The best city hikes and walks in Binnenbos En Omgeving

In Lier, there was a "St. James's Hospice" for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. In 1383, the city magistrate erected the St. James's Chapel next to the hospice. The pilgrim's symbol is the scallop shell, which can be found in bronze on the chapel's facade. After destruction during the religious wars, the chapel lost some of its pilgrimage function, but from the 17th century onward, it served as a parish church for the Spanish garrison stationed in Lier. Therefore, it is colloquially known as the "Spanish Chapel" by the people of Lier. The chapel contains a mural depicting coats of arms. Lier artist Bernard Janssens (1887-1976), folklorist, photographer, painter, etcher, restorer, and publicist, created this painting in 1926 in a blind pointed arch in the chapel. These are the coats of arms of the Spanish governors who governed the city of Lier.

The Barvest is a restaurant and cafe located on the city walls. Since this section mainly features photos of the green belt that forms the city walls, which start and end here, here's some information. The city ramparts are a 5 km long green walk around the center of Lier. A section of the city ramparts is a protected landscape. The Lier city ramparts largely follow the route of the second city wall from the first half of the 15th century. At that time, the ramparts primarily served a military function, providing protection against enemy cannon fire and raids. But the ramparts also had an economic importance: import and export duties were collected at the city gates. In the 19th century, the ramparts no longer served a military purpose and were dismantled. The ramparts between the Spui and the city park (towards Mechelsepoort) were lowered and planted with trees. The section between the city park and the Spui (towards Leuvensepoort) followed later. These spacious walking paths, known as the Begijnenvest, Davidsvest, Bergmannvest, Spuivest, Sionsvest, and the towpath along the Leuvensevest, together with the city park, form the green lung of the city center. A section of the ramparts is a protected landscape. A regent's decree from 1949. Now you'll mainly find trees like linden, red and green beech, oak, whitebeam, but also special species like pagoda tree. There used to be many elm trees, but they disappeared due to a disease. You can also admire several statues. On Davidsvest, you can admire Cadetje, a statue that refers to the former cadet school on the opposite side. Near Frederik Peltzerstraat is the statue of Anton Bergmann (lawyer and man of letters). Canon J.B. David (historian and linguist) has had his statue near Antwerpsestraat since 1923. The Chapel of St. Rita, near Mechelsestraat, was erected in 1948 in memory of Lier's political prisoners. And more at https://lier.be/wonen-en-leven/natuur-milieu-en-duurzaamheid/recreatie/de-stadsvesten

The St. James' Chapel, also known as the "Spanish Chapel," was founded in 1383 by the magistrate at the St. James's Almshouse and dedicated to James the Greater. The chapel burned down completely in 1479, but was rebuilt shortly afterward and reconsecrated in 1582, following the religious unrest. During the 17th century, it served as a parish church for the Spanish troops (led by the Jesuits). After the French Revolution, it was temporarily designated as a Temple of Reason and—after the abolition of the Antwerp diocese—recognized as a parish church for the northern part of the city. In 1812, it was converted into an auxiliary church, as the city council deemed the St. Gummarus Church inadequate as a parish church. In the 19th century, the facade was restored, the interior renovated, and a new tower built. Severely damaged during the First World War (including all the furnishings), it was rebuilt in 1923 by the Lier contractor Florent D’Hulst, based on plans by the Leuven architect Frans Vandendael. Canon Raymond Lemaire, as a corresponding member of the Royal Commission for Monuments and Landscapes, strongly influenced this restoration. On February 20, 1939, the chapel was designated a protected monument by Royal Decree. The interior consists of a single-nave, plastered, and painted space, covered by a pointed barrel vault with brick transverse arches, and lit by pointed-arch windows. The five-bay nave is adjoined by a higher, single-bay choir with a three-sided nave and a radiating vault supported by consoles. In the second bay on the left is a blind pointed-arch window with painted shields of the Spanish city governors, signed "Bern. Janssens Fecit 1926". Inventory of Immovable Heritage: St. James's Chapel, https://id.erfgoed.net/erfgoedobjecten/10364

The Scherpenbergmolen is a stone corn windmill, a mountain mill type, located on the northwest side of Antwerpsesteenweg (no. 378), on the corner of Tichelmanstraat. The name Scherpenbergmolen comes from the toponym Scherpenberg, while the vernacular referred to it as the "Stone Mill" (Stone Mill), because there was also a wooden mill in Westmalle. The mill was erected in 1843 by the brothers Joannes and Petrus Mullenbrück (Meulenbroeck) on their parents' property in the area of "De Jaentjes." The mill's construction site was designated as follows: "more than half an hour outside the customs line, 70 meters from the main Antwerp-Turnhout road and 45 meters from the local road Tichelmanstraat." Joannes and Petrus Mullenbrück were the sons of Christianus Mullenbrück, originally from Westphalia, Germany, who settled in the municipality of Westmalle in 1808 as a lime distiller. Joannes became a miller there, and his brother Petrus moved to Ossendrecht, the Netherlands, to also pursue the miller's trade.

The original St. James' Chapel dates from 1383 but has been rebuilt and restored several times. In the 17th century, it served as the parish church of the Spanish troops, hence its name, the Spanish Chapel. The coats of arms inside commemorate this period. After suffering severe damage during WWI, St. James' Chapel was rebuilt once again. The gate to the left of the chapel used to provide access to the St. James's Almshouse, which was demolished in 1848. Twelve elderly people lived there in separate houses. St. James' Chapel is located on the route to Compostela, and many pilgrims come to Lier for this purpose. Visit Visit Lier to purchase the St. James's Stamp. The chapel is also part of the Spanish Walk. Scan the QR code at the entrance for more information or click through to the website.

Take your time and delve back in time. Historic buildings each tell their own story. Want to know more? The small brown information signs attached to the buildings can be a valuable addition to your experience.

• Saint Martin of Tours is a popular saint in Europe, especially in Catholic regions. He lived in the 4th century and was known for his compassion and simplicity. • The artwork is a devotional image or monument, intended to remind believers of the Christian values of mercy and charity. • The location in a cemetery symbolically fits Saint Martin, who is venerated as the protector of the poor and the weak. • These types of monuments are often placed in honor of a patron saint of the parish

The image shows a rider – probably Saint Martin (also called Saint Martin) – sharing his cloak with a beggar. This is a classic representation of the well-known story in which Saint Martin, when he was still a Roman soldier, cut his cloak in two to help a poor man. At the bottom of the artwork is the inscription: “parochie Sint-Martinus Westmalle”