Nieuwkerk

This maligned saint has been guarding the crossroads at the Dutch-Belgian border near Nieuwkerk for many years.
The name Nieuwkerk comes from "de nyeuwe kerck van dije van Tilborch" or the border church of the Tilburgers. After the Reformation, the people of Tilburg went to church here - just across the border - because the Staatsen had handed over the church of Tilburg to the Reformed Church and prohibited the public practice of Roman Catholic worship.
The buildings then expanded with, among other things, a house annex inn to "gerieff ende gebruijck van de heer pastoirs ende capellaenen van Tilborch". This was the White House.
Since the 13th century, the land ownership was in the hands of the Abbey of Tongerlo, but that changed in 1796, when the abbey was dissolved. In 1804 the abbey's property was confiscated. In 1809 they became imperial domain and in 1814 Reichsdomein, after which it came back into private hands. At the beginning of the 20th century, a monastery was built near the crossroads and the Hotel "De Golf", a maze and playground. The hotel was destroyed in October 1944, when Goirle was liberated. The monastery is now a hotel and conference centre.

Historische Routes