Culture Stroll [ENG] | Lommel

EN

CITY WALK LOMMEL 3KM

Prinses Astridpark

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WELCOME TO LOMMEL

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CITY OF SAND & GLASS

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Discover the cultural splendour that the centre of Lommel has to offer you! Admire historical monuments, works of art by Belgian artists and enjoy the pleasant greenery. For gourmets, there are numerous brasseries and restaurants where you can indulge in culinary delights.

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Step out of the tourist information office and walk 30 metres to the left until you reach the intersection. Turn right into Kloosterstraat. Just before you see the Carrefour parking lot on your right, turn left in front of a school building. This pathway leads you past the playground of primary school De Speling. At the end, turn left into the Groene Doorsteek (Green Passage).

Along the path, you will see a remarkable landscape with herbaceous plants, hedges, multistemmed trees, and Scots pines.

Special attention is given to beeand butterfly-friendly planting, as pollinators play a crucial role in both our society and nature.

With the Green Pearls project, Elise Eeraerts created a visual connection between Princess Astrid Park, the Groene Doorsteek, and Burgemeester Park. She uses the lines in the sand to do so. The sand layers beneath Lommel go several hundred meters deep and also contain silver sands or quartz sands. Elise makes these sand layers literally visible.

The line consists of 3 sections. Each section starts at the central axis of the route: Dorp and its extension, Kerkstraat. From there, the line moves towards the green spaces.

The longest part of the line reaches Vryheyt, where Princess Astrid Park is physically the furthest from the central axis. The middle section runs up to Burgemeester Park on Frans van Hamstraat, and the shortest section is located along Groene Doorsteek in Kerkstraat.

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Three vacant buildings have made way for a unique walking path and experience landscape that connects Kerkstraat with Mudhoven and brings a piece of Bosland National Park into the heart of Lommel. The attention to children playing is no coincidence.

Here, they can explore nature while playing.

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FLOCK OF SHEEP

FUN FACTS

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ndparking The artwork “Veemarkt” by Kasper udakkers Bosmans consists of 20 concrete seating elements. Heraldry and folklore play an important role in the work. The artist based the work on the history of the location and created a flock of concrete sheep for the raat cattle market. erstGrazing sheep are also t s o depicted Klo on the first seal and the coat of arms of Lommel.

base, they traveled with merchandise on their backs to places like the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Luxembourg. Some even went as far as Denmark. From the 16th century onward, the Teuten shaped the economic history of North Limburg (Belgium) and part of North Brabant (the Netherlands) for more than 3 centuries. The main people among them were kettle makers, cutlers, and animal castrators. These last castrated animals, such as horses and cattle.

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■ Every Sunday from April to Continue walking towards October, the Teutenmarkt (a flea, Carrefour Dorpsplein. Just before you brocante and antique market) reach Huis Aerts, you will see the nspleintakes place on Dorpsplein. a Teutenbeeld on your right. Michiel J ■ Lommel was once a neutral Openbare Vivaldi territory of the Netherlands and Bibliotheek TEUTENBEELD Parking a border town. Many people Michiel and traders passed through and Jansplein stopped here. In the 18th century, The Teutenbeeld, created by sculptor Hiëronymus Reyniers, was placed at there were more beer tappers n Dorpsplein in 1983.

The Teuten were here than in Eindhoven. In 1838, a i ple k r traveling merchants and craftsmen jenever distillery was established Ke who left in the spring and returned in the garden of HuisaAerts. n dla only in the winterSint-Pietersbandenkerk months. From their l o op g Le n i Kon

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Walk up to the Dorpsplein. On the left side, you will first pass the Kiosk.

The triangular Dorpsplein is centuries old and was originally a watering place for sheep. Since Lommel acquired market rights from the Dukes of Brabant in the 14th century, this square evolved into a real market and trading place.

PROTECTED LANDSCAPE

KIOSK The kiosk, crowned with a lyre, was established in 1905 to mark the 75th anniversary of Belgian independence. The Royal Harmony “Hope for the Future” often rehearsed

RAADHUIS In the center of the square, you’ll see the bright white façade of the charming and restored Raadhuis. The building that stands here today was preceded by a chapel between 1609 and 1648. After Lommel came under Protestant rule in 1648, the chapel was turned into a town hall. It was a small rectangular building with a tower and a clock. In 1807, when Lommel became part of the French Empire, the Protestants left the town, and the Catholics retained the chapel as a town hall. In 1845, the building was demolished to make way for a new town hall in the classical style.

In 1912, it was extended at the front in an eclectic style. The building served as the town hall until 1958 and as a police station until 1988. Since then, it has been used as a meeting and exhibition space.

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Since 1974, the market square with its linden trees has been a protected landscape. Today, the square serves as a venue for various city events.

Throughout the year, small and large events take place where people meet, enjoying music, top sports, street theater, or simply a refreshing drink at the terraces.

here. In 1942, the kiosk was demolished and seven years later replaced by the current kiosk, which is now on the left side of the Raadhuis, rather than the right.

COAT OF ARMS

DID YOU KNOW?

Above the portico of the building, we can see the coat of arms of Lommel. This shield — gold on a blue background — features an oak tree with two sheep beneath it, symbolizing the importance of sheep farming in medieval Lommel.

■ Lommel has a total area of over 10,232 ha and is made up of 11 hamlets/districts.

■ Lommel is a young city. It only gained the title of City in December 1990. The name Loemele first appears in a written document from 990. Over time, it evolved into Loemelo, Loemlo, Loemel, and eventually Lommel. The name refers to “a forest near a swamp.”

■ The village of Het Dorp began as a small agricultural settlement between the 6th and 12th centuries. The majority of Lommel was heathland, where only sheep and bees thrived.

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FUN FACT ■ The water pump symbolizes the watering place for sheep that was once here on the Dorpsplein.

■ It is estimated that in 1480, Lommel had 30,000 sheep. By 1910, only 284 sheep remained.

■ The main product from Lommel’s sheep farming was wool.

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HUIS AERTS HOUSE AERTS

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Walk back from the Dorpsplein to Huis Aerts, on the corner with De Vryheyt.

FUN FACTS ■ VTM’s fiction series ‘Crème de la Crème’ was partly shot here.

■ The wooden skylight of the central entrance door features the initials of the first occupants in the four corners, along with the numbers of the year of construction. Can you find them?

LOVE LETTER During the renovation of the house, love letters hidden in the cavity wall

Lommel, 7 June 1937 Fair maiden, I fear but one thing, to betray my love. And yet, I know in all thy boldness. I can thee in this reasoning so well understand. I can thee so admire in thy judgment. I can so agree with thee and I can so gladly consent, if thou only desirest the best and fairest. I can so with thee consent, in that condition all is to be right, the fairest shall be. Much would I fain ask thee, when thou art telling, just now when thou dost speak of the feast of the year. I should then be too bold, but I would press into all the details, for there is thy heart. I am so clumsy.

Knowest thou how, when thou art within, my heart with unrest doth long for thee? Tomorrow I shall not phone, I may not XX make life too troublesome.

I am happy however in sending the highest post, finding thee, in some manner, reaching thee in any way.

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Huis Aerts is a protected monument and was built in 1805 by the 1st Lommel mayor of the modern era Jan Jacob Aerts and his wife Maria Elisabet Van Ham. Until the early 20th century, Huis Aerts was a lodging house and inn. It was restored in 1994.

Currently, Huis Aerts is temporarily closed due to the renovation of GlazenHuis.

were recovered from one of the last residents of House Aerts...

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Walk 20 metres into De Vryheyt, to the right of House Aerts. You are now looking at GlazenHuis.

The Flemish Centre for Contemporary Glass Art is a striking building with a 30-metre-high cone. This building was designed by architect Philippe Samyn. GlazenHuis was inaugurated in 2007 and is now internationally known.

RENOVATION

FUN FACTS ■ If you go up the stairs in the cone, you need to pay attention halfway up the stairs. On the outside of the cone, mirrors were placed in which you can see the cone’s spire.

■ Lommel is home to the largest sand collection in the world with 13,199 species! This collection was donated by the Dutch Wies

SAND, GLASS AND LOMMEL What is the link between sand, glass and Lommel? Quartz sand, also known as silver sand or glass sand, was discovered in Lommel in 1845.

This type of white sand with high quartz content and exceptionally fine grains is very pure and the raw material for high-quality glass.

Moreover, it is quite unique: Lommel is one of the few places in Belgium where quartz sand is mined.

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Until the end of 2026, the GlazenHuis site is closed due to renovation works.

More information at glazenhuis.be/ vernieuwbouw.

Kramer, widow of Joop van Dijk who became known in the Netherlands as “The Sand Man”.

His “Sand on the Grain” collection consists of geologically justified sands from Australia to Peru, sorted by country, province and species.

■ At the tourist information office, we sell delicious chocolates in the shape of GlazenHuis’s cone.

Yummy!

the city centre. Almost invisible during the day, it is a colorful light spectacle at night.

The 2 identical stairs in the cone were suspended spirally. As you ascend the stairs, you get an overview of the entire building.

EXHIBITIONS Twice a year, the exhibition changes to showcase artworks by renowned glass artists from home and abroad.

ARCHITECTURE The building consists of two glass volumes: the glass box with curtain walls of ultra-clear glass framed with stainless steel, and the striking glass cone composed of triangular window frames.

The 6-metre-high box and the underground floor, around the cone, house 3 exhibition spaces.

The 30-metre-high glass cone has a diameter of 8 metres and overlooks

COLLECTION MANAGEMENT Since 1993, the city of Lommel has been building its own glass art collection together with GlazenHuis, which now has almost 1,000 works of art by national and international artists either owned or on long-term loan. Since 2023, a golden meteorite

by American artist Matthew Szösz has been hanging in the glass cone.

The meteorite is meant to spark a conversation. What do we value? How do we determine that value? And what is truly valuable to you?

ARTISANAL WORKSHOP From the exhibition areas, you can peek inside the artisanal glass studio.

Using age-old techniques, glass artists create unique glass art objects from hot liquid glass here every day.

The glass studio is staffed by (foreign) artists, freelancers, residencies, renters or GlazenHuis’s own glass blowers.

RESIDENCIES Since 2013, GlazenHuis has been successfully building an international residency programme. Here, international glass artists are invited annually to work in the hot glass studio for a period of time. The emphasis here is on knowledge development through extensive guidance and facilitation of the artists.

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Next to Huis Aerts, turn into De Vryheyt towards Cultural Centre De Adelberg. You pass the ‘vlaaivijver’ just before UGC Cinemas after 80 metres.

Look for a horizontal floating person.

VLAAIVIJVER / PIE POND

Culture Centre De Adelberg was inaugurated in 1993 and is the cultural hub of Lommel and the surrounding area. A creative wind blows here all year round.

Among Lommel residents, the square - shaped like a pie - is known as ‘vlaaivijver’ wich means ‘pie pond’.

Here, children can cool down by the play fountains when the weather is nice.

GOLDEN SPIRAL Two artworks by Luc van Soom were given a place in this square. The first one visibly adorns the roof of the cultural centre. ‘Evolution in the Orion Nebula’ is a work in polyester, covered with gold leaf. This golden curl represents a spiral: a primal form and building block of nature that van Soom regularly uses in his works.

His second work ‘The adventures of Lucianno of Somosota’ is better hidden, namely on the roof of residence De Vryheyt.

Walk on past UGC Cinemas until you see the pillars of CC De Adelberg on the left after 50 metres.

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Walk past the cultural centre via Adelbergpark street to Prinses Astridpark.

HUMAN RIGHTS The artwork “Human Rights” by Margot Homan is a sculpture group consisting of a large bronze sculpture and 5 glass portraits.

The bronze sculpture represents two people, one of whom is taking care of the other. The sculpture evokes feelings of compassion. The needy man does not assume a submissive attitude that evokes pity. He retains his dignity. Tilburg artist Margot

This equality has everything to do with the text underneath the glass panels: ALL HUMAN BEINGS ARE BORN FREE AND EQUAL IN DIGNITY AND RIGHTS. Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights begins with this sentence.

Surrounding the bronze sculpture group are glass portraits of human rights defenders.

Portraits of Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Eleanor Roosevelt, Lily Boeykens and Françoise Tulkens were chosen. The men have become personalities through their speeches, statements and actions. The women have mainly worked for human rights in the background.

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This park is a composite landscape of paths, water, grass, hills and trees.

Landscape architect Paul Derooze’s design was an ode to life. All parts have their own symbolism: the water refers to vitality, the fountain wall is birth, the path symbolises a snake that embodies both good and evil.

The amphitheatre then stands for democracy, the long wall for the end of life.

Homan deliberately chose to depict equal figures.

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After your stroll through the park, you leave the Astridpark at its southwestern side.

Walk 100 meters further to Gasstraat (a T-junction). Turn left here and continue walking along the back side until you reach Café De Kroon at the intersection with Molsekiezel.

This authentically cozy brown café is more than 120 years old. Nostalgia oozes from the walls. In 1902, Jozef Van Engeland and Maria Lavreysen opened a grocery store where people could enjoy a drink while waiting.

The shop area gradually became smaller, while the tavern area kept

The café has hardly changed since the early eighties. However heating was installed, and the toilets got a new floor.

FUN FACTS ■ When the café floor was broken open, they discovered authentic black-and-white tiles underneath.

They decided to keep them. The result: the café now sits a few centimeters lower than before. But nothing that a raised step here and there couldn’t fix. It also explains why the stove stands on a little podium.

■ You can taste a warming Lommelse Klotsenbosjenever here.

■ To celebrate the café’s 100th anniversary, Chel Driesen wrote a book titled: “De eeuw van De Kroon” (“The Century of De Kroon”).

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On the western façade of the cultural center, you can spot a graffiti artwork by the artist Noir. The glassblowing theme clearly refers to GlazenHuis, and thus to the story of sand and glass in Lommel. The golden color symbolizes the Sahara sand. Within the torn strip, various aspects of Lommel are depicted, including several references to nature.

expanding. Later, their son and daughter continued running the café.

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Walk back towards Molsekiezel and turn left at the first street. Walk 100 meters straight ahead to Hertog Janplein. On the right side of this square, you will see the Huis van de Stad (City Hall).

NATURAL LIGHT The building consists of 3 floors, divided into 4 office wings. These are visible both inside and outside as natural stone beams, between which glass is placed. These beams ensure that there is sufficient light and air in every part of the building. This design allows for pleasant views from every work and waiting area. Thanks to these openings, it is even possible to provide natural daylight to the

(GLASS) ART In the large reception hall, you will find glass artworks from the urban glass art collection. On the upper floor, there is the artwork “Taboo in Chains” by Delphine van SaksenCoburg, and in the municipal council chamber, you will see the piece “Fables of La Fontaine” by Jef Geys.

FUN FACTS ■ Under the highest building volume, you will find the municipal council chamber and the wedding hall.

■ The green roofs serve as water buffers, providing an optimal solution to capture rainwater, which is used within the building.

■ The choice of glass and light travertine marble for both the exterior and the interior was deliberate. The architect refers to Lommel’s direct connection with the light, fine sand.

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Architectural firm Jo Crepain, consulting agency Atenco, and interior designer Frans Van Praet are the designers of Huis van de Stad, which was inaugurated in 2005. It is built with glass and pink travertine marble, a natural stone. It is considered one of the most modern municipal buildings.

basement level (parking garage).

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When you exit the Huis van de Stad, cross Hertog Janplein, pass the Corbie Hotel, and head towards an arched passage leading to Dorpsplein. This passage is called the Heerdgang.

HEERDGANG The Heerdgang is an ancient term for a path where shepherds would guide their sheep from the heath to the market.

MIRROR GLASS OBELISK On Dorpsplein, in front of the police station, you can admire a 6-meter tall mirror glass obelisk. This unique artwork by glass artist Michel Martens was gifted by S.C.R. Sibelco to mark the 1000th anniversary of Lommel in 1990. It was unveiled by the late King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola.

The obelisk, which reflects its surroundings, symbolizes the

It is made from float glass, drawn in Mol and mirrored in Zeebrugge by Glaverbel.

DORPSPLEIN The triangular Dorpsplein is centuries old. Until the 14th century, when the village of Lommel was granted limited freedoms, including market rights, by Duke Jan III of Brabant, it was simply a drinking place for sheep.

From then on, the square grew into a lively meeting and trading place. Due in part to these historically acquired rights, Lommel was able to earn the honorary title of city in 1990.

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Walk through the Heerdgang and on your left, you will see the obelisk.

excellent quality of the sand that is extracted in Lommel and used in the global glass industry.

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BURGEMEESTERSPARK MAYOR’S PARK

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Turn right onto Vreyshorring. After 150 meters, at the curve, we walk underneath the buildings on the left side. Walk for another 150 meters to the end of Ploegdries, then turn right onto Einderpad. At the second intersection, turn left onto Frans van Hamstraat. Follow it for 130 meters until just past the hall of the Royal Harmony “Hope for the Future”. Turn right into the park.

DE BUITENMENS Henk Visch is among the top 5 contemporary European sculptors.

The sculpture “De Buitenmens” (The Outsider) is a 3 by 4-meter artwork in bronze with a pink patina. It is a true figurative millennium sculpture: the female figure walks forward while looking back.

MAYOR’S HOUSE This renovated villa, built in 1898, was constructed by the then-mayor François Van Ham. At the time, the villa was one of the few houses with a second floor. In 2014, the city administration of Lommel decided to turn it into a high-quality restaurant.

The salons have since been transformed into a luxurious Louis XVI-style restaurant.

WROUGHT IRON COLUMN The artist duo Lucas Pellens and Stefan Custers created the sculpture “The Victor and the Vanquished”, a 4-meter-high wrought-iron column, crowned with a bird, which almost seems to measure itself against its surroundings. The column stands to the left around the corner of the Burgemeestershuis and is illuminated in atmospheric red light in the evenings.

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The cozy park, covering over 1 hectare, is located behind the Burgemeestershuis (Mayor’s House). It was completely redesigned in the late 90s. For local residents, it’s the perfect picnic spot on a sunny day.

Via a covered walking path, you will reach the front of the Burgemeestershuis.

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When you exit the gate of the Burgemeestershuis, cross the street and head towards the far right side of Kerkplein, behind the bus pavilion.

On the southeast corner of Kerkplein, we find the sculpture group, depicting a family with a dog.

FAMILY WITH DOG

Cross the square towards the tree for the main entrance in the tower of St. Peter’s Chains Church.

THE GOLDEN CROWN Hidden in an oak tree in front of the St. Peter’s Chains Church, you will find the artwork “Projekt Damocles IV” by artist Timm Ulrichs, a representative of German concept art. This is a direction in modern art that refrains from realizing a design. The golden crown is also an inverted chainsaw: a utilitarian object turned into art.

With this, Ulrichs aims to counter the alienation of art as a commodity.

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The sculpture is made of greenpatinated bronze and was placed in 1996 on Kerkplein, which had just been redesigned. “In Harmony” symbolizes the family unit. The stylized human figures seem to blend in with the living people on the square. A characteristic feature of the sculpture group is the extremely long legs. This is typical of the linear style of Joz De Loose. He compares people to corn. When wheat and rye stalks are ripe, they bend downward. Those who are alive stand tall above the rest.

The same is true for humans. Another characteristic is the simplicity: naked individuals with simple heads. The artist avoids referencing a race or a

specific person. They resemble no one, yet they are human.

MONUMENT FOR THE FALLEN

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The municipal government erected a monument to honor both the fallen soldiers and civilians of World War I. It was inaugurated on November 21, 1920. The monument consists of a hardstone pedestal, weighing 60,000 kilograms, with a bronze statue of the winged Greek goddess of victory, Nike.

The goddess of victory, dressed in a flowing gown, leans forward in a comforting gesture, holding a bouquet of flowers in her left hand and a laurel wreath in her right.

The flowers and laurel wreath are dedicated “To our heroes,” as the inscription on the pedestal states.

At her feet lie a helmet and a palm branch. The helmet symbolizes the heroic struggle of the fallen, while the palm branch signifies martyrdom.

On the bronze base, the name of the sculptor, Fr. Jochems, and the name of the bronze foundry are engraved.

On the sides, the names of the fallen

soldiers and deceased civilians are carved, in honor and remembrance.

Since January 22, 2014, the memorial has been a protected monument due to its historical and artistic value.

FIRST STONE OF THE INTERIOR On August 1, 1900, the feast day of Sint-Pietersbanden, the first stone was laid with the inscription: ‘Anno Domini MDCCCC in honorem S(ancti) Petri ad Vincula fundata est ecclesia’.

The first stone is located behind the high altar. During restoration work, there was an intention to move the original stone to a more prominent place. However, it is suspected that there is a capsule behind it with a message, as was customary at the time. Perhaps Pastor Claykens “left a message for eternity.” The stone you see here is a replica. Alongside this replica, a glass memorial plaque was placed, donated by the local glass artist Marcel Haccuria.

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The St. Peter’s Chains Church is a protected monument, built in the neo-Gothic style, with a tower dating from the end of the 15th to the early 16th century. The nave, built in 1900, contains unique stained glass windows, furniture in an adapted style, a valuable Clerinx organ, a carillon, and murals.

WOOL TOWER & “PIMPSKLOKSKEN”

The tower has 4 floors, accessible via the stair tower. The main entrance of the church is located on the west side. Of the 4 floors, the bell floor is the most important. Here hang 3 church bells. The smallest, or Angelus bell, dates back to 1394 and is affectionately called the

SECOND LARGEST CARILLON Since 2000, Lommel has had a carillon, cast by the Royal Eijsbouts company from Asten (NL). The carillon consists of 63 bells or 5 octaves and is, along with the university carillon in Leuven, the second largest in the country. Peer has the largest, with 64 bells.

The carillon has a bass bell weighing 3,263 kg and a total weight of 15,493 kg. In the church, you can also find the oldest Clerinx organ, a unique piece in Belgium’s organ landscape.

The organ is the oldest still-existing creation by Arnold Clerinx.

UNIQUE STAINED GLASS The stained glass collection is unique because all the windows were designed and created between 1906

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The tower of the church is 53 meters high and belongs to the group of medieval towers in the Kempen brick Gothic style. It owes its existence to the prosperity of the Kempen villages due to sheep farming at the end of the Middle Ages. This type of tower is also known as a “wool tower”.

“pimpskloksken” in local dialect. The other 2 bells, cast in 1955 by Marcel Michiels Jr., were recently re-tuned by Eijsbouts. They were also included in the carillon’s bells.

and 1912 by the same glazier, Gustaaf Ladon. He was a student and master glazier at the renowned BethuneVerhaegen studio in Ghent. A total of 32 stunning stained glass windows adorn the St. Peter’s Chains Church.

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MURALS The murals in the church were created

by Adolphe Tassin from Liège. He designed a neo-Gothic interior with beautiful colors, life-sized figures, and a series of extraordinarily beautiful angels.

The murals were applied in 1913-1914 after the installation of the stained glass windows, so that the light and color play could be considered.

In the 1950s, the murals were first overpainted. The last overpainting was in 1970.

After years of research, a thorough restoration of the interior began in early 2014. The restoration work was completed in October 2015.

FUN FACT ■ At the beginning of the 1900s, a new, spacious neo-Gothic church was built, which blends beautifully with the late Gothic tower, which was preserved. The pillars of the new church were built on the outer walls of the old church. Both the tower and the church are recognized as protected monuments.

■ The length of the church is exactly the same as the height of the tower. The reason for this is unknown.

■ The automatic, computercontrolled playing of the carillon contains 100 different melodies. It plays a melody every hour and half hour. Every Wednesday from 1.30 to 2.30 PM, the city carillonneur plays live. In the summer, you can catch a carillon concert from a nearby terrace.

From the Church Square, we head into Kerkstraat (the shopping street).

This marks the end of the walk!

KERKSTRAAT Every year in June, this street becomes the focal point of Beeldig Lommel, an international living statues festival featuring both classical stationary statues and interactive statue performances, wacky street performers, astonishing stilt walkers, imaginative children’s statues, and mobile and musical side entertainment.

View all hotspots on the digital My Maps map. www.visitlommel.be/hotspots

Toerisme Lommel vzw Kerkstraat 54, 3920 Lommel info@visitlommel.be www.visitlommel.be +32 (0)11 399 600 V.U. Niek Janssen - Dorp 14, Lommel

Translation tip? Let us know at info@visitlommel.be

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