BELGIUM – Thurnhout (En)

Turnhout in the Flemish province of Antwerp, boasts its 14th-century beguinage, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the even older Turnhout Castle, known locally as the Castle of the Dukes of Brabant.

Where to stay

We stayed in a parking lot with 6 spaces for motorhomes 10 minutes from the centre (51.312948, 4.946423 lat, long). The parking lot has no services but is free. We arrived before 10 am and there was only one free spot we occupied, the other motorhomes seemed to have been parked there for a long time, so there was no space for those arriving. It is very close to the centre and shops, etc. I advise arriving early because there are only one or two spots as the rest are parked there and do not move, although the rules say you can only stay for 48 hours.

What to see

We walked to the centre and the first thing you come across is the Grote Markt, which is the main square of the city, where in the centre is the church of St. Peter, which we were able to see inside, where it is worth highlighting the baroque style altar from the 18th century and the pulpit of the central nave, from 1862. Also worth seeing are the various epitaphs and funerary plaques from the 17th to the 20th centuries and the striking organ in the western gallery, built in Ghent in 1662.

The square also houses the town hall and the local history museum, housed in a magnificent 16th-century house, the second oldest bourgeois residence in the city and, in ancient times, a guest house for illustrious visitors.

We continue walking until we reach the Castle of the Dukes of Brabant, which dates back to the 13th century as a hunting lodge. The castle’s current Renaissance appearance dates back to the 16th century when Maria of Austria converted it into a luxury residence. The castle fell into ruin in the 20th century but was rescued from demolition and became a World Heritage Site in 1936. The Turnhout law courts are now located inside.

We continue through the city until we reach the Heilig-Hartkerk, a neo-Gothic church completed in 1907 with the highest tower in Turnhout. This tower is 92 metres high and is visible from any entrance to the city.

The next day we went to Kortrijk a town with a vibrant mix of ancient heritage, modern architecture and boundless creativity which stands out for the Broel Towers and which you can see in the next post!