The Bossche Broek, Holland

Fly on The Bossche Broek The Bossche Broek is a nature area of 202 ha to the south-east of 's-Hertogenbosch in the Dommel valley, in the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant. What is special is that the nature reserve is close to the center of the city. Until 1629, the Bossche Broek was a swamp, which in times of war formed a natural defense for the city of 's-Hertogenbosch. As a result, several besiegers did not succeed in taking the city and the city was nicknamed "the invincible swamp dragon". By order of Prince Frederick Henry of Orange, the marsh for the siege of 1629 was pumped empty with the help of dike systems and rosmills so that the Staatse soldiers could storm the Bossche zuidwal and take the city. In the 40s of the twentieth century, the municipality planned to cultivate the area. After the Second World War, there was a plan to build a new city theater here. The existing theater was damaged during the war and restoration was just as difficult and costly as new construction. Conservationists, united in the Contact Committee for Nature and Landscape Protection, in particular, Roel J. Benthem, however, worked hard to preserve this area. In 1954, the municipal council, also at the urging of the municipal council of Vught, decided to leave the area as it was.