Den Burg

Den Burg, with its medieval circular street pattern, gives many people the impression of a small town. It is the largest village on the island, home to about half of the nearly 14,000 inhabitants of Texel. Central institutions and facilities such as the tourist office, the open-air swimming pool, and the cinema are located in Den Burg. And let’s not forget the extensive selection of shops, cafés, and restaurants around the center of Den Burg.

Church de Burght

The Roman Catholic Church de Burght in Den Burg 2014

On the site of De Burght, there used to be a Romanesque tuff stone church. The current church, built in late Gothic style, dates back to 1452. The church has a built-in turret, which is not very common. The spire was constructed in 1604 because it had been blown off in 1539. During the Russian War on Texel, the church was severely damaged, requiring restoration. This restoration was completed in 1952. Additional restorations to the tower and spire occurred in 1997 and 1998. The restoration of the interior was finished in 2002, and in 2010 the roof was given a new covering of slate and parts of the roof structure were renewed. Regular treatment against the varied woodboring beetle occurs in the vault.

The organ in the church was built by Garstenhouwer and Hillebrand and was completed in 1818. The magnificent front consists largely of wooden pipes that serve only for decoration. Behind this façade are the real pipes and the windchest with a one-manual organ. The keyboard is also located at the rear and has 12 stops and a pedal attached.

The cemetery surrounding the church is still in use and is maintained by volunteers. Inside the church, there is a crypt where urns can be placed.

Gratitude

On Molenstraat stands the Roman Catholic church of Den Burg, built in 1863 and dedicated to John the Baptist. Den Burg R.C. church stained glass 2014 Two stained-glass windows were installed in the church after 1945. One depicts a ship leaving Oudeschild. This window was placed out of gratitude for the return of the Texel men who had been taken away during the war. The other window shows the birth, preaching, and beheading of John the Baptist.

'Exhortation'

Nestled between the houses on Kogerstraat, slightly outside the center of Den Burg, is the characteristic meeting house or 'exhortation' of the Mennonite Community.

Den Burg has no fewer than 64 entries in the National Heritage Register. Most of the monuments are houses or farms in and around Den Burg. The Antiquity Room is located in one of the oldest houses in Den Burg.

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