Haaksbergen



Haaksbergen is a municipality and city in Overijssel, The Netherlands.

Understand
The oldest signs of human activity in the municipality that is known to man date back to 800 BC. The city of Haaksbergen, however, dates to 800 AD. The first mention of Haaksbergen dates from an 1188 register of goods, which mentioned grave Hendrik van Dale, who too owned Diepenheim and Ahaus, owned property in Hockesbeghe.

The Buurserbeek stream, was rerouted south of the village to connect to the Schipbeek around 1400. Until then, the Buurserbeek was the main source of water, running through the centre of the village. This rerouting meant that Haaksbergen could connect to the Hanseatic cities of Deventer, Kampen and Zwolle.

In the 19th century textile production became the main source of income for the city. At its peak, 80% of Haaksbergen's population worked in the textile industry. In the early 1970s, on account of cheaper forgein labour, the domestic textile market of the Netherlands collapsed, meaning the end of the industry in Haaksbergen as well as many other cities and towns in the Eastern Netherlands.

By public transit
Buses connect to Haaksbergen on a frequent basis. Line 62 connects to Neede, Denekamp and Borculo, line 53 to Hengelo's train station, line 199 to Eibergen. Line 73 connects to Winterswijk. All of these leave from the main  of Haaksbergen, located on the Zeedijk.

Haaksbergen train station hasn't been used for frequent transit for quite some years. Before the Second World War, the station was a stop on the line between Doetinchem and Hengelo. Subsequently, it was used for freight, before being fully closed in 1972. The line is still in use as a heritage railway connecting to Boekelo, several kilometers up north.

By car
Haaksbergen borders the N18 on the south side of town. This national road connects to Enschede in the northeast, connecting to Doetinchem in the southwest after having become the A18 highway near Varsseveld. The N18 also connects to Eibergen and Groenlo in the south.

Via Enschede the A35 can be reached, which in turn connects to the A1. This route is best used when travelling from Amersfoort and everything north from there. When travelling from the south, travel via Arnhem to which the A12 from The Hague, the A15 from Rotterdam and A50 from Eindhoven connect. From here, follow the signs to Doetinchem, which should guide you to the A12 heading for Zevenaar. Follow the A12 and turn onto the A18 between Zevenaar and Beek to avoid driving into Germany. Follow the A18 and turn right onto the N18 once the highway ends. Following the N18 will send you straight to Haaksbergen.

Get around
Haaksbergen is best explored by foot or bike. There's no doubt that you'll soon be visiting places outside of Haaksbergen though, which is why renting a car, using the buses or a taxi is recommended when visiting places outside of town.

Go next

 * Zuid-Twente hosts bigger cities than Haaksbergen, such as Hengelo and Enschede, both of which too have a history in the textile industry.
 * Nearby Berkelland and Oost Gelre give great impressions of the Achterhoek, which events such as the Zwarte Cross, the biggest paid music festival of the Netherlands and the largest motorcross event of the world, as well as the Slag om Grolle, the bi-annual reenactment of the siege of Groenlo.