| Haagse Beemden | |
| Settlement Type: | District in Breda |
| Other Name: | ’ |
| Native Name Lang: | nl |
| Image Map1: | File:Map - NL - Breda - Haagse Beemden.PNG |
| Pushpin Map: | Netherlands North Brabant#Netherlands |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 250 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Netherlands |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | North Brabant |
| Subdivision Type2: | Municipality |
| Area Total Km2: | 16.76 |
| Population Total: | 27.000 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | CET |
| Utc Offset: | +1 |
| Timezone Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 4822 - 4824 |
| Area Code Type: | Dialing code |
| Area Code: | 076 |
| Coordinates: | 51.6203°N 4.7328°W |
Haagse Beemden is a residential district in the city of Breda. It is a relatively new district in the northwest part of the city. With about 27,000 inhabitants living in 10,000 residence, Haagse Beemden is by far the biggest district in Breda.
In 1975 the city of Breda acquired the status “Groeistad” (growing city) to attract people and businesses to move outside the Randstad. In connection with this, a large part of the municipality of Prinsenbeek was transferred to the municipality of Breda. (the part east of the motorway A16, with an area of 1,548 hectares). On these grounds the new Haagse Beemden was constructed. Which already was planned in 1958. The district was built in the 1980s and 1990s on both sides of the “Burgst” estate. This was later arranged as a park, in which historical elements such as the Chapel of “Gageldonk" and the “Kleine Hoeve” (Small Farmhouse) and “Grote Hoeve” (Large Farmhouse) have been preserved.Along the A16 lie the “Weimeren” nature reserve and recreational lake "De Kuil” (The Pit). [1]
The area is much larger than the current urban area. In the north and the west there is a large meadow area of wet peat soils along the river Mark. The urban areas are mixed with the landscape.
Beemd (Meadows) are moist grasslands that were used as pasture and hayfields close to a village. The name of the district is a reference to the former “Beemden” in the north part of the former municipality of Princenhage on which ground the district was built. The Hedge (Haag) surrounding the hunting grounds of the lords of Breda are mentioned in the prefix “Haagse”.
The Haagse Beemden consists of nine neighborhoods:
In the neighborhoods are shopping areas, elementary and primary schools, schools for secondary education and community centre's. In addition to that there are sports facilities such as, three football (soccer) clubs, two tennis clubs and a multi sports hall and two scouts clubs.
During carnival, the district is one of the few districts in Breda which has its own “Prince Carnaval” and a nickname, “Giegeldonk” (Giggle Dunc).[3]
The district has its own flag since 2022. The residents of the Haagse Beemden represented in the volunteer group “Haagse Beemden Verbindt” (Haagse Beemden Connects) took the initiative to organize a design contest. The winning design was by “Hein de Vree”.The designer explains;
The flag was presented on June 11, 2022, during the first edition of the Haagse Beemden Festival, in the presence of the Breda mayor Paul Depla.[4]