| Oss | |
| Settlement Type: | Municipality |
| Flag Size: | 100x67px |
| Map Alt: | Highlighted position of Oss in a municipal map of North Brabant |
| Coordinates: | 51.7667°N 36°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Netherlands |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Governing Body: | Municipal council |
| Leader Party: | VVD |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Wobine Buijs-Glaudemans |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Elevation Footnotes: | [2] |
| Elevation M: | 7 |
| Population Demonym: | Ossenaar |
| Timezone: | CET |
| Utc Offset: | +1 |
| Timezone Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postcode |
| Postal Code: | 5340–5351, 5366–5373 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 0412, 0486, 073 |
Oss (in Dutch; Flemish ɔs/) is a municipality and a city in the southern Netherlands, in the province of North Brabant, situated between Nijmegen and 's-Hertogenbosch.
| Name | Population |
|---|---|
| Berghem | 6,900 |
| Haren | 785 |
| Herpen | 2,552 |
| Lith | 6,724 |
| Macharen | 722 |
| Megen | 1,686 |
| Oss | 57,980 |
| Ravenstein | 3,724 |
Dutch Topographic map of Oss (municipality), June 2015
Oss has a shopping center with many squares, however, the only real shopping streets (also the best known) are the Heuvelstraat, Walstraat and the Peperstraat. The squares are connected with these shopping streets and passages that contain shops. One of the passages (The Passage, Dutch: de Passage, Local Dialect: 't Gengske) had an overhauling renovation in 2014. It now resembles an old Dutch street.
There is archaeological evidence that humans have lived in and around Oss for 4,000 years. Major archaeological finds were the Vorstengraf burial sites and the indigenous-Roman burial fields of Oss-Ussen.[3]
Oss was first mentioned in a letter by Pope Alexander II on 6 May 1069.Oss was granted city rights in 1399 by Hertogin (Duchess) Johanna van Brabant. Present-day Oss has several chemical and pharmaceutical industries like Merck & Co. (previously Schering-Plough, Organon and Diosynth).Oss is also host to the professional football team TOP Oss, and is the birthplace of former Manchester United and Real Madrid star Ruud van Nistelrooy, although he did not play for the local side, but for rivals FC Den Bosch.
The gothic metal/alternative rock band The Gathering, formed in 1989, originally hails from Oss.
See main article: Berghem. Berghem is a small town east of Oss (population: 6,900). Berghem is currently being expanded with many new houses in the Piekenhoef.
See main article: Megen. Megen is a small city (population: 1,686) close to the river Maas.
Megen used to be the 'capital' of the county Megen (including Haren, Macharen and Teeffelen) that was founded around 1145. City rights were obtained in 1357.In 1810, the County Megen became a municipality to which Haren and Macharen also belonged. It became part of the municipality of Oss in 1994.
Currently, there are two monasteries in Megen. One is inhabited by the Clarissas (also called the Poor Clares), followers of St. Clare of Assisi. The other is occupied by the Franciscans, followers of St. Francis of Assisi. Of the two castles Megen used to have, only one tower remains.
See main article: Ravenstein, Netherlands. Ravenstein (population: 3,728) is a city and was a municipality until 2003, when it was added to the Oss municipality. The municipality covered an area of 42.68 km² and also included villages: Demen, Dennenburg, Deursen, Dieden, Herpen, Huisseling, Keent, Koolwijk, Neerlangel, Neerloon, Overlangel.
Ravenstein received city rights in 1380.