Helmond, Medieval castle in North Brabant, Netherlands
Helmond is a city in North Brabant built around a medieval castle on the Aa River, which features stone walls, towers, and a protective moat. The castle sits where two waterways meet, with neighborhoods extending outward in different directions.
The city received town rights in 1232 from the Duke of Brabant, which led to growth and the establishment of textile manufacturing. Industrial production became the main activity and shaped how the place developed for hundreds of years.
The city's name originates from its medieval castle, which remains central to how residents and visitors think about the place. Walking through the old town, you see how this building shaped the layout and character of everything around it.
The city has three railway stations - Helmond Central, Helmond Brouwhuis, and Helmond Brandevoort - connecting to Amsterdam and other regional cities. Getting around by public transport is straightforward and covers most areas of interest.
The Speelhuisplein neighborhood features cube houses tilted at 45-degree angles, an unusual experiment in how Dutch architects approached urban housing. These slanted buildings are an unexpected discovery that most people don't anticipate when walking through the city.
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