The best running trails around Herstappe

Saint Evermarus is venerated in three places in Europe: in Borth, in Burtscheid near Aachen, and in Rutten, a small municipality belonging to Tongeren in Belgium. According to legend, Evermarus and his seven companions were slain here by the robber chief Hacco. This is said to have happened around the year 700, and his remains were discovered around 960. A small chapel was built on the site. Every year on May 1st, the patron saint's festival of Saint Evermarus is celebrated in Rutten. After a procession through the town, the so-called Martyrs' Play takes place, during which local actors reenact the story of the saint's life and death.

It is a cult building dating back to 1784, but its legendary origins date back to 968. For centuries, it has been a center of popular worship.

Restored and reopened with a folk festival the weekend after this writing.

There were already beguines in Tongeren before 1239. The ladies who chose neither marriage nor monastic life settled permanently on a walled site at the Moerenpoort. In the Sint-Catharina Beguinage, the ‘ladies’ built an independent life. At its peak in the early 18th century, the beguinage had over 300 beguines and 100 houses. But during the French Revolution in 1798, the tide turned. The beguinage was expropriated and a number of houses and walls were integrated into the urban environment over time. Today, the cobbled streets, picturesque squares, beguine houses and religious buildings of the Tongeren beguinage still exude a subdued atmosphere. This fairy-tale ‘mini-city in the city’ is rightly a UNESCO world heritage site.

Moerenpoort houses a museum about the medieval past of the city. The museum housed in the tower building has been completely renovated. The new layout is somewhat tighter, clearer and contains more experience. A museum that moves with the times." For example, on each floor there are animated films projected onto the walls, audio fragments with interesting facts and an interactive trail has been set out for children. The automatic hatch that leads you to an impressive view at the top of the Moerenpoort remains active. Access to the Moerenpoort is free. History: The Moerenpoort is one of the last remnants of Tongeren's medieval past. The medieval character of the city was lost during a major city fire in 1677. The Moerentoren was built in 1379 and was part of the medieval city wall. In total, the city had 6 entrance gates. Only the Moerenpoort remains today. The tower was saved from demolition in the 19th century by the Historical and Archaeological Society. The other entrance gates were demolished to expand the city's infrastructure.

Wijkmolenweg bridges the river Jeker. Good, but slower, alternative for the ring of Tongeren.

Rutten is known for its annual Saint Evermarus festivities on 1 May. These commemorate the murder of Saint Evermarus and his companions in the 7th century. The highlight is the Evermarus play (also called Ruttem-mei), an open-air play in which the entire village participates. Only real Rutten residents play in this play. There are several dozen horses. Several thousand people attend this open-air spectacle every year. In addition, an annual procession is held for this saint, also on 1 May. The festival is recognised as intangible Flemish heritage and included in the Intangible Cultural Heritage Flanders Inventory.

The sports and recreation park is located on the edge of the city centre and functions as a green lung and recreational alternative to the busy city life. The city park is divided into a recreational and sports zone.