Centre of art and culture
Eindhoven has a lot to offer its inhabitants and visitors in the area of art and culture. The city attracts attention from far and wide with the Van Abbemuseum, Muziekcentrum Frits Philips, home to the Brabants Orkest, and the Zuidelijk Toneel (Southern Theatre) that creates sensational stage productions. The Stadsschouwburg (Civic Theatre) is well-known in the area and attracts large audiences. This is also the case for smaller stages such as the Plaza Futura theatre and the Effenaar.

The cultural climate in Eindhoven is defined by some 200 exhibitions, 1,200 music and theatre performances and thousands of films in the 'normal' and 'alternative' circuits. In addition, the city offers its inhabitants and visitors a choice of musical events such as Jazz in Lighttown, Folkwoods and Fiësta del Sol. 

Eindhoven has a remarkable number of statues in public areas. The largest of these is the 'Flying Pins', the much talked-about bright yellow eyecatcher crafted by sculptors Claes Oldenburg en Coosje van Bruggen positioned at the top of Kennedylaan in 2000. 

An old city with a youthful appearance 
Its youthful appearance betrays the fact that Eindhoven is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands. Eindhoven was granted its town charter in 1232 by the Duke of Brabant. Well into the 16th century, the town was protected by a castle, walls and a moat. Farmers and merchants from far afield would come and sell their wares at the weekly market. Mediaeval wars, plunder by bandits and several large-scale fires left little of this standing. Only a few archaeological findings point to this distant past. 

The only remnants of the later period are the 17th century Mariënhage cloister and the gothic St-Catharinakerk (19th century). The unprecedented growth at the start of the 20th century led to the annexation of the neighbouring villages of Woensel, Gestel, Strijp, Tongelre and Stratum, that are now known by these names as suburbs of Eindhoven. 
The centres and marketplaces of these earlier settlements can still be recognised among the modern-day buildings. There is little left of old Eindhoven itself, as it was devastated in the Second World War.