Waterschei colliery

The first football experience in Belgium. In the stadium of Belgian cup winner KRC Genk you will find a route where young and old can join a journey in the world of soccer. Games, audiovisual applications, film, photos, sounds, interviews and interactive displays are found througout GoalMine. The journey emphasises on the connection between football and the earlier coalmines in the region. We can assist you in English.

Heritage and nature converge in Thor Park. Begin your visit at Thor Central, the main building on the site of the former Waterschei colliery, before setting off to explore the surrounding area with its imposing spoil heap, footpaths lined with little stone men and attractive picnic spots.
The 30-hectare Thor Park is part of the magnificent Hoge Kempen National Park. You can explore the park either on foot, or by bike using the Limburg bicycle network. The Schansbroek (stream), the Klaverberg (inland dunes) and the Kolenspoor (coal railway) are all nearby. The remarkable landscape is a combination of rare flora and fauna, magnificent industrial mine buildings and the garden suburbs. Hence the application for their classification as UNESCO world heritage.
Imposing spoil heap
Thor Park’s old Waterschei spoil heap, made up of waste rock adjacent to the coal seams removed during coal mining, is a nod to Genk’s rich mining history. In 1999 the spoil tip was given listed status, but you can still climb it. Just follow the little stone men to the top. You can contribute your own little stone man. At the top of the tip, you are rewarded with a breathtaking view of the impressive colliery and the KRC Genk football stadium.
The 11 walks map
To make the Thor Park area accessible to the public, eleven new walks ranging from 2 to 16 km have been mapped out. They are outlined in the handy THOR PARK map of walks, a total of more than 40 km of signposted footpaths. Information about the area is also provided. The map is available from F&B outlets at Thor Central, the main building on the site next to the C-mine Visitor Centre, or online via the National Park webshop.

Want to Explore the beautiful region in a trendy way? Rent a cool kickscooter and discover the rich history and de magnificent sceneries. It's eco friendly by the way.

The 30-hectare Thor Park is part of the magnificent Hoge Kempen National Park. You can explore the park either on foot, or by bike using the Limburg bicycle network. The Schansbroek (stream), the Klaverberg (inland dunes) and the Kolenspoor (coal railway) are all nearby. The remarkable landscape is a combination of rare flora and fauna, magnificent industrial mine buildings and the garden suburbs.
Thor Park’s old Waterschei spoil heap, made up of waste rock adjacent to the coal seams removed during coal mining, is a nod to Genk’s rich mining history. In 1999 the spoil tip was given listed status, but you can still climb it. Just follow the little stone men to the top. You can contribute your own little stone man. At the top of the tip, you are rewarded with a breathtaking view of the impressive colliery and the KRC Genk football stadium.
To make the Thor Park area accessible to the public, eleven new walks ranging from 2 to 16 km have been mapped out. They are outlined in the handy THOR PARK map of walks, a total of more than 40 km of signposted footpaths. Information about the area is also provided. The map is available from F&B outlets at Thor Central, the main building on the site next to the C-mine Visitor Centre, or online via the National Park webshop.

The Berlin artists’ collective ConstructLab designed a wooden construction and lived in it for four months while developing a building brick from plastic waste. Genk citizens, visitors and chance passers-by were invited to make a brick from plastic bottle tops which were used to cover a 7-metre-high, participatory artwork called ‘The Arch’.

On the path to the right of Thor Central, little stone men or small piles of basalt mark the shortest route to the top of the spoil pit. The principle is simple: you walk from one heap of stones to the next. Everyone will come across them at some point, suddenly and unexpectedly. And you are duty-bound to add your own little stone man!

Thor Central is an impressive industrial building which was given listed status after the closure of the mines. The option of turning the site into a technology park came up when looking for a new and meaningful use for Waterschei colliery, one that would give this magnificent building a bright new future.
Thor Central is now the beating heart of the Thor Park site. The Food Plaza is worth a visit in its own right, with the Partaasch restaurant and Lampada brasserie open to the public every day. The building is also well equipped for corporate events with meeting rooms, an auditorium, central reception and even a crèche. Exhibitions and events are organized here on a regular basis.

Fancy a unique visit to the Waterschei mine building? You can! Go on a trip in spring and summer with a former mine worker. He intersperses the tour with his personal stories. You will learn all about Genk's rich past and its mine site during the exhibition ‘Mijndepot’ with film and image material and objects from the mine.