Editing Zundert (section)

== Vincent van Gogh ==
[[File:P1030605Van Goghhuis.JPG|thumb|Van Gogh House in 2009.|alt=|left]]
[[File:P1040677Beeld Vincent en Theo van Gogh.JPG|thumb|''[[Statue of Vincent and Theo van Gogh]]'' by [[Ossip Zadkine]]. The Dutch Reformed church is in the background.]]

Zundert is the birthplace and childhood home of the famous [[Painting|painter]] [[Vincent van Gogh]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vangoghbrabant.com/en/locaties/zundert|title=Home - Van Gogh Brabant|website=Van Gogh Brabant}}</ref> He was born on 30 March 1853 in a little house on Zundert's main street, "Markt 29". The former house is gone, as it was too dilapidated to preserve, but a plaque at this location still commemorates his birth. In May 2007, the renovation of the house at Markt 29, and the neighbouring house, started. After the renovation, the Vincent van Gogh house was opened in August 2008.

People can still visit the Dutch Reformed church built in 1806 in which the father of Vincent, Theodorus van Gogh, started preaching in 1849. In the graveyard is the grave of Vincent's one-year-older brother, who died soon in infancy and who was also called Vincent van Gogh. Vincent did not paint when he lived in Zundert, but he drew some sketches. In letters to his brother [[Theo van Gogh (art dealer)|Theo]], Vincent recalls Zundert and its surroundings a few times when writing about childhood, serenity, and learning about life. Because he died in the [[France|French]] town of [[Auvers-sur-Oise]], on 29 July 1890, a special relation between these two places exists. This can, for example, be noticed by the existence of a slightly hidden Auvers-sur-Oise Street, ending at the Van Gogh Square.

To keep Vincent's memory alive, the municipality of Zundert started the project of realising a Vincent van Gogh house. Rather than a classical museum, it is an active environment, with a presentation about van Gogh's life, interactive education, a documentation room and also permanent and temporary expositions.
Tourist information is also located in the building, as well as a pleasant bar with a garden terrace.

There is a bronze monument made by the French artist [[Ossip Zadkine]] of Vincent and his brother Theo on the "Vincent van Gogh Plein" (Vincent van Gogh square). The [[statue of Vincent and Theo van Gogh]] was unveiled on 28 May 1964 by the former Dutch queen [[Juliana of the Netherlands|Juliana]]. The statue is an abstracted representation of Vincent's connection with his brother Theo. There are several activities here relating to Van Gogh; you can seek tourist information here as well as participate in activities that are located in the Vincent van Gogh house opposite the town hall.