Grave, North Brabant

Grave (, formerly De Graaf) is a municipality in the Dutch province North Brabant. The municipality counts 12.939 citizens (1 April 2011, source: CBS). Grave is a member of the Dutch Association of Fortified cities. The municipality includes the following cities: Grave (capital), Velp, Escharen and Gassel.

History
The municipality Grave was formed in the Napoleonic era (1810) and coincided with the fortified Grave and immediate surroundings. The history of the town was thus linked to that of the place.

This changed in 1942. Then there was a reclassification place where the municipality Grave was expanded with the previously independent municipalities Velp and Escharen. Moreover, in 1994 the neighboring municipality of Beers lifted and a part thereof, the parish Gassel, was also added to the municipality Grave.

Grave received city rights in 1233.

Popular attractions
Near to Grave lies a bridge, built in 1929. It is the northern connection to Gelderland, spanning the river Maas. The bridge was one of the key strategic points in Operation Market Garden; the city was liberated at September 17, 1944, but suffered very little damage. The bridge was named in 2004 after Lieutenant John S. Thompson who commanded the platoon of the 82nd Airborne Division that conquered the bridge. The Hampoort is the old entrance to the city, and its still largely intact and can be visited.