The best MTB trails around Schelle

Nice gravel path runs parallel to the Oude Durme. Benches invite you to linger.

Wissekerke Castle...

The Church of Our Lady on the Market Square is the oldest of Temse's seven churches. Protected as a monument since 1983, it features a mix of architectural styles and is the result of centuries of construction and renovation. The church's foundation is attributed to Saint Amelberga, patron saint of Temse, around 770. Statues of her can be seen both inside and outside the church. Inside, you'll find various art treasures and curiosities, such as beautiful 18th-century wood carvings and the mausoleum of Roeland Lefèvre from 1517. He was the first secular lord of Temse. Some also call the Church of Our Lady the Nijs Museum, after the renowned family of artists from Temse who designed much of the interior. Adrianus Nijs's wife served as the model for Saint Amelberga in the pulpit.

Every half-hour and hour you can pass here

Beautiful, quiet spot along the banks of the Scheldt. Well-maintained

The late Gothic Church of Our Lady is a three-aisled hall church made of Ledian limestone, built after a complex construction history on the foundations of the Saint Amelberga Chapel. The eight-sided crossing tower with a pear-shaped spire was only completed in 1720-1721, designed by Egidius Adriaan Nijs, a native of Temse. The interior contains a series of furniture and sculptures by the same artist and by his son Philippus, in classicizing Baroque and Rococo styles, respectively. In 1886-1888, the lower church was expanded under the direction of architect Pieter Van Kerkhove. Around the turn of the century, Mathias Zens created new Neo-Gothic altars for the church. (Open Churches)

Hof Ter Saksen is a 19th-century castle estate that serves as an educational nature park. It is located on the border of Beveren and Haasdonk. The 27-hectare estate has been owned by the municipality of Beveren since 1982 and consists of fields, woodland, an arboretum, and a castle park.

Few buildings in the Waasland region hold such a mythical allure as the Graventoren (Counts' Tower) in Rupelmonde. The names associated with it certainly contribute to that. This tower, for example, is the remnant of a moated castle with no fewer than 17 towers, once owned by the Counts of Flanders. This colossal fortress protected the Scheldt River from attackers and conquerors. Mercator's Dungeon Mercator also plays a key role in this story. When he shared his revolutionary insights with the world, he was promptly sent to the dungeon by the church authorities. Guess where that dungeon was located? Exactly, in the cellars of the Graventoren. Here he was imprisoned for seven months, accused of heresy. A Bloody History Mercator, however, was not the only one to enter the cellars of the moated castle. Many dissidents suffered the same fate, and often worse. A stay in the dungeons of the Graventoren (Counts' Tower) often ended with a bloody decapitation. While the Counts of Flanders may have enjoyed legendary status in history, they were certainly not gentlemen. Count Robert of Bethune once even threw his own son in jail here, accused of high treason. A kind of chamber arrest before its time, you might say. At the end of the 17th century, the moated castle came to an end. The fortress was drastically destroyed, and the rubble was reused for other buildings. For example, the church of Rupelmonde was built with materials from the castle ruins.