Saint Anna boarding school

Education and vocational training was mainly a matter for boys in the nineteenth century. Until the year 1837. Then Willem Hellemons asked the Franciscanesses, a congregation (monastic community) from Roosendaal, to also come to Oudenbosch. The idea was to establish a school for girls and a home for poor children here. The sisters were asked to take on this care. Five sisters came to establish a convent. A convent under the patronage of St Anna, the mother of Mary, and traditionally a symbol of loving family care. A sandstone statue of St Anna still watches over the entrance gate.

The Sisters of St Anna are a fine example of a thriving educational congregation. Soon after the foundation
all kinds of training courses were added. Sisters of St Anna worked in as many as 27 places in the Netherlands. Around 1850
the first sisters went to Suriname and care and education were also brought to Africa. In the Netherlands, there are still
few Sisters of St Anna were active. From 1 January 2023, they moved to the Congregation of the Sisters
Franciscan Sisters of Mariadal in Roosendaal. But in Kenya, the work continues with more than 200 sisters. The headquarters, the 'Generalate' is in Nairobi. The superior general is a Kenyan sister. Together with her board, she ensures that the Sisters of St Anna are active not only in Kenya and the Netherlands, but also in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda and America.

Discover the 9 Wonders and Pearls and go to route

Basilica of Saint Agatha and Saint Barbara

It cannot be missed, the immense basilica. Its dome resembles that of the famous St Peter's. The front is inspired by the façade of St John of Lateran, another famous church in Rome. If you look at the Basilica of Oudenbosch, you are looking at Rome. This one here is as much as 16 times smaller than the world-famous St Peter's. Looking at Rome with big eyes, by the way, so did the founders of this church. The Rome of the popes was the source of inspiration for Oudenbossche parish priest Willem Hellemons. The famous Pierre Cuypers was commissioned to design the basilica.