Brabantse Aa Foundation
Stroll through centuries-old cultural landscapes and learn about history
How can you engage a large number of people to explore the centuries-old cultural landscape of the Brabantse Aa river? One way of doing this, is by creating an interactive tour. Through maps, written texts and animation, walkers can explore and discover the rich cultural and historical heritage of the area. Both current and historical heritage sites are brought to life.
Residents from Heeswijk-Dinther, who care deeply about their local area, wanted to increase awareness and engagement with the landscape around the Brabantse Aa. This led them to unite a range of cultural organisations, ranging from historical associations to local tourist information offices, as well as libraries and castles. The idea: create an interactive route along the meandering river Aa, running from De Peel to the provincial capital Den Bosch. At the heart of the project lies the work of 18th-century draughtsman and cartographer Hendrik Verhees. He mapped the area in meticulous detail. In around 1790, he drew ‘the new Meierij map’, featuring all 25 castles and 17 watermills that existed at the time.
A rich history
One of the project’s key strengths is its ability to bring people together. A community comprising local and regional residents and organisations have come together to foster an appreciation of the region’s rich history. What makes this initiative particularly innovative is its ability to highlight objects of heritage value throughout the landscape. Dioraphte’s contribution has been used to create a series of presentations as part of a larger project. It involves a combination of moving image and animation illustrating cultural and historical heritage sites situated along the river, including some former sites. Collectively, they tell the story of the Brabantse Aa.