Beveren is a municipality in the Belgian province of East Flanders which comprises the towns of Beveren, Doel, Haasdonk, Kallo, Kieldrecht, Melsele, Verrebroek and Vrasene. The port of the Waasland is in Beveren, on the left bank of the Schelde, facing the port of Antwerp on the other side of the river.
From Beveren it is possible to visit several historic towns and villages on the banks of river Schelde, and it offers a good starting point for cycling trips along the beautiful tidal landscapes on the river shores.
Sights
- Two castles remain from the feudal era: the 15th-century Castle of Cortewalle, and the Castle Hof Ter Saksen (18th century), which evolved from a medieval inn on the road between Ghent and Antwerp. During the second part of the 20th century, the castle was abandoned and reduced to ruins within a park.
- The Haasdonk fort was built just before World War I for Antwerp’s protection. Bunkers can still be seen nearby.
- Beveren has kept several centuries-old houses, manors, chapels and churches.
- The village of Doel houses a 17th-century windmill, one of the oldest in Flanders.
- The polders north of Beveren offer a unique landscape, reminiscent of the southern Netherlands.
- The Freethiel
Folklore
Like many other cities in Belgium, Beveren has a collection of giant puppets who take part in most of the local festivities. The two oldest ones were baptized in 1954. At Katoen Natie in Kallo one can watch and listen to the Organ collection Ghysels, which was allocated to Museum Vleeshuis in Antwerp. The collection is open for the public since 2010 and waits on at transfer until Vleeshuis has been renovated.
