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Kantonnale Baan z/n, 3665 AS

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Historische rondleiding door de dorpskern van Zonhoven - Gemeentehuis Zonhoven

Zonhoven, from a forbidden medieval market to Field Marshal Montgomery.

Because of its location, Zonhoven was an important place in the Middle Ages. Although hardly known, far-reaching events took place in this village in more recent times.

Sint-Martinuskerk - kerk SMV

Sint-Martinuskerk

The village is dominated by the tall ( 23 metres) railway bridge. It is part of the rail connection Tongeren-Aken, built by the Germans in the Great War (World War I). This highlevel overpass links the railway line to the longest rail tunnel of Flanders (2070 metres). The steeple of the St-Martinus church dates back to the 13th century. Reverend Veltmans (1866- 1954) is buried to the left of the church tower. He played an important role in saving the Dutch character of the Voer region. Among the old tombstones on the churchyard there is one from the 16h century. It can be found just behind the graves of an RAF aircraft crew, (their plane crashed in 1944).A little further along the road the Veltmanshuis may be found, named after reverend Veltmans, a former chapterhouse from the first half of the 18th century. Until 1971 it served as the presbytery. Now it is the Cultural Centre of the Flemish Community.
The two central Voer villages of St-Martens and St Pietersvoeren have a concentration of flintstone buildings unequalled anywhere in Flanders. Especially the hamlet of Veurs has a great many old timber frame farmhouses, so characteristic of this region. Most of these dwellings date back to the 18th or the beginning of the 19th century.

Herdenkingspark - Monumentenpark

Herdenkingspark

Onze Lieve Vrouw Geboortekerk Ham - Onze Lieve Vrouw Geboortekerk

Onze Lieve Vrouw Geboortekerk Ham

Sint-Servaaskerk - kerk

Sint-Servaaskerk

Glasatelier Het GlazenHuis - Glasoven

Glasatelier Het GlazenHuis

Agnetenklooster

Neanderthalersite - Neanderthalersite

The Neanderthal site

The Neanderthal site in Veldwezelt is the first and only protected archaeological site in Flanders. The geological structure of the walls is unique in its kind in North-Western Europe !

A visit of the Neanderthal site will teach you a lot about these people. What did they do here ? How did they arrive here and why ? How did they live ? You will experience at the same time how the climate evolved, and which effect it had on the vegetation, fauna and flora.

Trudopas - Trudopas

Trudopas

De Gravenmuur - De Gravenmuur

De Gravenmuur

Windmolen van Kaulille - windmolen

Windmolen van Kaulille

Voorste Luysmolen - De Luysmolen

Voorste Luysmolen

Binkermolen - Binkermolen2

Binkermolen

Kasteel van 's Herenelderen - 's Herenelderen sneeuw

Kasteel van 's Herenelderen

Museum Heilig Paterke - Heilig Paterke

Museum Heilig Paterke

NAC-toren - Aanduiding NAC-toren

Climb up the NAC-tower (New Administration Center)

This futuristic and at the same time sober, ecological and extremely functional building is located on the old mining site and houses among others the municipal services, the OCMW (Social Service Department), the library, VVV-Toerisme and the police. The observation point on the roof of the building's blue tower, an artistic spot with an extensive view over this community and the region, is called ‘het Oog van Daubechies’ ('the eye of Daubechies').

This tower is named after a resident of Houthalen-Helchteren: Ingrid Daubechies. In the stairway enclosure you will find more information on her brilliant and famed mathematical formulas.

Climb up this tower and enjoy a 360 ° view.
You get an entrance card and a binoculars at the Tourist Office by showing your ID-card.

Children are only admitted under the supervision of an adult.

Kerk van Wilderen met bezoekerscentrum in toren - Kerk van Wilderen

Kerk van Wilderen met bezoekerscentrum in toren

Romeinse Tempelsite - Tempelsite

Romeinse Tempelsite

Nieuw Administratief Centrum (NAC) - NAC

NAC (New Administration Center)

In Houthalen-Helchteren the past goes hand in hand with the future. As symbols of two major periods, they stand out over our community: the pit heads and the New Administrative Centre (NAC), which has even made it onto the list of ‘100 places in the world that you just have to see’.

This futuristic and at the same time sober, ecological and extremely functional building is located on the old mining site and houses among others the municipal services, the OCMW (Social Service Department), the library, VVV-Toerisme and the police. The observation point on the roof of the building's blue tower, an artistic spot with an extensive view over this community and the region, is called ‘het Oog van Daubechies’ ('the eye of Daubechies').

This tower is named after a resident of Houthalen-Helchteren: Ingrid Daubechies. In the stairway enclosure you will find more information on her brilliant and famed mathematical formulas.

De Heilige Barbara - beeld

Saint Barbara

Since the spring of 2013 C-mine has boasted an additional attraction. St Barbara, patron saint of the mineworkers, once again observes visitors to the site from a niche in the front of the mine building. Ghent artist Sofie Muller burned the head of a nineteenth-century sculpture to symbolize both the mineworkers and the torture inflicted upon Barbara. Interestingly, it was the people of Genk who purchased the sculpture by investing in Barbara shares. To find out all about this extraordinary woman, scan the QR code under the image!

Mijnkathedraal Sint-Albertuskerk - Mijnkathedraal zwartberg

Zwartberg Mine Cathedral

One of the nicest examples of architecture from Genk's mining past is the mine cathedral. Be sure to have a walk inside, as it was designed by Henri Lacoste, one of the leading architects of his time.

Go back to the golden years of the mines. In those days the mining companies in Limburg had churches built in all the cities. You immediately understand why they were given the name 'cathedral'. They are true giants. The majority are made of brick, with the exception of the Winterslag cathedral, which is made of natural stone.

What you need to make sure you see in Zwartberg mine cathedral are the crystal stained glass windows by Val-Saint-Lambert. These are not the usual glass in lead, but massive chunks of coloured crystal. As a result, people from Genk also call the mine cathedral 'the church with 7,000 sparkling crystals'.

Tuinwijk Zwartberg - Tuinwijk Zwartberg

Zwartberg City Garden

The garden city – often referred to as a ‘cité’ - built in Zwartberg was a copy of the garden suburb in Seraing [Province of Liège]. The plan consisted of a circular ‘square’ - Place Cockerill - with a statue of industrialist John Cockerill. This was the Cité-Noord (North) where the mine’s executives had their houses. There was a clear hierarchy between the Cité-Noord and the Cité-Zuid (South), which consisted of small workers’ houses. They all had a garden, of course, because garden suburbs had to earn their name! The two cités were separated by a railway line.

Casino Modern - Casino Modern Waterschei

Casino Modern

Don’t be mistaken, Casino Modern has nothing in common with Casino Royale. You will not find any roulette or poker tables here. The ‘casinos’ built by the mine managers served as community buildings and meeting houses of the mining region. Casino Modern is nowadays a theatre with boxes and a foyer and a workshop for visual artists (FLACC). The building also features a café and an exhibition space.

Heilig-Hartkerk - 1

Sacred Heart Church (Heilig Hartkerk)

Sacred Heart Church was built on the initiative of industrialist and art collector Baron Evence Coppée between 1921 and 1925 and consecrated in 1925. Architect Blomme borrowed elements from different styles for the brick church. The church tower has a distinctive pear-shaped spire. The church furnishings combine eighteenth and nineteenth-century elements. The doorway is framed by a double round arch which is very much in keeping with the houses in the mining city’s garden suburb. The stained glass representing the life of Christ and the martyrdom of St Barbara is also noteworthy. See if you can find this patron saint of the mineworkers. She keeps an eye on Ghent artist Raf Mailleux’s mine workers’ sculpture from a niche in the façade.

Het vroegere hospital ('t kliniekske) - 1

The former Hospital

Het Kliniekske was originally a boarding house. In 1922 the directors of the mine turned it into a hospital known as Sint-Elisabethkliniek, where injured miners could count on fast and reliable treatment. In 1970 the local authorities purchased the building from NV Cockerill. Today Het Kliniekske is a vibrant community centre where socio-cultural organizations rent an office and/or a club room. So if you would like to join a wine guild, a Turkish association or some other club, you have some twenty to choose from!

Tevhid Moskee - Tevhid Moskee

Tevhid Moskee

In 1964 the Turkish miners came together on the Paul Lambert Avenue in a wooden building. Now here is a nice building with minaret. This is a tower from which the imam calls the faithful to prayer. At the back of the mosque you see a bulge. This is the niche where the imam stands for leading the prayers. This nis is facing towards the East, in the direction of Mecca.

Directeurswoning - Directeurswoning

Directeurswoning

Struinnatuurgebied Maesbempder Greend - Mazenhoven - Rivierpark Maasvallei

Struinnatuurgebied Maesbempder Greend - Mazenhoven

A ' Browse '-space without trails. You will find gravel urination, an age of arm Maas and small herds of cattle Galloway and Konikspaarden. You will encounter a wide variety of colorful herbs and alluvial against forests

The Celtic Art Gallery VZW - Folkfestival Ham

The Celtic Art Gallery VZW

Museum De Kolonie - Pijlpunten van jagers-verzamelaars op het einde van de laatste ijstijd.

Museum De Kolonie

Tuinwijk Waterschei - Tuinwijk

Tuinwijk Waterschei

When you walk through Waterschei garden city, you will discover just how much of a cultural melting pot Genk truly is. Go for a stroll through the middle class suburbs in the mine cities and discover in the main shopping streets a huge variety of shops, restaurants and clubs from the different nationalities that have coloured Waterschei garden city over the years.

Politie- en Motormuseum - Politie- en motormuseum

Politie- en Motormuseum

In the museum you will find a collection of over 40 year-old police and gendarme uniforms and everything associated with them. You will also find old motorbikes here. There is no lack of legendary Belgian brands such as Gillet, FN and Sarolea. But rare makes such as a French Terrot and a Hungarian Danuvia are also proudly on display. Most of them date from the first half of the previous century.

Naturally there is a lot more to discover in Pierre Thijs's museum. If you would like to arrange a visit, this is always possible on request.

Gidstocht 'Tournée cité' (te voet) - tournee cité

Gidstocht 'Tournée cité' (te voet)

Did you know that the mine provided houses for its employees? Labourers, clerks and engineers could live in on-site residences. Each type of home was built in a typical style. Schools, shops, sports pitches, boarding houses, a cultural centre, a hospital and a church were built to fulfil the miners' needs.

A whole neighbourhood was quickly formed around the mining seat. It was called the mining estate or garden district. You can round out the walk with a visit to the mosque or the mine cathedral.

When: Every day
Duration: 2 hours/ 3 hours. Wheelchair accessible.

TIP!
A map of the mining estate is available for individual ramblers.

Reservations: Tourism Beringen: 011 42 15 52 or toerisme@beringen.be

Het Greven en het waterproductiecentrum in Eisden - Waterproductiecentrum

Het Greven en het waterproductiecentrum in Eisden

Guided walk through the nature reserve het Gan and a visit to the water production centre branch of the Water group. Accompanied by a guide, specially trained for this area, visits the walkers the sunken village, caused by the mine subsidence. My prolapse everywhere for in my area, but E-Village is the only location in the county where the impact of the mine subsidence are clearly visible. After a trip through the canopies of the trees, one sinks off in nature reserve het Gan where there by the mine subsidence different water sources have come to the surface. The Water group processes this spring water from a drinkable product. The process of source to drinking water is visited in the buildings of the Water group.

Steenmannetjes - Steenmannetjes

Little stone men

On the path to the right of Thor Central, 12 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!

Cultuurwandelingen in het RivierPark Maasvallei - Cultuurwandeling in Aldeneik

Cultuurwandelingen in het RivierPark Maasvallei

Tuinwijk Winterslag - tuinwijk winterslag

Winterslag garden city

Inspired by the garden cities he had seen in England, in 1911 at the request of mining pioneer baron Evence Coppée II, the Brussels architect Adrien Blomme designed a ‘total concept’ for Winterslag that combined city and country. The design for Winterslag garden suburb, a first for Belgium, was structured around major elements like the railway station, church and mine. The planting of parks and gardens and tree-lined avenues was also integral to the plan.
The C-mine discovery map outlines a 4-kilometre walk through this charming green residential area in the vicinity of the colliery.
Priced at €1, the discovery map is available from the C-mine Visitor Centre during opening hours.

Een wandeling door het Genk van de twintigste eeuw. - Monument ter ere van de gesneuvelde Russische krijgsgevangenen op het kerkhof van Genk.

A walk through Genk in the twentieth century.

Genk changed in the twentieth century from a quiet rural commune into one of the most important industrial poles in Flandres. Neel Doff, a writer was an important witness of the beginning of this evolution. We talk about Russian prisoners and English pilotes. How did people live in the fifties in a garden suburb. And how did the car industry shape the city in the sixties.

Toegangspoort Connecterra - Maasmechelen - Lange Terill

Toegangspoort Connecterra - Maasmechelen

Pit, een pittig project, voor groot en klein - 1

Pit, een pittig project, voor groot en klein

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Information regarding the Coronavirus

Dear visitor

In line with the national measures in Belgium regarding the Corona virus, the following measures are in force:

Holiday homes, hotels, B&Bs, camping grounds and other accommodations remain open. You’re still able to enjoy the landscapes of Limburg during a relaxing walk or a bicycle tour.
Holiday resorts, restaurants, bars, museums, cultural centers and public buildings are unfortunately closed.

See you in Limburg!

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