Brielle, also called Den Briel, (population: 15,948 in 2004) is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 31.12 km² (of which 3.63 km² water).
Brielle is a very old, fortified town. It received city rights in 1306. During the Middle Ages, it had its own harbor and traded with the Baltic sea region. It even had a factory of its own in Sweden.
During the Eighty Years War between the Netherlands and Spain, the capture of Brielle on April 1st, 1572 by Protestant rebels marked a turning point in the conflict, as many towns in Holland then began to support William of Orange against the Spanish.
The municipality of Brielle also includes the following towns, villages and townships: Vierpolders , Zwartewaal .
In 1967, The Queenborough (England) and Brielle (Holland) twinning project was established.
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