The best MTB trails around Estinnes

Added to the collection: komoot.com/de-de/collection/3600632/-naturdenkmaeler-besondere-baeume-und-weitere-schaetze-der-natur

“Among all creatures, the Virgin Mary—venerated here under the title Notre-Dame—is the masterpiece of the Most Holy Trinity: in her humble and faithful heart, the Lord prepared a worthy dwelling place to bring the mystery of salvation to fulfillment. Divine love found its perfect expression in her, and in her womb, the only begotten Son became man. Let us turn to Mary with childlike trust, so that with her help we may grow in love and make our lives a hymn of praise to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit.” (Pope Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger)

The old elevators have been renovated. A must-see. If you're on gravel, stay to the left of the bank in the direction you're traveling on the gravel.

Estinnes, probably the most beautiful village in Belgium.

Located in the heart of the Hainaut countryside, the Abbey of Our Lady of Good Hope is steeped in history. Nine centuries old, the monument was occupied from the very beginning by religious leaders living in complete self-sufficiency. Listed as an exceptional heritage site in Wallonia, the primary and secondary education establishment is also a diocesan reception and retreat center for families, young people, and pilgrims. It is also a must-see for tourists and families who enjoy discovering the history of this abbey.

Here we find ourselves at a modern technical structure of almost unimaginable dimensions. This enormous facility – like probably every project of this magnitude – has two aspects: Some may be in awe of the engineering that made it possible to plan and build this gigantic structure at the end of the 20th century. Others may be more concerned with the enormous intervention in nature that was necessary to realize the project and may doubt its usefulness. However, such a conflict of interest is by no means only a sign of the times, for the monumental – some might prefer the term monstrous – structure is the modern descendant of a series of significantly smaller ship lifts that were built in earlier times – and have now even been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as an industrial monument. Both the old facility and its modern successor are presented in a 15-minute feature (in German) in the series "Treasures of the World - Heritage of Humanity." If you are interested, see =>> https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/schaetze-der-welt/canal-du-centre-die-vier-schiffshebewerke-des-canal-du-centre-belgien-folge-375/3sat/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS82NjEwNTUy

This series of boat lifts on the Canal du Centre is an extraordinarily impressive example of the art of engineering from previous generations. Even back then, people found solutions to problems that at first glance seemed insoluble using relatively simple means, namely how to overcome a considerable difference in height with a ship that was not possible using the previous methods of simple lock construction. This construction has therefore quite rightly been recognized as an industrial world cultural heritage site by UNESCO. A 15-minute film documentary (in German) is available in the ARD media library as part of the series "Treasures of the World - Heritage of Humanity" => https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/schaetze-der-welt/canal-du-centre-die-vier-schiffshebewerke-des-canal-du-centre-belgien-folge-375/3sat/Y3JpZDovL3N3ci5kZS82NjEwNTUy

Lift No.4 on the old Canal du Centre at Le Roeulx is a beautifully preserved boat lift from the early 20th century, and a masterpiece of industrial architecture. Made from steel and sheet metal, this historic lift lifts boats between different water levels and remains an impressive sight in the landscape. A visit to this unique UNESCO World Heritage site offers a fascinating insight into the engineering feats of yesteryear and the rich history of Hainaut’s waterways.