Berlicum

Berlicum
'De Plaets' (1845), former town hall
Flag Coat of arms
Coordinates: 51°40′N 5°23′E / 51.667°N 5.383°E / 51.667; 5.383
Country	Netherlands
Province	North Brabant
Municipality	Sint-Michielsgestel
Population (1 January 2009)	9,743
Major roads	A59, A2, N279, N606

Berlicum is a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Brabant, located in the Meierij region near the city of 's-Hertogenbosch and the river Aa. The town was most likely founded between 600 and 700 AD. It was a municipality along with the village of Middelrode until a large-scale municipal reorganisation in 1996, when Berlicum and neighbouring Den Dungen merged with the municipality of Sint-Michielsgestel. In 2009, Berlicum had 9,743 inhabitants.

The historic town centre is 'Raadhuisplein' (town hall square), on the northwestern edge of the town. The square is dominated by the neoclassical former town hall, known as 'De Plaets' (1845). Another notably building at the square is former mayor's mansion at number 18, with its distinctly white facade. Behind the former town hall is the Protestant 'Samen-op-Weg' church, a national monument dating back to the 14th century. The building was originally a Roman Catholic church under the care of priests from the nearby norbertine Berne Abbey. It became a Protestant church in 1648, when the region became part of the Dutch Republic after the Peace of Westphalia. Under the peace treaty, Catholics were allowed to exercise their religion in private. A clandestine church was built in 1676. In 1837, this church was replaced by a neogotical church building. Funding was provided by a government programme to compensate the loss of historically catholic church buildings during the Reformation period. The new church, named after Saint Peter ('R.K. Sint-Petruskerk') and located at Kerkwijk 44, was subsequently enlarged several times.