| Balkbrug | |
| Settlement Type: | Village |
| Pushpin Map: | Netherlands Overijssel#Netherlands |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in province of Overijssel in the Netherlands |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Netherlands |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Overijssel |
| Subdivision Type2: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name2: | Hardenberg |
| Elevation Footnotes: | [1] |
| Elevation M: | 7 |
| Area Total Km2: | 39.26 |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 3,980 |
| Population As Of: | 2021 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Density Urban Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | CET |
| Utc Offset: | +1 |
| Timezone Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 7707 |
| Area Code Type: | Dialing code |
| Area Code: | 0523 |
| Coordinates: | 52.6006°N 6.3911°W |
Balkbrug is a village in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located in the municipality Hardenberg, about 5 km west of Dedemsvaart.
Balkbrug is located where the road from Ommen splits into a road to Meppel and Leeuwarden, and a road to Hoogeveen and the city of Groningen. In 1599, a redoubt was constructed in Ommerschans, south of Balkbrug. The village appeared in 1811 along the as part of a peat colony.[3] It is named after a simple type of bridge.[4] In 1819, a beggar's colony was founded to the south of the village. In 1840, it was home to 1,308 people.[5] The church was built in 1896.[3]
In 1893/94, the beggar's colony was turned into the state educational institution Veldzicht, a prison for young offenders. In 1911, it was enlarged and became the largest of the Netherlands.[3] Nowadays, it is used as the forensic psychiatry centre.[5]