The best city hikes and walks in Lippelobos En Kasteeldomein Hof Te Melis Met Omgeving

🚢 The museum is working on the reconstruction of a historic botter - a traditional Dutch fishing vessel - called Rosalie, a project that is reviving traditional shipbuilding.

The museum keeps alive the memory of the times when Baasrode was important for shipbuilding, river fishing, trade and transport of goods. Source Wikipedia

As early as the 16th century, a chapel dedicated to Our Lady was said to have stood on this site. In the current chapel, in addition to a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes (right), there is also a statue of Saint Theresa (left), both on a wooden pedestal. In between, there is a second statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, adored by Bernadette Soubiro (see statue on the left). Angel statues, a statue of the Holy Family, of Saint Theresa, Saint Anthony and Saint Rita complete the whole, which is flanked on the left and right by wooden pastoral nosters, hung on the side walls. Source: Inventory of Immovable Heritage

The district around this square was created on the initiative and with capital from Théodoor Vermylen, owner of an industrial empire that was the largest employer in Baasrode around 1900. Usines Vermylen started in the 1880s and quickly evolved into an impressive industrial complex. The company produced starch, dyes and starch. Later, the Vermylen family also started Colonia, a company that made metal boxes/tins for the food industry (biscuit boxes) and advertising panels. As the company grew, the lack of new workers' houses became increasingly urgent. That is why Vermylen built this district himself. In 1906, a row of 7 middle-class houses for employees was started, in 1908-1909, 17 workers' houses were built and in 1911, an ensemble of 8 middle-class houses was built, adjacent to the Ateliers de Construction. Each house has a facade stone with the house name, derived from the daughters of paterfamilias Petrus Vermylen. After this, Théodoor Vermylen had his own villa built, which was accompanied by the construction of a public square with a kiosk and another 6 houses. He lived in the middle of his employees. Around the beginning of 1911, no fewer than 50 'beautiful and healthy homes' had been built, which were made available free of charge to the working population. The name of the NV that managed the housing project: 'Schoone woonst baart geluk', speaks volumes. Various functions such as living, working and recreation were combined. Among other things, a small park, kiosk, school (1910) and theatre with a shop were opened under the name Concordia (1911). A singing and theatre association (1908) was founded for leisure activities, as well as a brass band (1911). There is currently no kiosk on the square. According to oral tradition, it was sold to the municipality of Moerzeke between the two World Wars. After dismantling, the pieces were taken to the other bank of the Scheldt by ferry and rebuilt on the village square directly opposite the entrance to the church. Sources: Information board on site and also: https://cagnet.be/item/B00014522 https://www.colonia-baasrode.be/index.php/geschiedenis https://inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be/themas/17014

The shed is the oldest element on the museum site. This was the location of a shipyard of De Landtsheer, later Van Damme, since the 17th century. It initially consisted of an open workshop and was closed off with a wooden wall at the beginning of the 20th century. The building was completely restored with European subsidies. In the building we also find our oldest machines: a shear and a boxer from 1852. These were used to bend and fit the frames for the ‘composite’ ships such as the 19th century sailing ships were built. The parts for the botter under construction are also prepared here. The wooden shed is not only a workshop but also contains many special artefacts: the large ship’s engine from the Rhine motor ship Blauwvoet; the Hamse jol; the ‘boomwagen’ or hors for transporting trees and beams; a number of side boats such as the Brabantse boat of the barge ALYV, the schipper jol, the loodsvlet; A narrow-gauge track runs through the workshop on which carts were driven to move the various components. Source: https://scheepvaartmuseumbaasrode.be/loods

The museum is located in the master home of the former shipyard owner Van Damme. The listed building from 1830 contains valuable wall frescoes. The collection of the Scheepvaert Museum gives a global picture of shipbuilding in Flanders during the last two centuries. There is a permanent exhibition of ship models, plans and tools used in the construction of wooden and iron ships. (Fascinating Belgium)

Along this cycle path are all kinds of old locomotives, train wagons and other railway equipment from the non-profit organization Stoomtrein Dendermonde-Puurs on the grounds of the former Baasrode Noord station. The steam train runs every Sunday from July to September through the Scheldt country according to the timetable stated in the calendar. For more information, visit https://www.stoomtrein.be

You can take a break here