The best city hikes and walks around Grote Geule

The City Hall on the Grote Markt was built in the period 1528-1534 from the foundations of the Gothic "Halle", destroyed by fire in 1485. The historic city hall houses beautiful works of art, which are certainly worth a visit. More info at https://www.zeeland.com/nl-nl/visit/264_nl/stadhuis-hulst

The pagadders are statues of Spanish soldiers in the center of the Dutch city of Hulst. Pagadder Hermana is one of the 18 statues you can find in Hulst. They refer to the former Spanish presence in Hulst. The pagadores were too small to be deployed on the front line. Therefore, they were used for various tasks, such as delivering the wages (they also - erroneously - gave their name to the so-called Pagaddertoren). In the center of Hulst, you can find other pagadder statues near, among others, the town hall of Hulst, Gentse Poort, Bagijnepoort, De Stadsmolen, Museum Hulst, Keldermanspoort (Bollewerckpoort), Dubbele Poort, Refugiehuis Baudeloo. Those who search will find them all.

As you enter Hulst, you are immediately greeted by a special piece of heritage: the Reynaert monument at the Gentsepoort. This bronze statue of Reynaert the Fox, with the court of King Nobel in the background, brings the famous animal story to life. You see Reynaert in pilgrim's clothing, surrounded by recognizable figures such as the lion, the bear, the wolf, and other animals from the story. The city of Hulst itself also plays a role in the scene, with its historic towers in the background – a nod to the Hulst of the past. A surprising and symbolic place that you won't just walk past.

The Sint-Jozefkerk of Nieuw Namen was taken into use in 1860, shortly after the founding of the village. In 1898 the church was expanded, in 1912 a new tower was built, and in 1923 the side aisles were extended. In front of the church is a bronze Sacred Heart statue from around 1920, made by P. de Roeck. source: Wikipedia

The silhouette of a walking man is a work (from 2010) by the Melsele-based artist Stefaan van Biesen (°1953), titled "Grenzer"; it is therefore not by chance that it stands on the Belgian-Dutch border. The man walks through a screen, a transit zone from one area to another. He is a passer-by, on his way between two worlds. The work refers both to borders in our minds, limitations to our freedom, but also to how that freedom is only real freedom when it is not at the expense of our fellow human beings... and to how topographical borders have been conceived by the same freedom-seeking human. ... the artist himself explains his work. (see etcetera.plus)

The demarcation of the Belgian-Dutch border came about after the Treaty of Maastricht in 1843. Border post number 1 is located at the Drielandenpunt in Vaals, the last post, border post number 365, is in the Zwin west of Retranchement in Zeeland-Flandres. Here, between Kieldrecht (B) and Nieuw-Namen (NL) is number 271.

During the Middle Ages when Hulst was a wealthy city it had a beautiful town hall. However, the people of Ghent set it on fire in 1452. The people of Hulst built a new town hall and set it on fire themselves when mercenaries from Ghent had entrenched themselves in it (1485). The current town hall dates from 1540 and was thoroughly restored in the mid-20th century.

Hermana's story Would you like to come and rest here? Are you thirsty? If you want, you can sit down here and drink some water. I have time to talk to you. I am Hermana and I am a nun. I still wear the black dress of the nuns of Saint Augustine. I joined them when the guesthouse was opened here. It used to be extremely busy here and I would walk around from early in the morning until late at night to take care of the sick and the elderly. And now and then at night too, because it is never quiet in a sickbay. But that was all a long time ago. Nowadays I take it a bit easier, even though I am not that old yet. I would love to roll up my sleeves and help people again, but unfortunately the sickbay here is closed.