Begijnhof Hoogstraten

At the foot of the 105-meter-high church tower of Hoogstraten, nestled in the valley of the river Mark, lies your starting point. This eye-catcher indicates where the most important strawberry center of Belgium is located. It belongs to the impressive Gothic church of Saint Catherine, built in 1525. The church and the adjacent town hall from 1530 are both works by Rombout Keldermans, indeed the same architectural style and builder as the Town Hall of Middelburg. The interior of the Saint Catherine's Church contains a number of valuable art objects including stained glass windows, tombs, tapestries, and choir stalls. Above the altar, you will see a series of striking stained glass windows from the 16th century, depicting the seven sacraments. Two days a year, the first and second Sunday after Pentecost, Hoogstraten is dedicated to the "Holy Blood Procession". On these two days, many pilgrims gather at the Cathedral of the Holy Blood, where they can attend the high mass at 10:00 AM. Then, a procession moves through the streets of the Kempen city.

Tsjoen