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Toegangspoort Station As

Adventure and nature
As colliery
Culture and heritage

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Target price (adult) € 0,-

Contact information

+32 89 39 10 86 toerisme@as.be www.as.be

Location

Stationsstraat 124, 3665 AS

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You don’t need to be a water rat to enjoy yourself at this special water paradise. There’s so much to do you won’t know where to start jumping in and swimming. For the very smallest members of your family, there’s a lovely water playground. The outdoor baths are open from 1st July to 31st August. Then there’s also the wave pool, water playground, waterslide, fast-flowing river, water cannon and fountains.

When the weather is less fine, the indoor pool with its hot whirlpool is a great way to relax. And you can also get away from all that swimming and larking about and relax on the expansive sun lawn. The large terraces with catering facilities have great views out over the swimming paradise.

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When it rains, you'll receive a rainsuit, it often get's even more fun then!

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EnergyVille

EnergyVille unites several research institutions for sustainable energy and intelligent energy systems. EnergyVille strives to rank among the top five in Europe in the field of innovative energy research. It concerns a major redesignation of the former Waterschei mining site.

Terril en picknickplaats Thor Park - Picknickplaats Thor Park
Copyright Kris Van de Sande

Slag heap and picknick spot Thor park Waterschei

The spoil tips in Genk are real beacons in the landscape. Do you know how they came about? These ‘mountains’ consist entirely of piles of waste rock removed from the different layers of the coal veins. If you see a spoil tip, there used to be a mine in the vicinity! These ‘waste mountains’ unexpectedly created their own microclimate, enabling you to discover a wide range of unique plants and animals over there today. The spoil tip was declared a protected landscape in 1999. You can climb to the very top. Don’t forget to wear sturdy shoes.

Thor is a very special urban park, noted for (among other things) its various cycle trails, footpaths and picnic spots. It’s a relaxing environment for employees on the site, but also for those living round about and for visitors who want to experience the area’s natural beauty.

Thor Central - Thor Central

Thor Central

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.

Thor Park Waterschei - thor 1

Thor Park Waterschei

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.

The Arch - The Arch

The Arch

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’.

Mijndepot Waterschei - Mijndepot bezoek

Mijndepot Waterschei

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.

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!

Christus Koningkerk - Chirstus Koningkerk

Church of Christ the King

The Church of Christ the King, a so-called ‘mine cathedral’, is located in the garden suburb of Waterschei, near Waterschei coal mine. The colliers would come here to pray for their safe return and to seek comfort when a fellow miner failed to do so. The church was designed by Gaston Voutquenne and built between 1935 and 1936. It is a yellow brick cruciform church with a distinctive tall, slender tower crowned with a dome. The concrete skeleton has anchored the church, like the headframes, in the landscape for many years.

Panoramapunt Mechelse Heide - Mechelse Heide

Panoramapunt Mechelse Heide

This is the highest point of the National Park. It is 104 metres above sea level. You see here huge vergezichtegen to in Netherlands and Germany and on a clear day, even down to the high FENS

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.

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.

Stalenstraat - Stalenstraat

Stalenstraat

Stalenstraat was constructed to connect the mine with the garden suburb in the heyday of black gold. As such the street attracted a great deal of pedestrian traffic and became a flourishing commercial and entertainment centre. You’ll still find small shops of every description, including ethnic fruit and vegetable shops selling Greek and Turkish specialities. A feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds! The many cultural clubs of various nationalities add a further touch of colour to this convivial working-class street.

Ruiternetwerk Duinengordel - Paardrijden Duinengordel

Ruiternetwerk Duinengordel

Toegangspoort Mechelse Heide – Maasmechelen - Mechelse Heide

Toegangspoort Mechelse Heide – Maasmechelen

The hiking-port par excellence. Numerous hiking trails lead hikers through the vast moors of National Park Hoge Kempen. From mid-August to mid-September the Heath is full in bloom. Some of us have your rock climbing routes. The reward? Views on a clear day in the Netherlands and Germany and even in the Hautes Fagnes. Use the map to combine easy routes or pieces of hikes. New: the Zandloperpad is a 1.5 km long, paved path that will introduce you with the typical landscape of the Hoge Kempen Heath and sand dunes. On the way the characteristic habitats of this landscape passed. The path is paved, so that can enjoy wheelchair users and young families with prams the beautiful landscape.

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Ukrainian Catholic Church

The Ukrainian Catholic community purchased an empty lodge called ‘Terminus’ belonging to Waterschei coalmine and turned it into the Josyf Slipyj centre to a design by E. Lambrechts. The space for the congregation and the altar space are separated by an iconostasis painted by Sister Elisabeth of the ‘Vita et Pax’ priory in Schoten in 1960. The Byzantine-style stained-glass windows were made by Armand van Rompaey between 1990 and 1992.

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'.

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.

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Geocaching expedition

Armed with a GPS and with the help of a guide, go on a treasure hunt and, who knows, you may very well find hidden treasure!

Ontdekkingsexpeditie - Ontdekkingsexpeditie

Expedition of discovery

Join a guide on an adventurous expedition of discovery packed with action and interesting nature facts.

Museum van de Mijnwerkerswoning - museum van de mijnwerkerswoning

Museum van de Mijnwerkerswoning

The Museum of the miner's House is in the heart of the old garden district around the former pit Limburg Maas. The double House was built in 1925 and is a fine example of the English ' garden city-architecture '.

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.

Hoevenzavellaan - Hevezavellaan Zwartberg

Hoevenzavellaan

Under the influence of the mines Hoevenzavellaan became an important commercial street in Genk and a multiculinary working-class street in Zwartberg. Thanks to its tapestry of diverse cultures, it boasts a wealth of multicultural food shops selling herbs and spices, tapas, fresh pasta and heavenly wines... They include a large number of Greek outlets, so if you come shopping in Hoevenzavellaan you are guaranteed a taste of the sun on your plate! Anyone for a souvlaki?

Terhills Cablepark - Beachbar & strand

Terhills Cablepark

Terhills Cablepark is known for its great atmosphere. Experienced trainers teach you how to wakeboard in a fun and safe environment. We also have a big aquapark with obstacles varying in size and difficulty level. It's the perfect activity for groups of friends, bachelor parties or companies.

We have a miniramp, trampoline, the most beautiful sunsets in Limburg and a wide variety of drinks at our beachbar if you prefer to chill. The opening hours can be found on our website

At Terhills Cablepark we also have a great restaurant that serves delicious food.

Je ticket voor een ruimtereis - 360° shows in Kattevennen

Je ticket voor een ruimtereis

Bospark Cultureel centrum met de directeurswoning - bospark

Bospark Cultureel centrum met de directeurswoning

The House was built in 1912 for the mine Director; They got the classic place, opposite the main entrance of the mine. When the demise of the mining shafts, turned out to be unsuitable for the place remained for the directors House preserved. the first Director-Manager that this property involved was the Walloon mining engineer Adolphe Demeure. Now this building is located in Restaurant de Mangerie and business House. Behind the former Director's home is the forest park, an area of five hectares consisting of trees and flowers.

Koninginnepark met standbeeld Koningin Elisabeth en kiosk - standbeeld Sint Elisabeth in het park

Koninginnepark met standbeeld Koningin Elisabeth en kiosk

On 16 October 1922 brought her Majesty Queen Elisabeth Eisdense a visit to the Garden District. The descent of the Queen in the mine at the time made such an impression on the people that built a park with the statue of the Queen. The image is of white Carrara marble, In the Queen's park is also a kiosk where numerous events take place

Passantenhaven Eisden - passantenhaven

Passantenhaven Eisden

A marina with related facilities. The key for the current cabinets are available at tourism Maasmechelen.

Schachtbok - Schachtbok Eisden

Schachtbok

Wandelgebied Connecterra - Connectera

Wandelgebied Connecterra

Terril - 1

Terril

Toegangspoort Connecterra - Maasmechelen - Lange Terill

Toegangspoort Connecterra - Maasmechelen

Mijnmonument in Zwartberg - Mijnmonument Zwartberg

Mine monument

Did you know that on October 1st 1966 Zwartberg was the first of the seven Limburg mines to be closed? Industrial heritage was not a hot topic at the time so the whole plant was mercilessly razed to the ground. However, to commemorate it a mine monument was placed on the concrete slab which covers Shaft II. It features five mineworkers standing on and around the symbolic headframes. They embody the men who came to work in the mine from every corner of Belgium and Europe. Their descendants made the Zwartberg district their home and still live there today.

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