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Turnhout is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises only the city of Turnhout proper. On January 1, 2006 Turnhout had a total population of 39,791. The total area is ... more »
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Hotels Turnhout is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises only the city of Turnhout proper. On January 1, 2006 Turnhout had a total population of 39,791. The total area is 56.06 km² which gives a population density of 710 inhabitants per km². Turnhout, is famous as the world center of the playing card and is both legally and administratively the capital of the Kempen region and of the local district. It is also the economic and cultural center of its region wih more than 40 schools. There is also an important services sector with 2 hospitals, a 2 stage theatre and an 8 screen cinema.
Turnhout is located at about 51.3 North and 4.9 East, 42 km from the centre of Antwerp, 30 km from Breda and Tilburg, 40 km from Eindhoven.
Architectural sights worth visiting are the 12th century castle of the Dukes of Brabant, the gothic church of St. Peter, the beguinage (begijnhof) dating from the 13th century, the 14th century gothic chapel of Theobald and the Taxandria museum housed in a prestigious renaissance mansion. Of particular interest is the Museum of the Playing Card. This is located in an old factory building downtown and houses a beautifully restored steam engine.
Turnhout originated on the crossroads of two major trade routes and in the protection of the hunting castle of the Dukes of Brabant that seems to have existed since 1110 or earlier. This hunting past is still reflected in the city's coat of arms. The small community that developed obtained its Libertas as a “free city” from Henry I, Duke of Brabant in about 1212. In 1338, the privilege of organizing a market on saturday was granted, a tradition that still holds today. In 1466 a traveller described the well-built houses and paved roads, and counted five churches.
By the 16th century Turnhout had become a wealthy commercial center. Unfortunately there were not only ups, but also downs. The end of the 16th century brought war, fire, confiscations and epidemics. Suppresion and inquisition made many progressive citizens to take refuge in Holland, leaving the land of Turnhout impoverished behind. The further history of Turnhout consists of a series of ups and downs. Many times, the city and surroundings were the playground of armies, resulting in two major battles named after Turnhout: one in 1597 and one in 1789 are referred to as Battle of Turnhout.
In 1830 Belgium became independent, and Turnhout fell just south of the new border with the Netherlands. The period of peace between 1831 and 1914 saw the digging of the canal (1846) and the construction of the railroad (1855).
In the late middle ages Turnhout was a well-known centre for the weaving of bedding articles and of the linen trade. At the start of the 19th century these trades were replaced by industries based on the use of paper. Philippus Jacobus Brepols is considered to be the founder of this industry. Turnhout retains much of this industry today, with numerous graphics companies, the Belgian Centre for the Graphics Industry and last but not least Cartamundi, the world market leader of the playing card industry.
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