Diest, between the plague and the cholera

Covid has forced us to face the facts. We are still a vulnerable and without the development of flu vaccines in recent decades, the suffering would have been incalculable. But what was that like before? With the regularity of the clock, plague, dysentery, smallpox, ... our society. Where did these diseases come from? How did they fight these epidemics? During this walk in Diest we cross the city and reflect on places with a story about pestilence and health care: quarantine in the beguinage, grey sisters such as Florence Nightingale, Saint Roch and the plague, the smallpox scandal in the 19th century, soldiers and Venus ...

The route runs along well-known historic buildings and places, but our description mainly focuses on epidemics and health care. Nothing prevents you from adding an extra layer to your visit. That is why we have also tried to recover as many qualitative POIs as possible for extra information.

About the trail
The story trail runs right through the city, from the beguinage to the citadel or vice versa. Each story is almost self-contained so that you can make the walk in both directions. There is plenty of free parking at the start and end point.

Food and drink
In Diest there is a lot of good and diverse catering. Of course, most businesses are concentrated near the various squares and main streets. A nice place is certainly the brasserie in the beguinage.

Park
Although the city is not really car-free, there are a lot of parking spaces and parking does not have to be a problem. There are several free car parks nearby or just a few minutes' walk from the centre: De Citadel (Leuvensestraat/Citadel), Kluisberg (Boudewijnvest), Den Amer (Nijverheidslaan), Halve Maan (Omer Vanaudenhovelaan). The Citadel and Halve Maan car parks are located at the start and end point of the hiking trail.

Public transport
Diest is easy to reach by public transport. If you come by train, we advise you to go along the green city vests to the beguinage. It is a fifteen minute walk, but it gives you a nice picture of the former reinforcements.