Philips Heritage
With the arrival of Philips in 1891, Eindhoven changed forever and the city received an enormous economic and technological boost.
Gerard Philips starts the first Philips factory with the aim of producing light bulbs. When a little later his younger brother Anton started as a representative, the success was unstoppable. Philips very quickly became the largest employer in the city and workers from other regions and countries were recruited.
In 1909, Philips built a new factory on the Emmasingel and later also the characteristic light tower. From that moment on, things went very fast and Philips built its own schools, residential areas and had its own parks, sports clubs, cultural institutions, shops, laboratories and of course its own football club. The city has developed positively after the major Philips reorganization with the name Centurion in 1991 and the departure of the head office to Amsterdam. It is precisely because of this departure that the High Tech campus developed so quickly and ASML, among others, was created.
During this economic dip, the municipality, the business community and the knowledge institutions are joining forces with the aim of putting Eindhoven on the map as a technology city. In 2004, the region (including Veldhoven and Helmond) was given the title Brainport and in 2016 the name Mainport Eindhoven due to the above-average economic growth.
Discover the heritage of Philips while cycling
Cycle on your own with the help of the web app developed by us as your digital guide along all the Philips heritage. You cycle carefree from point to point via a beautiful route along the many Philips heritage in the city. For each stop, the web app tells about the past and present in 8 different languages. You experience the history and see with your own eyes the change that has taken place and what beautiful things have arisen from it.
What is a web app?
Discover the unique and innovative web app we developed for individual self-guided tours! After purchase, you will receive a link to the web app which you can access 24 hours before the start of your booked tour. The web app allows you to independently follow the route of the purchased tour at your own pace. No preparation is required and you can start enjoying immediately without worrying about the route. No need to download a separate app on your phone.
This intuitive web app gives you access to comprehensive information, navigation, photos, address and helpful tips for each stop in several languages. If your phone supports it, you can even have the text read to you along the way.
On the first pages of the web app you will find a detailed explanation of how it works. Do you still have questions along the way or need help? Then the digital help desk is ready for you via WhatsApp.
Check availability to see start times
German, Japanese, English, Chinese, Italian, French, Dutch, Spanish
This tour can be experienced individually or by group
Discover the heritage of Philips while cycling
Cycle on your own with the help of the web app developed by us as your digital guide along all the Philips heritage. You cycle carefree from point to point via a beautiful route along the many Philips heritage in the city. For each stop, the web app tells about the past and present in 8 different languages. You experience the history and see with your own eyes the change that has taken place and what beautiful things have arisen from it. We also offer this tour including an E-Fatbike, drink with homemade cakes and entrance to the Philips Museum. Click here to view this tour.
What will you see?
In the center you can see from the outside the former villa of Anton Philips, the first light bulb factory, the Light Tower, monuments, Philips stadium and the beautiful Philips village. On the former factory sites Strijp S, Strijp T and Strijp R you can see how big Philips was and how Eindhoven seized the company’s departure by redeveloping and redesigning these sites. Of course, the Evoluon should not be missed and you will drive through beautiful parks such as the Philips de Jongh park with the Wielewaal estate, the former estate of Frits Philips. The old airport building is also part of the tour. The first domestic flights departed here in 1934 and the former KLM restaurant now houses a catering facility (Echt Welschap) where photos from these times hang. In addition to the former working-class district of Philipsdorp, the transformed districts of Woensel West and Drents dorp are not missing from this tour. To conclude, you cycle through Victoria Park where there will soon be a statue of Gerard Philips of eight meters wide and seven meters high. It is a gift from Philips to the city on the occasion of the 130th anniversary of the group.
Eat and drink wherever and whenever you want along the way in one of the many Philips heritage locations. We tip you in the web app where the different locations are ‘hidden’.
Distance
Total: 24 kilometers
Do you want to visit the Philips museum (costs not included in the tour) in one day and cycle the entire tour?
Then make sure to leave at the starting point at 10:30 AM. You will then be at the museum at 11:00 AM (stop 3) where you will need about 90 minutes. Then you continue the tour and you are back at the end point in time so that you can return any rental bikes on time.
The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.
If you are not going to visit the Philips museum on the tour day, we advise you (in case of bike rental) to start the tour no later than 13:00.
If you have not rented a bike for one day, you can also divide the tour over several days. The password is valid for one week.
Book this tailor-made guided tour?
We also offer this tour including a guide who will tell your own group everything about the Philips past. This Philips expert shows you the special places in the city and tells you just a little more than we can do individually. Make it complete and interrupt your tour with a snack and drink at one of the old Philips locations. We know the places and are happy to make a tailor-made proposal. Groups that preceded you were very enthusiastic about this unforgettable and educational outing.
Total duration including snacks and drinks along the way: 5 – 6 hours. Ask us for a tailor-made quote without obligation.
City Tours Eindhoven
Oberto 14
5629NG Eindhoven
Netherlands
Visits by appointment only.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: 17216697
City Tours Eindhoven organizes fun tours and outings in Eindhoven and surroundings for you but also for groups, expats and other visitors to our beautiful city!
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