De Grote Stoel

On a small square on Gasthuisstraat, you'll find the Big Chair of Oirschot. This chair pays homage to the once thriving furniture industry. Of course, you're welcome to climb on it and take a fun photo!

As a symbol of the successful furniture industry and as a tribute to the craftsmanship of the artisans, the company Meeuwis created a colossal chair in 1958, which still serves as a tourist attraction in Oirschot.

Furniture Industry and Symbol 'The Big Chair' In the mid-nineteenth century, many craftsmen emigrated to America, thinking they could build a better life there socially and economically. It was the time of the industrial revolution when many artisanal jobs disappeared, and machines took over many tasks from humans. Socially, it was a challenging time for many. Nevertheless, during that period, a certain industry flourished due to the availability of many skilled workers around Oirschot.

American Chair Before the emergence of this flourishing furniture industry, Cornelius Jacobus Teurlincx and Willem Meijers had emigrated to faraway America in 1848, seeking better social and economic conditions. Ten years later, they returned to the Netherlands with various ideas in the field of furniture. They settled in Oirschot and developed what was known as an 'American chair.' The chair had some similarities to the Brabant 'knopstoel.