Oss

Oss is the 36th largest city in the Netherlands, located in the province of Noord-Brabant.

Understand
Oss has been inhabited since 2000 BC. The first reference to Oss was in a 1161 document. The Castle near Oss (Kasteel van Oss), which is one of the nearby landmarks, was built around 1375. The settlement got its city rights in 1399.

At the end of the nineteenth and the begin of the twentieth century the city suffered from high criminality rates, which, at the time, made the Dutch occasionally reference the city as the Dutch Chicago, which too had high criminality rates. The so-called Bende van Oss was feared throughout the whole country. The criminality rates of those times can only be found back in the terms messensteker and messentrekker, roughly translating to stabber, which are occasionally used to reference a citizen of Oss.

In 1881, the construction railway of a railway made industry rise in Oss, as did the harbour built in 1968, which got connected to the Meuse (Maas) by the Burgemeester Delenkanaal (Mayor Delen-channel)

By car
The easiest way to get to Oss by car is by using the A50 when coming from the north or south, the A59 when coming from the west, or the A2/E25 when coming from the north-west. When using the A50 or A59, use exit 53 (Knooppunt Paalgraven / Oss-Oost). When using the A2, switch onto the A59 at Knooppunt Hintham, located near 's-Hertogenbosh. From here on, follow signs directing to Oss.

By train
Oss is located on the line between 's-Hertogenbosch and Nijmegen. Travel to one of the two above named cities, and take a train in the direction of the other city. Halfway down the track you will come by the stations Oss and Oss West. Oss is the station you'll be most interested in if you want to stroll through the city centre. Oss West services several residential neighbourhoods in the west of the city.

Get around
Though Oss is rather large, the part interesting to tourists will be the city centre, which can be travelled by foot

Do
Annual events held in Oss are:
 * Klûnen in Oss;
 * Halfvastenfeesten;
 * Oranjefeesten;
 * Oss on classic wheels;
 * Kermis Oss (Fair);
 * Fantastival;
 * Muze Misse.

Go next
By both train and car the cities of 's-Hertogenbosch and Nijmegen can be reached with ease.