Geraardsbergen forests, the Wall and the Gavers

Walk along junctions through Geraardsbergen. Start at the Poelaertplas heading towards the abbey and the Oudenbreg (the Wall), then descend to the center and continue to the Arduinbos via the Buizemonten. Then head towards Moerbeke and Sint-Paulus to the Klysbos and Rapaillebos to then continue the path to the Gavers and return around the pond to the starting point.

Junctions: 2-44-49-50-51-52-54-98-55-99-17-16-15-28-26-24-67-68-617-618-30-27-11-4-1-3-93

Geraardsbergen

Geraardsbergen is a city in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The city is located in the Dender region, along the Dender river and against the Oudenberg. The city has over 33,000 inhabitants (2016), who are referred to as Geraardsbergenaars. In the cycling world, the city is notorious for the steep and bumpy slope of the Wall of Geraardsbergen. The city is also known for its mat cake. The annual festival of Krakelingen and Tonnekensbrand is recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Saint Bartholomew and Adrian are its patron saints. The local name for Geraardsbergen is Giesbaargen.

Oudenberg and the Wall of Geraardsbergen

The path of The Wall is filled with history. Long before the first cyclists tried their luck, people had already been going to the 110-meter high peak to pray in the Oudenberg chapel. You will learn that and much more during a historical tour on The Wall. At the top, a spectacular panoramic view of the region awaits you!

There are three "Walls" in the world that are renowned: the Berlin Wall, the Great Wall of China, and that of Geraardsbergen. Rightly so, as all three have shaped history. With its length of 1075m, its steep slope, and its horizontal cobblestones, the Wall is a true classic in Flemish cycling history! The cobbled road is especially known because of the Tour of Flanders: for years, the Wall was the penultimate and often the decisive climb in that cycling race. With its highest gradient of 20%, the Wall is a true monument. Those who climb the wall are also rewarded: it leads to the 110-meter high peak of the Oudenberg, where you have a spectacular panoramic view of the region.

Oudenberg Chapel

Rest and relaxation can be found in the shade of the neobaroque Chapel of Our Lady (1905-1906), a free copy of the chapel from 1640. Every hour, the sounds of the carillon chimes drift to you from the chapel. Believers have come here since the Middle Ages for the healing power of the miraculous image of Our Lady. At the orientation table (1928), you can enjoy a breathtaking view over the entire Dender valley. On clear days, you can even see Ninove, a small town about 14 kilometers from here. The bluestone column nearby is the only remnant of the Lessense Gate, a city gate that was demolished in 1862. A little lower lies a small castle that modestly began in the late 18th century as a summer residence of the affluent Spitaels family, who would become the owners of almost the entire Oudenberg in the 19th century. Its current appearance, then called Château de la Montagne, comes after a major renovation in 1889-1890. On the other side, you will notice a staircase with 33 steps, built for the visit of Willem I, King of the Netherlands, in 1829. At least, that is what is told. According to misty legends, druids would have made solar offerings at this peak of the region. The Tonnekensbrand of medieval origin replaced this pagan ritual. Together with the krakelingen throwing, it forms a grand folk festival for young and old. On the last Sunday of February, the end of the harsh winter and the beginning of early spring is celebrated. A small barrel filled with tar and wrapped in straw is set on fire. The fire is visible for miles. The surrounding municipalities respond to the roaring flames with their own bonfires. This celebration is aptly named Walmke Brand. Thus, the numerous licking flames chase away the dark winter. In 2010, UNESCO recognized this wonderful festival as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It is whispered that the Oudenberg may be a burial mound. What is certain is that the Oudenberg is a peak on the elongated ridge of the Buizemont hill over which the ancient, possibly Celtic, Sheep path ran.

Manneken Pis

Every day, about a hundred tourists descend on Brussels to see and photograph the famous Manneken Pis. Yet, they stand in the wrong place, as the Manneken Pis of Geraardsbergen is the oldest! Both Brussels and Geraardsbergen have a Manneken Pis, but that of Geraardsbergen is the oldest. By far: it is 160 years older than that of Brussels. In other words, when the Manneken of Brussels hesitantly began to urinate, ours had already soaked a whole Dender river. Fiction? No, the truth. Historically proven based on city accounts. The story of Manneken Pis begins in 1452. Incidentally, not such a pretty start for Geraardsbergen, as that year hordes of fierce people from Ghent devastated the city. The fountains in the Market were also destroyed. The Ghent barbarians even stole an elegantly sculpted lion's head that served as a fountain spout. The people of Geraardsbergen were outraged and furious. Yet they remained civilized: they immediately sent Hendrik Joos to Ghent to politely ask for their lion's head back. Hendrik was unsuccessful. Three years later, in 1455, the city magistrate of Geraardsbergen had the brilliant idea to order a "copper mannequin" from the Brussels fountain master Jan Van Der Schelden. The people of Geraardsbergen had regained their will to live and wanted to renew their city after the devastation of 1452. The first Manneken Pis that was delivered turned out to be a couple of sizes too big for the pedestal. No problem: a smaller one was commissioned. After a pregnancy full of hurdles, that little statue finally saw the light of day in the spring of 1459: the Manneken Pis of Geraardsbergen is born! The Geraardsbergen Manneken Pis has, as of 2017, a total of 307 costumes collected. Since 2016, the costumes can be admired in the Manneken Pis Museum (Information Office Visit Geraardsbergen, Markt z/n). A brotherhood was established around the Geraardsbergen Manneken Pis. The chapter day of the Brotherhood of Manneken Pis takes place annually on the first Sunday of June, followed by the golden Manneken-Pis throw.

Saint Bartholomew's Church

The origins of the church lie in the 12th-century 'Chapel of Our Lady of the Market'. In 1515, the relic of Saint Bartholomew was solemnly processed from the nearby village of Sint-Martens-Lierde to Geraardsbergen. From then on, the late Gothic parish church bore the name of this apostle-martyr. Bartholomew is invoked against nerve and skin diseases, and is also the patron saint of tanners. The relic of the saint is kept in a magnificent silver shrine (1719). In the mid-18th century, the time was ripe for an adaptation to the French rococo style, just like the town hall. The Geraardsbergen joiner-sculptor Gilles de Ville and several colleagues created various ornate furniture, including the naturalistic pulpit. At the end of the 19th century, Gent architect August Van Assche drastically turned back the clock to the Middle Ages. The church regained its Gothic exterior. Inside, a beautiful neo-Gothic interior now shines, enlivened by Louis Bert de l’Arbre, with the choir as its focal point. The godfather of neo-Gothic in Geraardsbergen is so pleased with the prestigious commission that he paints the choir and transept entirely for free. Unique is that the interior has been particularly well-preserved, from the stained glass windows and altarpieces to the shining lights at the choir benches. Almost unseen in Flanders.

City Hall

The city hall of Geraardsbergen has a very old history. The medieval court building had a castle-like appearance with four corner towers that reached down to the ground. Sieges and fires caused great damage, after which a thorough restoration took place in 1598-99. During this, three of the four corner towers were significantly shortened, and a clock tower also appeared in the middle of the roof. An image from this period was captured in a 1641 engraving in the Flandria Illustrata by Sanderus. In 1752-53, the city hall was renovated in Louis XV style with a plastered facade, but after this short interlude, it underwent a neo-Gothic renovation in 1891. Architect Pieter Langerock based his work on the image of Sanderus from 1641. Civil wedding ceremonies are held in the old council chamber on the first floor. Here hangs an old justice scene from 1525 depicting the Last Judgment with the seven deadly sins. This serves as a reminder of the time when the court building was still a courthouse. City council meetings take place in the Council Chamber on the second floor. The former cloth hall on the ground floor is covered with Gothic ribbed vaults and forms part of the tourist information office.

The Gavers

The Gavers is a recreational domain in the Belgian city of Geraardsbergen. It is a provincial domain in the province of East Flanders. The domain is located to the northeast of the city center, along the Dender river in the district of Onkerzele. The domain surrounds a 20 ha large water body. It provides space for walking or cycling, and it has a beach, a sports and recreation complex, and several terraces and cafeterias. Additionally, there are camping facilities, trekkers' cabins, bungalows, and a youth hostel.

Raspaillebos

On the slopes of the Bosberg, squeezed between the valleys of the Dender and the Mark, lies the Raspaillebos. The landscape combines the steep features of the Flemish Ardennes with the gentle undulations of the Pajottenland.

The Raspaillebos is a nature reserve in the Flemish Ardennes in the south of East Flanders. The forest is located in the municipality of Geraardsbergen, close to the provincial border with Galmaarden. You can walk here to your heart's content. As a remnant of the great Coal Forest, the Raspaillebos forms a whole with the Moerbekebos, Karkoolbos, and Kluisbos. During World War II, the area was almost completely deforested. However, it was never agricultural land, allowing it to maintain its wealth of flora. Walking in the Raspaillebos offers something for everyone. The southern edge of the Raspaillebos is one big spring amphitheater. Everywhere in the slope, calcareous water seeps from the ground, giving rise to streams. Here, rich flora has developed, creating a patchwork of blue, white, and yellow in spring. At the top of the Bosberg, you have a splendid view over the Dender and Mark valleys. A vast panorama with dozens of church towers stretches towards the Brussels horizon.

From early spring to late spring, the forest turns yellow, white, and purple with wild daffodils, wood anemones, periwinkle, bluebells, and wild garlic. The fragile spring green of the beech changes to deep green in summer and turns a yellow-brown in autumn. Especially along the forest paths, the management of coppice creates an ideal environment for rare woodland butterflies, such as the elm butterfly, oak butterfly, and small tortoiseshell butterfly. The emperors mantle, large marsh fritillary, and common white also perform joyous summer dances here. Through small interventions along the spring streams, the fire salamander also gets new opportunities. During the day, the salamander hides under stones, tree trunks, or in old mouse burrows. It hunts at night. You can only spot it during the day when it rains.

Arduinbos

The Arduinbos is a nature reserve on the edge of the Flemish Ardennes in South-East Flanders. The nature reserve is located in the city of Geraardsbergen in the district of Overboelare. The nature reserve is close to the Boelarebos, the Hoge Buizemont, and the nature reserve Rietbeemd on the border with the province of Hainaut (Twee-Akren). The forest is protected as part of the European Natura 2000 habitat directive area 'Forests of the Flemish Ardennes and other southern Flemish forests'. The Arduinbos is a deciduous forest primarily composed of beech.

Kluysbos

The Kluysbos is a nature reserve in Flemish Brabant in Galmaarden. The 15-hectare forest is located in the valley of the Mark in the Pajottenland, near the Bosberg on the border with the East Flemish Flemish Ardennes. The forest area also connects with the Raspaillebos, Moerbekebos, and Karkoolbos. The hilly spring deciduous forest is managed by 'vzw De Mark' (Natuurpunt Markvallei branch) and primarily consists of oak, beech, chestnut, and alder. The Kluysbos is characterized by spring flowers such as wood anemone, wild hyacinth, wild garlic, and buttercup. Among other species, Brandt's bat, common pipistrelle, late-flying bat, buzzard, sparrowhawk, cuckoo, middle spotted woodpecker, blackberry lark, gray flycatcher, nuthatch, crested tit, marsh fritillary, and orange tip butterfly inhabit the Kluysbos. The Kluysbos is recognized as a European Natura 2000 area (Forests of the Flemish Ardennes and other southern Flemish forests) and is part of the Flemish Ecological Network.