Valkenswaard (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌvɑlkə(n)sˈʋaːrt] ⓘ) is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands, in the Metropoolregio Eindhoven of the province of North Brabant. The municipality had a population of 31,221 in 2021, with an area of 56.50 km2 (21.81 sq mi) of which 1.58 km2 (0.61 sq mi) is water.
Valkenswaard
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Church in Valkenswaard
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Flag 
Coat of arms | |
Location in North Brabant
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| Coordinates: 51°21′N 5°28′E / 51.350°N 5.467°E / 51.350; 5.467 | |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Province | North Brabant |
| Government | |
| • Body | Municipal council |
| • Mayor | Anton Ederveen (CDA) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 56.50 km2 (21.81 sq mi) |
| • Land | 54.92 km2 (21.20 sq mi) |
| • Water | 1.58 km2 (0.61 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 25 m (82 ft) |
| Population
(January 2021)[4]
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| • Total | 31,221 |
| • Density | 568/km2 (1,470/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Valkenswaarder / Valkenswaardenaar |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postcode |
5550–5556
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| Area code | 040 |
| Website | www |
The name Valkenswaard stems from its history of falconers, who caught wild falcons there; valkisDutch for "falcon". It lay on a route where falcons migrated south each year. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, Valkenswaardian falconers were active at many European courts, in which falconing was a beloved pastime. Valkenswaard's falcon-catching area has now been built over and falcons are no longer caught there.
In the 19th and 20th century, a number of large cigar factories were founded in Valkenswaard, the two most renowned of which being Willem II and Hofnar.
ASecond World War cemetery containing 220 British soldiers was created near Valkenswaard in October 1944. It is now maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The spoken language is Kempenlands (anEast Brabantian dialect, which is very similar to colloquial Dutch).[5]
The Eurocircuit Valkenswaard is a motorsport racetrack that has hosted the European Rallycross Championship and the FIM Motocross World Championship.
Map of the municipality of Valkenswaard, June 2015
Media related to Valkenswaard at Wikimedia Commons | This North Brabant location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
