The best cycling routes in Vallei Van De Wimp En De Grote Nete Te Herenthout

The Grote Nete, roughly speaking, marks the transition to the Kempen region. This rain-fed river flows through a diverse landscape with vast marshlands, sandy grasslands, and mixed forests. The Grote Nete valley includes the Grote Laak, Kleine Laak, Rode Laak, Wimp, Herselt Loop, and Zaartloop. Source and more (with hiking tips) at https://www.landschapsparkdemerode.be/vallei-van-de-grote-nete

The majestic Dutch linden tree in the center of Itegem has a trunk circumference of 4 meters at a height of 1.50 meters. Fun historical fact: During the Ancien Régime, the court of aldermen, responsible for both administration and justice, met here to deliberate and administer justice. Before the abolition of the Ancien Régime, justice was administered outside the court within a zone cordoned off by four ropes, traditionally located under a linden tree, called the "vierschaar" (court of justice). Four benches were arranged in a square around this zone. The aldermen sat on these benches, and the accused stood in the center of the square. This form of justice was certainly still practiced in Itegem in the first half of the 18th century.

In the heart of Herentals stands the Cloth Hall, the most important witness to Herentals' rich past. The building was built in the early fifteenth century by wealthy wool weavers and cloth makers to conduct their trade. In 1512, the building was almost completely destroyed by fire. Reconstruction was completed in 1534. Over the years, the town hall has undergone numerous repairs and renovations. The last major renovation took place in 2010. The Cloth Hall is a simple, rectangular building. The tower is approximately 35 meters high. Since the mid-sixteenth century, a carillon has hung in the belfry. The fifty bells together weigh almost four tons. The carillon is still played regularly. The oldest sources refer to the building as the "gulden huys," "meethuys," or "loothuys." Around 1430, the building was officially given the name "town hall." Since 1998, it has officially been called the Cloth Hall. The belfry is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Cloth Hall now serves a socio-cultural purpose, regularly hosting exhibitions and concerts. During exhibitions, the Cloth Hall is freely accessible. The belfry is not open to the public. Source: https://www.herentals.be/lakenhal

The Zandpoort gate was first mentioned in 1402. The facade is clad in Gobertange limestone. Inside, a large amount of local iron ore was used. In 1643, the gate was thoroughly restored and rebuilt, giving it a flat exterior facade in a sober Renaissance style. The last restoration dates from 2007. Source: https://www.herentals.be/zandpoort

Le Paige Castle dates from 1892 and incorporates elements from the Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical periods. The interior features hints of Art Nouveau. The castle includes an arboretum. The complex is called Domaine Le Paige, a reference to the Le Paige family who long owned it.

Located on private property...

Children feel grown up and the grown-ups are happy to be children again...

Generations of castle lords and the village community have cared for the magnificent heritage we have today. We must cherish this legacy with care. Everyone has a responsibility in this regard: the government, the owners, and certainly also the visitors. We all want to safeguard this for future generations. VORSELAAR: Proposal to protect the castle "de Borrekens", the rectory, the immediate surroundings of the castle, and the linden avenue as a village landmark. The castle was built in the thirteenth century as a military fortification for the Duke of Brabant, granted as a fief to the Lord Van Rotselaer. The latter gave the fortification, which had the character of a moated castle, the ground plan that can still largely be seen today. Little is known about its evolution since the thirteenth century. The castle is depicted in a print by Ertinger in the second half of the seventeenth century and published by Jacques Le Roy. This shows that the current castle's core still largely reflects this condition. The building's military character was lost in the eighteenth century, and it was converted into a "house of pleasure." This involved the demolition of several surrounding walls and defensive towers, and the moat separating the forecourt from the castle was filled in. Simultaneously or shortly before, several embellishments were carried out on the castle, with J.P. van Baurscheit as the architect. The buildings in the forecourt were constructed during the same period. In the 1850s and 1860s, restoration work was carried out in keeping with the fashion of the time. Several dormers, stepped gables, fireplaces, turrets, and battlements were added in the Neo-Gothic style. The interior was also altered during this period and in the same style. Although this renovation significantly altered the castle's appearance, the renovation itself is remarkable as a testament to the Neo-Gothic style that emerged in our region around 1850.