Rembert Dodoens walk

Rembert Dodoens, the world-famous botanist from the 16th century (1517-1585), was born in Mechelen. He studied at the "Grootschole", a chapter school in the Schoolstraat. At the age of 13 he went to the University of Leuven. He studied Greek and Latin literature at the Collegium Trilingue and further cosmography, mathematics, astronomy, geography, botany and purely medical subjects. He graduated in 1535. Dodoens was a diligent man. He became city physician of Mechelen, imperial personal physician at the Viennese court, teacher of medicine in Leiden. In 1554 his 'Cruydeboeck' appeared in which he divided the medicinal plants into 6 groups. It became his most translated work. He tested his knowledge of botany against nature in the vicinity of Mechelen. In Zemst-Laar he owned the Pruweelbos where he regularly took walks from the Lange Schipstraat (Mechelen). Slow roads Zemst-Laar mapped out a walk that follows the route that Dodoens must have often traveled: from Mechelen, over the Senne on the Waterke in Zemst, via the Dasmusweg, past the hof van Loxem, the Pruweelbos in Laar, the Hultendries and Hombeek back to Mechelen.

Departure and end: parking Eglegemvijver, Eglegemweg (Hombeek)

Public transport: Mechelen SNCB - station: platform 14, lines 288 (Mechelen-Londerzeel) and 289 (Mechelen-Breendonk) get off HOMBEEK DORP.

A guided walk is possible.
Contact and info: [email protected]

Interesting website: contains a lot of information regarding the current application of plants. The creators of this website have also fully scanned Dodoens' Cruydt-Boeck from 1554 and that from 1644: http://plantaardigheden.nl/