Megen or Meghem is a small city in the southern part of the
Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
, in the province
North Brabant
North Brabant ( ; ), also unofficially called Brabant, Dutch Brabant or Hollandic Brabant, is a province in the south of the Netherlands. It borders the provinces of South Holland and Gelderland to the north, Limburg to the east, Zeeland to ...
, close to the river
Maas. It is part of the
Oss municipality. The number of inhabitants is approximately 1700.
History
Megen used to be the capital of the feudal County of Megen (including
Haren,
Macharen and
Teeffelen) that was founded around 1145. City rights were obtained in 1357. Of the two castles Megen used to have, only one tower is remaining.
In 1810, the County of Megen became a municipality, to which Haren and Macharen were added in 1821. The municipality of
Megen, Haren en Macharen became a part of the municipality
Oss in 1994.
[Ad van der Meer and Onno Boonstra, "Repertorium van Nederlandse gemeenten", KNAW, 2006. ]
Ecclesiastical history
In 1803 became one of the eponymous components of the
Apostolic Vicariate of Ravenstein-Megen, a Roman Catholic pre-diocesan jurisdiction which was suppressed in 1853, its territory merged into the
Diocese of ’s-Hertogenbosch.
Currently, there are two monasteries in Megen. One is inhabited by the Clarissas (also called the
Poor Clares
The Poor Clares, officially the Order of Saint Clare (Latin language, Latin: ''Ordo Sanctae Clarae''), originally referred to as the Order of Poor Ladies, and also known as the Clarisses or Clarissines, the Minoresses, the Franciscan Clarist Or ...
), followers of St.
Clare of Assisi
Chiara Offreduccio (16 July 1194 – 11 August 1253), known as Clare of Assisi (sometimes spelled ''Clara'', ''Clair'' or ''Claire''; ), is an Italians, Italian saint who was one of the first followers of Francis of Assisi.
Inspired by the te ...
. The other is occupied by the Franciscans, followers of St.
Francis of Assisi
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone ( 1181 – 3 October 1226), known as Francis of Assisi, was an Italians, Italian Mysticism, mystic, poet and Friar, Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans. Inspired to lead a Chris ...
.
Gallery
File:Megen panorama, kerk, latijnse school, klooster, hof van lof.JPG, Megen panorama, church, Latin school, Franciscan monastery and its garden
File:Megen rijksmonument 28540 St.Servatiuskerk vooraanzicht Schoolstraat 1.JPG, Church of St. Servatius
File:Megen rijksmonument 516586 Dr.Baptiststraat 13.JPG, House in Megen
File:Ville de Megen 650 ans, le moulin en fête.JPG, Windmill during the 650 year anniversary
References
External links
Official Website of Megen
{{Authority control
Populated places in North Brabant
Former municipalities of North Brabant
Cities in the Netherlands
Oss