little less than ten kilometers to the southwest. In front of the mirror in his room, on a cold Monday morning, he slides his arms into the sleeves of his black cassock for the first time. He carefully buttons the shirt and brushes a lint from his chest. With two fingers he adjusts his recognizable white pastor's collar. Then he rolls up his sleeves: work to be done!

"I'm building a new church for this village. And not just any church. No, this church will be a direct copy of my beloved St. Peter's Basilica in Rome!\\\" Hellemons rubs his hands."A large dome, with a modest neoclassical porch... yes, I can see it so clearly\\\", he daydreams, walking through the streets of Oudenbossche.

Oudenbosch quickly becomes close to Hellemons' heart. He notices that this is not just a place where a church should be built. More is needed here."Oudenbosch has always been a place of traders and entrepreneurs - yet people are having a hard time.\\\" When he looks around, he thinks:"That has to change.\\\" Because he knows: this village has much more to offer. Since the St. Elizabeth's Flood (a major flood disaster over six hundred years ago), Oudenbosch has been very strategically located on the shipping route, with an inland sea and ferry between Dordrecht and Oudenbosch. There were no bridges over the major rivers in Hellemons' time."You see: all roads lead to Oudenbosch - also over water.\\\"

"Education and upbringing: that is what we need to offer young people! That ultimately lifts the entire village.\\\" With these words, the plans for the Saint Louis and Sint Anna Institute were born."And yes\\\", Hellemons muses further,"of course we give the architecture of that building and the accompanying schoolyard that typical Roman allure.\\\"

Hellemons knows very well that his plans for Catholic education in Oudenbosch are not new. About ten years before he took office as pastor, the Jesuits founded a Latin college here. A special detail: this Jesuit house also houses a star observatory."High time to expand that fertile breeding ground for education to the ordinary boy and man.\\\"

Great plans don't just happen. Hellemons likes to take time for contemplation and prayer. Sometimes he does that indoors, in the old St. Agatha Church - his'own\\\' basilica is still under construction - or in the rectory. But his thoughts are also given free rein outside. In the rectory garden (now Jan Gielenplein) or in the monastery garden of the brothers of Saint Louis (now Arboretum), for example."But I also like to sit on a bench with a view of the harbor. This is a place where I can see, smell, yes, even taste the entrepreneurial spirit of Oudenbosch. Look there, those old facades, peat shipping, trade, fishing, sugar beet cultivation and a brewery. The inspiration for new plans is in the air here!\\\"

Together with Hellemons we take a step forward in time. The plans for his basilica are progressing further and further: the start of construction is almost in sight. As a pastor he is of course present at the festive opening of the new train station. The second station in the Netherlands, opened because of the strategic location of Oudenbosch between Antwerp and Rotterdam."The railways now also lead to Oudenbosch!\\\"

The arrival of the station is very good news."Children from all over the country now come to Oudenbosch for the excellent education at Saint Louis.\\\" The institute is growing rapidly, and soon Oudenbosch is populated by children who are taught there."The local economy is also doing well,\\\", Hellemons notes with satisfaction. In the meantime, there is also a girls' school, founded at Hellemons' insistence by the sisters of Saint Anne. Hellemons also uses the fact that there is now a station to position Oudenbosch as a Dutch gathering place for the Papal Zouaves, before they go to war to defend his beloved Papal States (later Vatican City). These are the soldiers for the Pope - the heroes of Catholic life.

Hellemons was only four years old when he was able to enjoy his life's work - in full Basilica of Saints Agatha and Barbara - before he died. Oudenbosch now has two cemeteries for clergy: one for brothers and one for sisters. But Hellemons is not buried there. He rests in the shadow of his basilica, in the old cemetery. Exactly as he would have wanted. Do you want to explore Hellemons' Oudenbosch up close? Walk through the village and discover its history in nine special wonders and six fascinating pearls.

Monastery routes in Brabant

Brabant invites you to be still and amazed. Various short and long routes take you through the rich Brabant monastic life of then and now. View all routes via visitbrabant.com/kloosterroutes .

About this route

This walking route was created by VisitBrabant Routebureau. The route was set out using the Brabant walking junction system. Simply walk from one numbered junction to another. Arrows show you the way between the junctions. Is there something wrong with the signposting of the route? Let us know via visitbrabant.com/meldpunt . You can also call 0800-4050050 (free).