Uden
has always been a welcoming and tolerant community. In the 17th and
18th centuries, Uden, as part of ‘het Land van Ravenstein’, was
already characterized by a high degree of religious freedom. When
two religious orders, the Kruisheren and Zusters Birgitinessen
where driven out of ‘s-Hertogenbosch and Coudewater, they took
refuge in Uden.
History repeated itself when Uden gave shelter to several
thousand Belgian war refugees during the First World War
(1914-1918). Today, the name of a business park in Uden,
‘Vluchtoord’, which means sanctuary, is a reminder of that period.
Uden opened its doors wide again in the nineteen-fifties,
when the town, which was still largely a farming
community, was designated an economic development area. This time,
the town took in businesses and workers from all over the country.
Then as now, the local community adapted effortlessly to the growth
of Vliegbasis Volkel, the local Air Force base, and to the constant
need for extra staff and accommodation.
All these newcomers have contributed to life in Uden and make Uden what it is today. A municipality where more than 40.534 people and 98 different nationalities get up every day to go to school, or to work, go shopping, see a movie, go out for a meal, visit a sports club… in short, live together as a community in a dynamic municipality.
This is Uden, a municipality we are very proud of an honored to
present to you.
Volkel |
3.536 |
---|---|
Odiliapeel |
2.033 |
Uden |
35.097 |
Total |
40.666 |
18.035 houses and apartments are located within Uden’s municipal boundaries.
98 different nationalities have chosen to make Uden their home.
Going out in Uden is always varied. You can relax while
enjoying a snack and have a drink in one of the many
cafés on the market square and at other locations in the town
centre. Take a break after a day’s shopping or a hard day at work,
or just enjoy the company of friends. And those who prefer to dance
the night away can do so at the weekend. Enjoying an excellent meal
in one of Uden’s many restaurants is another popular activity.
There is a wide choice of good restaurants that offer delicious
food in tasteful surroundings. Traditional Dutch cuisine for
example, or more exotic, such as Greek, Thai, Japanese or Mexican
dishes. The choice is yours.
When you visit Uden, or live in Uden, there are always
things to see and do. The town has a busy calendar of
events, which are always well attended and enjoyed to
the full. For example, the popular public shopping Sundays, the
festive Oranjemarkt on Koninginnedag (in celebration of the Queen’s
birthday) and Uden on Ice, a winter skating event when Uden’s
market square is transformed into a giant ice skating rink. And
what about the Schapendag in Odiliapeel, Carnival, Uden’s huge
summer fair and Volkel in de Wolken, a well-known national air show
at the base in Volkel? There’s always something festive going on
somewhere in Uden!
mainly on Saturdays.
February / March |
Carnival |
---|---|
April |
Koninginnedag |
May |
Volkel in de Wolken |
Whit Monday |
Trap-in Uden |
July |
Schapendag Odiliapeel |
July |
Summer fair Uden |
December |
Uden on Ice |
For more festivities, click here below to see the other annual events in Uden.
Website Evenementen/Evenementenkalender 2010
Uden is an attractive municipality with abundant flowering plants, trees and parks. Moreover, Uden is located in rural surroundings. Nature is always close by when you live in Uden. The town planners have created extensive parks, installed fountains and water features and planted many trees and shrubs. Making Uden a great place to live with fantastic recreational facilities. People feel happier when they are close to nature!
Attractive nature reserves like De Maashorst, Slabroek
and the Bedafse Bergen are just 20 minutes away from Uden’s town centre. De Maashorst to the north of Uden is the largest nature reserve in Brabant (4.000 hectares).
In addition to roaming herds of highland dairy cows and horses,
the reserve offers a huge variety of flora and fauna. The Bedafse
Bergen are characterised by sand dunes, sandy plains and oaken
ramparts. The old cart track that used to be the shortest route
between Uden and Den Bosch can still be seen today on an unspoiled
stretch of moorland.
There are several cycle paths and walking routes in
Uden. The network of cycle and walking paths offers great scenic routes to enjoy nature. These routes are situated in the populated areas and outlying districts in Uden. The walking rout network consists of routes between five and ten kilometers .
Uden has committed itself to a policy of bringing nature and
nature lovers closer together in an ecologically responsible way.
This has led to the creation of ecological green belts that form a
continuous ‘Groene
Ruit’ or Green Diamond around Uden and prevent
fragmentation of the countryside surrounding the town.
So visitors and those who live in Uden are able to enjoy
the beauty of nature in a
totally natural environment.
Uden is surrounded by a magnificent and extensive countryside that also features an natural rift. We call this rift ‘de breuk van Uden’. A phenomenon where two geological layers meet and slide over each other. This is a very unusual and prominent natural landmark. Something nature-lovers gladly make a detour to see.
Nature has always had a prominent presence in Uden and that is still true today. The districts and the town centre are strikingly green. Trees and plants are omnipresent, even in the most built-up areas, creating for pleasing views just around practically every street corner. This policy makes a major contribution to the residents’ quality of life.
Uden is full of excellent facilities, making the town a great place to live. In addition to its popular town centre with its many shops, bars and restaurants, Uden boasts a theatre (Markant), a cinema (Take Ten) and a religious arts museum (Museum voor Religieuze Kunst). Amongst other treasures, this museum houses a prominent collection of mediaeval statues, icons and contemporary religious arts.
Those who are interested in sports have a huge choice in Uden. The town offers a modern indoor swimming pool, several sports complexes, a large artificial ski slope and a magnificent sports park with one of the best athletics stadiums in the country. Udi, the local football club, is one of the largest of its kind in the Netherlands and offers all the facilities that you would expect of a club of this stature.
The other sports clubs are also modern and well equipped, allowing club members to practice their chosen sport in all its facets.
Situated as it is in the centre of the Oss-Veghel-Uden triangle and directly adjacent to the A-50 motorway, Uden is the logical location for a new regional hospital. Thanks to excellent accessibility, this hospital will offer patients and visitors outstanding service. Uden is also particularly proud to have been chosen to fulfill this important central role for patients from all over the region. Construction is expected to start in the second half of 2010.
Health
Art
Culture
Recreation
Uden looks after its young people. So the town has created good educational and leisure facilities and places where young people can meet. In addition to normal further education, young people from Uden and smaller towns in the area are also offered a variety of alternative secondary education courses. But there is more to life than just studying. Young people want to meet boys and girls of their own age when they go out, play sports or during other leisure activities. Uden offers a wide range of facilities
and activities where young people can develop
their talents and social skills.
De Pul has been popular with young people locally and concert visitors from all over the country for many years. De Pul is a cultural podium that focuses on the needs of young people. With youth activities, the film house and much more. All thanks to the input of a small army of young and enthusiastic volunteers.
The Multicenter is a youth centre for everybody from the age of
ten. You can also go there for all kinds of fun sports like
skating, break dancing, boxing and table tennis. And always under
expert supervision.
Young people who enjoy sports can also have a great time in
Uden. Uden offers many splendid facilities for indoor and outdoor
sports. There are a staggering 120 sports clubs in Uden. And
special sports like rugby, fencing, twirling and hang-gliding are
catered for as well. There is even a mini racing team. All in all,
Uden is home to an astounding number of sports and leisure
associations.
One Protestant Christian school
Uden has successfully played a
leading economic role in the area ever since 1951. As a soloist
initially, but in recent years more and more in partnership with
the municipality of Veghel. Under the banner of the urban region of
Uden–Veghel, these two neighboring municipalities now actively
implement economic development policies. For example, they
collaborate in the area of relations management and have a joint
promotional and acquisitions program that is intended to attract
and/or
support new employers.
People who live in Uden are not at all daunted by the idea of setting up in business. The number of entrepreneurs per capita in Uden far exceeds the national average. Uden is a municipality that places great importance on the interests of local businesses and the townspeople of Uden are born entrepreneurs. An excellent combination.
The small towns of Volkel and Odiliapeel also
make a significant contribution to employment and business
activity in the municipality.
The local Air Force base is
located in Volkel, which like Odiliapeel, is also home to a growing
number of major companies.
The strength of Uden as an enterprise
municipality lies largely in ‘clean’ industry, service-oriented
companies and small to medium-sized business. Here too, there is a
strong desire to pool resources. For example, there are many
business associations in Uden, which, thanks to far-reaching
collaboration, are successful in achieving attractive price
reductions and other benefits for their members. In short,
businesses feel at home in
Uden. Just like the entrepreneurs themselves and their
employees.
Many companies in Uden are very well-known and operate on a national scale. Companies like CSU, De Schoenenreus and Beter Bed. National statistics indicate that one person in five sleeps on a bed coming from Uden.
In a municipality of 40.666 people, the 2.890 companies / branches in Uden provide 25.440 jobs. Unique statistics in the Netherlands and even in Europe.
In order to ensure the region’s ability to compete in the future too, the municipalities of Uden and Veghel have initiated collaborative programmes in many areas and at many different levels. The Socio-economic Action Plan, the Sustainability plan, the Uden/Veghel residential housing plan and the efforts that have been made to attract a light rail connection are good examples of this.
As you would expect,
Uden, Volkel and Odiliapeel are planning for the future. Businesses
that operate both nationally and internationally are welcomed with
open arms. An attractive corporate climate and the ambitious
attitude of the people ho live in the community have made Uden a
prosperous municipality with some intriguing big city
traits.
Uden’s skyline continues to grow higher and
becomes more attractive and extensive every year. Many new homes
are under construction in many parts of the municipality. Large
homes, smaller homes, stylish homes.
So that the people of Uden can enjoy their lives in
attractive surroundings.
A warm welcome for (new) businesses.
Innovation in the area of culture and entertainment. New facilities
for athletes. Uden is characterized as a driven and dynamic
municipality. New ideas are openly welcomed, because progress means
trying out new things. You have to take aim and pull the trigger
before you can hit your target.
In addition to the existing Loopkant, Liessent and Vluchtoord industrial estates, new industrial facilities are currently being developed in the Goorkens and Hoogveld areas. These new estates will also be destined for knowledge-bases, innovative businesses that provide high-value services and/or products.
Schemes like Uden Promotie and Dutch Food Experience guarantee
the future success of new initiatives in Uden and the region. Uden
is also working on a new and innovative concept called’ de
startersmarktplaats’, a virtual market place that is designed to
support new businesses in the initial phases.
We hope that you have formed a picture of what it is like to live and work in the municipality of Uden. An energetic place where the focus lies on conviviality and dynamic ideas. An authentic small town, typical Noord Brabant, but with a big city feel, rich in sports, leisure and business associations, with a committed and involved population and located in beautiful natural surroundings. But also a town with boundless opportunities for businesses and abundant sports and cultural facilities and events. Do you want to see how we do things in Uden? Pay us a visit!
You are more than welcome!
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