The best walks and hikes around Bilzen

On the border of the poor Kempen and the fertile Haspengouw lies the Munsterbos. Northeast of the village center of Munsterbilzen, 450 hectares of forests, ponds, marshes, and grasslands stretch out. Here and there, even a patch of purple heather peeks through. The area is so special due to its location on the transition from the sandy Kempen Plateau to the loess region of Haspengouw.

The chapel of the Secret Army in the Munsterbos forest commemorates the former hiding place and execution site of members of the resistance movement. This location along the Weerstandspad (Resistance Path) was the shelter of approximately 800 resistance fighters from the Bilzen - Genk – Kortessem region. Three of these resistance fighters from Bilzen were executed here in the vicinity on September 5 and 7, 1944, just a few days before the liberation. The annual commemoration takes place every second Sunday of September.

The orchards around the castle together form the largest high-stem orchard in Europe and cover more than 40ha. There are over 200 varieties of cherries, plums, apples, and pears.

The orchards around the castle together form the largest high-stem orchard in Europe and cover more than 40ha. There are over 200 varieties of cherries, plums, apples and pears.

The story of Alden Biesen does not begin in Limburg, but at the scorching gates of besieged Acre. In 1190, German merchants built a field hospital there with the sails of their ships, intended for sick pilgrims and wounded crusaders. What began as an act of care and solidarity grew into the establishment of the Teutonic Order; a spiritual order of knights that was soon recognized by the Pope and the Emperor. In our region too, the Teutonic Order left its mark. In the thirteenth century, an impressive commandery was established in Rijkhoven near Bilzen: Alden Biesen, the headquarters of the bailiwick of Biesen, which managed dozens of properties in the region. For centuries, this domain was a center of power, wealth, and religious influence. But at the end of the eighteenth century, disaster struck. During the French Revolution, the property of the Teutonic Order was confiscated. In 1797, Guillaume Claes, the mayor of Hasselt, bought the domain and saved it from demolition. Nevertheless, it fell into disrepair, and in 1971, a severe fire destroyed almost the entire castle. Only the walls remained standing. Fortunately, the Flemish government intervened, and a thorough restoration followed. Today, Alden Biesen is once again a vibrant heritage site where you can relive the past in the castle, the garden, and the museum. Want to know more? Click through to https://www.alden-biesen.be/geschiedenis

For a little rest

Sunken roads are found only in hilly regions, such as here in Haspengouw. They were created by human intervention. Farmers used horse and cart routes, taking the shortest route from their farm to the higher fields. Due to the heavy use of the unpaved road, the track had little chance of vegetation, and the loosened sand washed down the slope with every rain shower. Thus, the road eroded ever deeper.

Architectural Features: Construction Period --> Medieval core (13th–14th centuries), later remodeled in the Baroque style Function --> Access control, representation, protection Building Material --> Brick with natural stone detailing Design --> Arched gateway with flanking towers, heraldic or religious symbols Location --> Transition from the outer bailey to the inner courtyard