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Poelberg (Tielt)

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The Poelberg is a 45 meter high hill, a street, and a community center located almost at the same place in the Belgian city of Tielt.

At the top, there is a former monastery of the Sisters of 't Geloof connected with a small school and a Lourdes cave with a procession from 1938. The Poelberg also houses the Poelberg mill from 1726, which is a protected monument, and the surrounding area is a protected landscape.[1]

Until the mid-14th century, there was hardly any habitation on the Poelberg. It was primarily a hunting ground for the noble lords. Furthermore, the explanation for the limited construction is found in the dense oak forest that existed there at that time.

The local primary school closed its doors in 1985. The municipality of Tielt purchased the former monastery complex, school building, and orchard in 2004, the oldest part of which dates back to 1884[2]. After restoration, it was reopened in 2011 as a visitor center, cafeteria, and tourist information point.[3]

Despite its modest height, the Poelberg has surprised many Sunday cyclists, as the merely 300-meter climb has a surprisingly steep average gradient of 7.3%, with the steepest section exceeding 10%. In total, 22 height meters are overcome.[4]

At the foot of the Poelberg lies the Meikens forests, a forest and nature area of the Agency for Nature and Forest.[5] The walking network Poelberg-Meikens forests connects the area.

After being missing for three months, the body of the assaulted and murdered 13-year-old schoolgirl Lieve Desmet from Dentergem was discovered in 1984. She had been abducted on the slopes of the Poelberg.

SOURCE: Poelberg (Tielt) - Wikipedia

Joris Broché