The best city hikes and walks in Kasteeldomeinen In De Vallei Van De Tappelbeek

Where various merchants made a fortune...

Between 1831 and 1837, David was director of the Pitzemburg College in Mechelen. From 1834, he held the chair of Language and Literature, and from 1836, the chair of Dutch History at the Catholic University of Leuven. There, he was committed to promoting Dutch (Flemish) literature. In 1864, he became a member of the Spelling Commission, which officially recognized the unity of language in Flanders and the Netherlands. He contributed to the Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal (Great Dictionary of the Dutch Language).

Already in the initial plans of 1831, a railway line from Antwerp to Germany was to run via Lier. However, later routes diverted this connection via Mechelen or Grobbendonk and Herentals, much to the displeasure of the Lier city council, which considered the city the obvious gateway to the Kempen region. There was also a long dispute as to whether the line from Lier would be better to run to Kontich or Duffel. The rail connection became concrete when a concession for a Lier-Turnhout railway line was approved by law on May 1, 1853. The first trains ran on the Kontich-Herentals line in mid-March 1855, and the official opening followed on April 19 and 23, 1855 (freight and passenger services respectively).

The Hoogbrug (High Bridge) is located southeast of the Grote Markt and served an important function as a connection between the ecclesiastical domain of St. Gummarus and the city administration. The name refers to a brick arch bridge with a higher central section. The first stone bridge is believed to date back to around 1421, but it was repeatedly rebuilt or modified. In 1842-1843, it was replaced by a rotating flat bridge and in 1889 by an iron bridge, which was blown up in 1914 by the Belgian Engineers. The house that stood right next to the bridge before the First World War was also destroyed by Belgian engineers in October 1914. Inventory of Immovable Heritage: Hoogbrug, https://id.erfgoed.net/erfgoedobjecten/10319

In Lier, there was a "St. James's Hospice" for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. In 1383, the city magistrate erected the St. James's Chapel next to the hospice. The pilgrim's symbol is the scallop shell, which can be found in bronze on the chapel's facade. After destruction during the religious wars, the chapel lost some of its pilgrimage function, but from the 17th century onward, it served as a parish church for the Spanish garrison stationed in Lier. Therefore, it is colloquially known as the "Spanish Chapel" by the people of Lier. The chapel contains a mural depicting coats of arms. Lier artist Bernard Janssens (1887-1976), folklorist, photographer, painter, etcher, restorer, and publicist, created this painting in 1926 in a blind pointed arch in the chapel. These are the coats of arms of the Spanish governors who governed the city of Lier.

The Nete Diversion Canal (also called the Diversion Canal) is a man-made canal that runs halfway around the city of Lier. It was originally intended to divert excess water from the Kleine Nete around Lier to relieve the lower-lying areas in the east of the city. The diversion canal begins at the Kleine Nete in the northeast of Lier and flows into the Nete in the south.

The Hoogbrug is an arch bridge over the Binnennete river in the city of Lier. The bridge is part of the N10 motorway, which connects Mortsel with Diest. The bridge consists of three masonry spans: two side spans of 5.84 m each and a central span of 8.25 m.

The Barvest is a restaurant and cafe located on the city walls. Since this section mainly features photos of the green belt that forms the city walls, which start and end here, here's some information. The city ramparts are a 5 km long green walk around the center of Lier. A section of the city ramparts is a protected landscape. The Lier city ramparts largely follow the route of the second city wall from the first half of the 15th century. At that time, the ramparts primarily served a military function, providing protection against enemy cannon fire and raids. But the ramparts also had an economic importance: import and export duties were collected at the city gates. In the 19th century, the ramparts no longer served a military purpose and were dismantled. The ramparts between the Spui and the city park (towards Mechelsepoort) were lowered and planted with trees. The section between the city park and the Spui (towards Leuvensepoort) followed later. These spacious walking paths, known as the Begijnenvest, Davidsvest, Bergmannvest, Spuivest, Sionsvest, and the towpath along the Leuvensevest, together with the city park, form the green lung of the city center. A section of the ramparts is a protected landscape. A regent's decree from 1949. Now you'll mainly find trees like linden, red and green beech, oak, whitebeam, but also special species like pagoda tree. There used to be many elm trees, but they disappeared due to a disease. You can also admire several statues. On Davidsvest, you can admire Cadetje, a statue that refers to the former cadet school on the opposite side. Near Frederik Peltzerstraat is the statue of Anton Bergmann (lawyer and man of letters). Canon J.B. David (historian and linguist) has had his statue near Antwerpsestraat since 1923. The Chapel of St. Rita, near Mechelsestraat, was erected in 1948 in memory of Lier's political prisoners. And more at https://lier.be/wonen-en-leven/natuur-milieu-en-duurzaamheid/recreatie/de-stadsvesten