The best traffic-free bike rides around Zoutleeuw

On the site of the current Sint-Leonardus church, there was a chapel – whose construction date is unknown – in honor of Saint Leonard of Noblac. After this chapel was elevated to a parish church in 1231, it was replaced by the current church, which had a long construction history: the monumental Gothic building was largely erected between the 13th and 16th centuries. The Sint-Leonardus church is rich in art treasures and owes its international fame mainly to them. The Iconoclastic Fury of 1566 and the French Revolution passed by the church without major damage, so that the impressive artistic heritage built up over centuries has largely been preserved: altarpieces, paintings, statues of saints, copper and silverware, vestments, and other devotional objects.

The Grote Markt of Zoutleeuw forms a beautiful historic setting that recalls the city's medieval wealth. The 16th-century town hall is a rare monument between Gothic and Renaissance. The Cloth Hall was built during the heyday of the wool trade. The Sint-Leonarduskerk is an elegant pearl with an impressive artistic heritage. The Spiegelhuis, with its richly decorated Renaissance facade, also attracts attention. The cozy terraces complete the picture.

Although most chapels are named after the saint for whom they were built, the Bethany Chapel is named after a place name. The biblical place Bethany is said to be the birthplace of Mary Magdalene, the patron saint of the Monastery of Bethany of Zoutleeuw, in whose honor the chapel was erected. The original statue of Mary has disappeared and has been replaced by a statue of Our Lady of Pellevoisin.

The Zoutleeuw Tourist Office is located in the old Cloth Hall (Lakenhalle), Grote Markt 11, Zoutleeuw. During opening hours, you can also visit the adjacent town hall from the office. Currently, there is an exhibition about the city's rich fortification past: https://www.zoutleeuw.be/ontdek-het-verborgen-vestingverleden-van-zoutleeuw-expo. The exhibition runs until March 31, 2027.

The castle of the lords of Kozen is located on the spot where three municipalities meet: Kozen, Wijer and Stevoort. Strictly speaking, the castle is on the territory of Wijer, the farm is in Kozen and the barn in Stevoort. Previously, avenues connected the castle site with these three villages. The oldest known lords of Kozen belong to the van Wesemael family, who lived in the fourteenth century. Around 1400, the lordship and the castle belonged to the de Diest family, and in the seventeenth century, the de Kerckhem family ruled here. Above one of the gates, a stone can be seen, on which the family coat of arms is shown twice. It dates from the time when Arnold de Kerckhem and his wife Annemarie de Kerckhem, who was also his niece, lived here. Still in the seventeenth century, the castle belonged for a time to the land commander of Alden Biesen. From 1699, the van Afferden family acquired the domain. They are the last lords of Kozen. At the end of the nineteenth century, the castle was owned by a certain Jacquelart. He rebuilt the castle and gave it its current appearance.

Historical information about the Town Hall building: In 1526, the city council of Leeuw decided to build a new town hall. The building was constructed between 1530 and 1538, based on a design by Rombout II Keldermans. It is a rather rare monument in the transitional Gothic-Renaissance style: structurally Gothic, but the decorative elements are clear expressions of the Renaissance. The facade's façade is made of blue stone: it has a pedestal with richly decorated panels and a beautifully carved frame. At the foot of the town hall tower, remnants of the first defensive wall around the city, dating from the 12th century, can still be seen. The interior is magnificent: the ground floor housed the mayor's office, the council chamber, and the reception room, where the mural by Maurice Langaskens (early 20th century) is particularly striking. On the first floor, you can visit the exhibition "Archaeological Finds from the Kleine Gete." Explanation of the Lakkenhalle (Ladder Hall): The hall, next to the town hall, was built because Zoutleeuw was an important trading center in the Middle Ages. The city already had a Vleeshuys (butcher's hall) in 1281, but the current hall was intended to replace the building that had become too small and also testify to the greatness of Leeuw. The new hall was built on the wall of the first rampart, which still forms the rear facade. Besides trading, the hall was also used as a meeting place and barracks for the Schuttersgilde (shooting guild), which had a purely military function in the Middle Ages. The grain supplies for the Tafel van de Heilige Geest (Holy Spirit's Table), or poor relief, were stored in the attic: poor relief in Leeuw dates back to 1235 and is perhaps the oldest in the country. Source: https://www.zoutleeuw.be/activiteiten/detail/91/historisch-stadhuis-en-halle-zoutleeuw

On the site of the current St. Leonard's Church stood a chapel—the date of construction of which is unknown—in honor of Saint Leonard of Noblac. After this chapel was elevated to a parish church in 1231, it was replaced by the current church, which had a long construction history: the monumental Gothic building was largely constructed between the 13th and 16th centuries. St. Leonard's Church is rich in art treasures and owes its international fame primarily to them. The Iconoclasm of 1566 and the French Revolution passed the church by without significant damage, thus preserving most of the impressive artistic heritage accumulated over centuries: altarpieces, paintings, statues of saints, copper and silverwork, vestments, and other devout objects. Below, a few of these showpieces are presented. Upon entering, the first thing that catches the eye is the Marianum: this double statue (1533) is situated within the 15th-century veneration of Mary, which depicted the Virgin Mary as the apocalyptic woman and mediatrix of grace. Not-to-be-missed highlight inside: The Sacrament Tower: A tabernacle crafted from white Avesnes stone is undoubtedly the church's showpiece. The artwork was created in the workshops of Cornelis II Floris de Vriendt in Antwerp and erected in Zoutleeuw in 1552. The tower is 18 meters high, has nine stories, and contains approximately 200 statues depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments. A replica is on display at London's Victoria and Albert Museum. The Paschal Candlestick This copper candlestick is 5.68 meters high and weighs approximately 950 kg. It was cast by Renier van Thienen, based on a design by Jan Bornam, and installed in the choir by the founder himself in 1483. It is the second-largest Easter candlestick in Europe. Source: https://www.zoutleeuw.be/sint-leonarduskerk

So-called "Nieuwenhoven Castle," a castle with farm buildings. Since the fourth quarter of the 13th century, it served as a playground and summer residence for the abbots of Sint-Truiden; fortified in 1329 by Abbot Adam van Ardingen; completely rebuilt in 1340 by Abbot Amelius van Schoonvorst; enlarged and renovated from 1521 to 1525 by Abbot Willem van Brussel; the current farm was built by Abbot Hubert Germeys (1612-1638), the castle by Abbot Jozef van Herck (1751-1780); Nieuwenhoven became the abbots' permanent residence primarily during the 18th century; after the French invasion, the property was sold. During the second half of the 19th century, renovation works were carried out in the English neo-Gothic style: a carriage house with stables between the castle and the farm, and a castle wing that burned down in 1932. Inventory of Immovable Heritage 2024: Nieuwenhoven Castle and castle farm https://id.erfgoed.net/erfgoedobjecten/23016