Venray
Encyclopedia
Venray is a municipality
and a town
in Limburg
, Netherlands
, 115 kilometers southeast of Amsterdam
. Venray has about 43,000 inhabitants.
, Wanssum
and Ysselsteyn
. The first patients arrived in 1907. In 1906, the Sint Anna mental hospital for women was built by the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary
. The first patients arrived in 1909. In 1969, management of the mental hospitals was transferred to two separate foundations. Both mental hospitals have had a big impact on Venray from cultural, religious and employment perspectives that lasts up to today. Nowadays, both mental hospitals are managed by GGZ Noord- en Midden-Limburg.
Venray also hosts one of 12 mental hospitals in the Netherlands, De Rooyse Wissel, that house people assigned to mental treatment as a measure by the courts.
church in Venray hosts one of the largest late medieval collections of wooden sculpture
s that survived the iconoclasm
of the protestant reformation
in the Netherlands. The church itself was originally built in the 15th century in the gothic
style. It was rebuilt after extensive damage following the World War II
Battle of Overloon
.
hosts the only German war cemetery in the Netherlands, administered by the German War Graves Commission
.
Venray also hosts a Commonwealth War Grave
.
In recent decades Venray has made a transition from a manufacturing
base to a third-party logistics base. As a consequence many warehouses have been built on industrial
estates in recent years.
Small and medium enterprises and mental healthcare also continue to play an important role in the local economy. Venray also provides logistics
through its Meuse river harbor in Wanssum
and A73 motorway.
peat bogs in the early 20th century. Parts of the peat bogs remain and have been transferred to a national park. The western section of Venray is also straddled by part of the Peel-Raam Line
, defensive works consisting out of a canal and bunkers dating to the World War II
period.
Venray, near Geijsteren, also has a forest and sand dune area, that is one of the few locations in the Netherlands that is home to common juniper
.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
and a town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Limburg
Limburg (Netherlands)
Limburg is the southernmost of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands. It is located in the southeastern part of the country and bordered by the province of Gelderland to the north, Germany to the east, Belgium to the south and part of the west, andthe Dutch province of North Brabant partly to...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, 115 kilometers southeast of Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. Venray has about 43,000 inhabitants.
Population centres
Blitterswijck, Castenray, Geijsteren, Heide, Leunen, Merselo, Oirlo, Oostrum, Smakt, Venray, Veulen, VredepeelVredepeel
Vredepeel is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is home to a military base and has a population of 270....
, Wanssum
Wanssum
Wanssum is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Venray.Wanssum was a separate municipality until 1969, when it merged with Meerlo.-External links:*...
and Ysselsteyn
Ysselsteyn
Ysselsteyn is a small village in the municipality of Venray in Limburg, Netherlands. It was established in 1921 and named after its designer, Hendrik Albert van IJsselsteyn, then Minister of Agriculture....
Born in Venray
- Yorick Bierstekers (*1975), Musicproducer and Deejay
- Mark VeensMark VeensMark Hermanus Maria Veens is a freestyle swimmer from the Netherlands, who competed for his native country at three consequentive Summer Olympics, starting in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia as a member of the 4×100 m freestyle .Veens' finest hour came at the European Short Course Swimming...
(*1978), Freestyle swimmer - Edward LinskensEdward LinskensEdward Linskens is a retired Dutch footballer who played as a defensive midfielder, namely for PSV.-Football career:During his career, Linskens played for PSV Eindhoven, NAC Breda, K.S.C...
(*1968), Soccer player - Peter WinnenPeter WinnenPeter Johannes Gertrudis Winnen is a Dutch former road racing cyclist. He was professional from 1980 until 1991. Among his 14 victories were two stages at Alpe d'Huez in the Tour de France and a national championship. He came third in the Tour de France in 1983.-Results:1981...
(*1957), Cyclist, winner of Alp d'Huez - Michelle CourtensMichelle CourtensMichelle Courtens , performing as Michelle, is a Dutch singer, who is known from her performance in the Eurovision Song Contest 2001.She was born in Venray, The Netherlands....
(*1981), Singer - Koen Heldens (*1986), Audio engineer
- Gerard VerschuurenGerard VerschuurenGerard M. Verschuuren is a writer, speaker, and consultant, working at the interface of science, philosophy, and religion. He is a human geneticist who also earned a doctorate in the philosophy of science, and studied and worked at universities in Europe and the United States...
(*1946), Human Geneticist and Philosopher - Koen "Trystys" Verstralen (*1985), Musician, ex live guitarist of symphonic black metal band Carach Angren and ex singer of thrash metal formation Anxiety, currently playing bass in death metal band Erebus, hailing from Kampen
Mental Hospitals
In 1905, the Sint Servatius mental hospital for males was built by the Brothers of CharityBrothers of Charity
The Brothers of Charity are a Catholic institute of religious brothers and associate members at the service of the people most in need in the field of education and health care. The institute was founded in 1807 by Canon Peter Joseph Triest in Ghent, Belgium, who also founded three other religious...
. The first patients arrived in 1907. In 1906, the Sint Anna mental hospital for women was built by the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary
Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary
The Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary is a Roman Catholic religious order founded in Ghent, Belgium on November 4, 1803 by Father Peter Joseph Triest, the parish priest of Lovendegem that time. Father Peter recruited a group of young women, from which the co-foundress Mother...
. The first patients arrived in 1909. In 1969, management of the mental hospitals was transferred to two separate foundations. Both mental hospitals have had a big impact on Venray from cultural, religious and employment perspectives that lasts up to today. Nowadays, both mental hospitals are managed by GGZ Noord- en Midden-Limburg.
Venray also hosts one of 12 mental hospitals in the Netherlands, De Rooyse Wissel, that house people assigned to mental treatment as a measure by the courts.
St. Peter ad Vincula Church
The St. Peter ad VinculaLiberation of Saint Peter
The Liberation of Saint Peter is a story told in the Acts of the Apostles in which Saint Peter is rescued from prison by an angel. Although described in a short textual passage, the tale has given rise to theological discussions and has been the subject of a number of artworks.-Biblical...
church in Venray hosts one of the largest late medieval collections of wooden sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
s that survived the iconoclasm
Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm is the deliberate destruction of religious icons and other symbols or monuments, usually with religious or political motives. It is a frequent component of major political or religious changes...
of the protestant reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
in the Netherlands. The church itself was originally built in the 15th century in the gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style. It was rebuilt after extensive damage following the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Battle of Overloon
Battle of Overloon
The Battle of Overloon was a Second World War battle between Allied forces and the German army which took place in and around the village of Overloon in the south-east of the Netherlands between 30 September and 18 October 1944. The battle, which resulted in an Allied victory, ensued after the...
.
Ysselsteyn German War Cemetery
YsselsteynYsselsteyn
Ysselsteyn is a small village in the municipality of Venray in Limburg, Netherlands. It was established in 1921 and named after its designer, Hendrik Albert van IJsselsteyn, then Minister of Agriculture....
hosts the only German war cemetery in the Netherlands, administered by the German War Graves Commission
German War Graves Commission
The German War Graves Commission is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of German war graves in Europe and North Africa...
.
Venray also hosts a Commonwealth War Grave
World War II memorials and cemeteries in the Netherlands
-Dutch war graves:In the Netherlands, about 9,000 war graves are located.* Field of Honour Loenen - 4,000 soldiers and civilians* Field of Honour Grebbeberg - 800 soldiers...
.
Economy
- Inalfa: Venray hosts the head-office and a manufacturingManufacturingManufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
plant of Inalfa, a supplier of car roofs to the automotive industryAutomotive industryThe automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
. - Flextronics: Venray hosts manufacturingManufacturingManufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
units and logistics centerLogistics centerA logistics center is a facility dedicated to logistical operations. A logistics center might be a warehouse, freight forwarder, or a repair depot....
s for FlextronicsFlextronicsFlextronics International Ltd. is an electronics manufacturing services provider that offers services to original equipment manufacturers . It also provides supporting supply chain services, including packaging and transportation throughout the world, as well as design and after-sales... - Herbalife: Venray hosts a European logistics centerLogistics centerA logistics center is a facility dedicated to logistical operations. A logistics center might be a warehouse, freight forwarder, or a repair depot....
for HerbalifeHerbalifeHerbalife International is a global nutrition, weight-loss and skin-care company. The company was founded in 1980 and it employs around 4,000 people worldwide. Herbalife reported net sales of USD 2.7 billion in 2010...
. - OTTO Work Force: Venray hosts the head-office for OTTO Work Force, a temp agency that predominantly provides PolishPolesthumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
expatriateExpatriateAn expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
workers. - Xerox: Venray used to host a manufacturingManufacturingManufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
plant and European logistics centerLogistics centerA logistics center is a facility dedicated to logistical operations. A logistics center might be a warehouse, freight forwarder, or a repair depot....
for Rank XeroxRank XeroxRank Xerox was formed in 1956 as a joint venture between the Xerox Corporation of U.S. and the Rank Organisation of UK, to manufacture and market Xerox equipment initially in Europe and later in Africa and Asia...
, later XeroxXeroxXerox Corporation is an American multinational document management corporation that produced and sells a range of color and black-and-white printers, multifunction systems, photo copiers, digital production printing presses, and related consulting services and supplies...
. Nowadays, the European logistics centerLogistics centerA logistics center is a facility dedicated to logistical operations. A logistics center might be a warehouse, freight forwarder, or a repair depot....
remains. In the 1990s Xerox outsourced manufacturing to FlextronicsFlextronicsFlextronics International Ltd. is an electronics manufacturing services provider that offers services to original equipment manufacturers . It also provides supporting supply chain services, including packaging and transportation throughout the world, as well as design and after-sales...
. - Royal Netherlands Air ForceRoyal Netherlands Air ForceThe Royal Netherlands Air Force , Dutch Koninklijke Luchtmacht , is the military aviation branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Its ancestor, the Luchtvaartafdeling of the Dutch Army was founded on 1 July 1913, with four pilots...
: Venray houses De Peel Air BaseDe Peel Air BaseDe Peel air base is a military air base in the Netherlands used by the Royal Netherlands Air Force guided missile division...
.
In recent decades Venray has made a transition from a manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
base to a third-party logistics base. As a consequence many warehouses have been built on industrial
Industrial park
An industrial park is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development...
estates in recent years.
Small and medium enterprises and mental healthcare also continue to play an important role in the local economy. Venray also provides logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
through its Meuse river harbor in Wanssum
Wanssum
Wanssum is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is located in the municipality of Venray.Wanssum was a separate municipality until 1969, when it merged with Meerlo.-External links:*...
and A73 motorway.
Nature
The western section of Venray, the villages Vredepeel and Ysselsteyn, was reclaimed from the PeelPeel, Netherlands
thumb|250px|A peat lake near [[Griendtsveen]].thumb|250px|A barn roof with vegetation typical of the region.De Peel is a region in the Southeast of the Netherlands that straddles the border between the provinces of North Brabant and Limburg....
peat bogs in the early 20th century. Parts of the peat bogs remain and have been transferred to a national park. The western section of Venray is also straddled by part of the Peel-Raam Line
Peel-Raam Line
thumb|right|230px|Peel-Raam LineThe Peel-Raam Line was a Dutch defence line built in 1939 and attacked and conquered on 10 May 1940 by the German forces....
, defensive works consisting out of a canal and bunkers dating to the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
period.
Venray, near Geijsteren, also has a forest and sand dune area, that is one of the few locations in the Netherlands that is home to common juniper
Juniperus communis
Juniperus communis, the Common Juniper, is a species in the genus Juniperus, in the family Cupressaceae. It has the largest range of any woody plant, throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic south in mountains to around 30°N latitude in North America, Europe and Asia.-...
.