Heeze-Leende: The Pearl of Brabant (southern Dutch province)
Heeze-Leende has four population centres:
- Heeze
- Leende
- Leenderstrijp
- Sterksel
This beautiful municipality is surrounded by a landscape of great natural beauty in between two regions famous for their landscape and authentic local traditions: the Kempen and the Peel. The Strabrechtse Heide (Heath) nature reserve is bordered by both these regions and is quite famous for its beautiful heathland. The local residents refer to their village in the local dialect as ‘dè sgonste plats’ (the most beautiful place).
Leenderbos
The Leenderbos (woodlands) is home to heath, pools, marshland, and hayfields. This rich variety of landscapes is also home to a great diversity of flora and fauna. The Leenderbos woodlands are bordered by the Groote Heide (Great Heath) with its four pools. The Jagershorst Golden Tulip is located in the direct vicinity of the Leenderbos.
Herbertus woodlands
The Herbertus woodlands are located within the municipality of Heeze-Leende and were nominated “one of the most beautiful spots in the Netherlands” “in the NCRV TV programme.
National monuments
The municipality of Heeze-Leende is home to 13 national monuments, including three archaeological sites. Heeze Castle, dating from the second half of the 17th century, is one of the top attractions in the municipality. Guided tours are offered here.
In the centre of Leende, the ‘Lindse Blaos’, a late Gothic cross-shaped basilica over 63 m high, draws a great deal of attention from visitors. Other attractions in the municipality include the hamlet of Leenderstrijp (with the St. John's Chapel), the collection of houses referred to as Sterksel (where the statue of The Bullock can be found) and the ‘Plaetse’ in Heeze, where you can still visit an old sheepfold.
The Strabrechtse Heide
The Strabrechtse Heide is the largest uninterrupted stretch of heathland in Northern Brabant. The surrounding forests consist mainly of Scots pine and fir trees. The heathland itself has dry sections with drifting sand as well as many wet areas with pools. The largest pool is the Beuven. During periods of migration, the Strabrechtse Heide is an important stopping place for migratory birds, including the common crane, the black stork, and various species of raptors. The Strabrechtse Heide thanks its name to the hamlet of Strabrecht beneath Heeze. 'Stra' means development along the road and 'Brecht' (or Brink) refers to an open spot in the forest.
The Sheep flocks
The region supports two flocks of sheep. One flock is used to graze and manage the landscape of the Strabrechtse Heide and can be found in the Plaetse in Heeze.
The second flock is used to graze and manage the Leenderbos and the Groote Heide and can be found at the sheepfold in Soerendonk.
Bicycle routes from Heeze-Leende:
Bicycle route devoted to a specific theme:
Double Border post Route (30.5 km)
Hiking routes from Heeze-Leende:
Heeze-Leende route (18-25 km)
Buulder-Aa route (16 km)
The route maps are available at all VVVs (tourist information offices) in Southeastern-Brabant.
St. Petrus Church
The St. Petrus’ Banden Church in Leende is very special. It is a late Gothic, cross-shaped basilica with built-in tower. The chancel dates from around 1400 and was raised in 1930. The church also contains a restored organ made by the organ builder Loret from Mechel.
Galerie des Beaux Arts (Gallery of Fine Arts)
Beneath the roof of this stately mansion in the middle of the village of Heeze, you will find an extensive variety of artworks: a unique collection of old as well as modern art objects of extraordinarily high quality - something new and something old for everyone.
On the second floor of the gallery, rotating art exhibitions are displayed, including modern paintings and sculptures, antique furniture and clocks, precious ornaments, jewels, and valuables in silver and gold. A walk through the garden dotted with modern sculptures is also very rewarding.
With its beautiful collection of fine arts & antiques, in an inspiring setting, the Galerie des Beaux Arts has a very special place in the world of art galleries.
Heeze Castle
Heeze Castle is one of the most important national monuments in the Netherlands. Contributing to its importance is its unique location in the middle of a landscape of exceptional beauty adjacent to the Strabrechtse Heide nature reserve. The castle is completely surrounded by a moat, and the furniture and interior accessories, dating mostly from the 18th century, have remained largely intact through the centuries.
Since 1760, the castle has been home to the Tuyll van Serooskerken family, making it one of the last remaining inhabited castles in the Netherlands. Nowadays, the castle is open for guided tours, and for some years now, it has also been available for wedding ceremonies.
Indoor playground No-No's Land
This playground is located inside a giant hall, where children from the ages of 1 through 12 can have a fantastic time playing in their own circus. There are various pieces of playground equipment, including a large container filled with balls to play in, a slide, climbing walls, giant building blocks for building objects, and mini cars for exploring the site. The giant 4 storey maze with its two slides allows children to slide all the way back down again together with a friend. But there is more: an exciting dark chamber, which can be found only after a thorough search. There are also glass spheres, in which children can crawl around and from where they can wave to their parents from on high. And finally, for children with some extra energy left, there are scooters available for getting around the circus.
