168 BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG REGION BY REGION
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp266–7 and pp292–4
Visitors enjoying a nature trail in
the Nationaal Park Hoge KempenNationaal Park
Hoge Kempen gWinterslagstraat 87, Genk. Road
Map E2. Tel (089) 322810. @
n Kattevennen (Genk), Pietersheim
(Lanaken), Lieteberg (Zutendaal),
Mechelse Heide (Maasmechelen)
and Station As (As). - http://www.
nationaalparkhogekempen.beThe Kempen region of
Belgium stretches from the
eastern part of the Province
of Antwerpen throughMaaseik f
28 km (17 miles) NE of Genk.
Road Map E1. * 24,000. £
@ n Markt 1; (089) 819290.
_ Halfvastenstoet (Mar). http://www.
maaseik.be
Lying close to the River Meuse
(Maas in Dutch), which now
forms the border between
Belgium and the Netherlands,
Maaseik deve loped as a cloth
town during the Middle Ages.
It is thought to have been the
birthplace, in about 1395, of
the great pio neer oil painters
Jan van Eyck and his brother
Hubrecht. A statue of the
sib lings stands in the tree-lined
Markt, surrounded by 17th-
and 18th-century mansions.
The 19th-century Neo-
Classical St-Catharinakerk,
or St Catherine’s Church, has
an important treasury, contain-
ing items from a local abbey,
includ ing the 8th-century
Codex Eyckensis, which is
believed to be the oldest book
in Belgium. The Musea
Maaseik, a newly revamped,
inter active archaeo logical
museum, covers the history of
the region starting from the
Stone Age. It also provides
access to a 17th-century
apothecary shop, the earliest
of its kind in Belgium. Finally,
Maaseik’s John Selbach
Museum is housed within a
former Ursuline convent. One
collection displays more than
400 antique dolls along with
their accessories, the earliest
dating from 1780. The second
collec tion consists of paint ings
in the Romantic mode from
the 16th to the 20th centuries
and includes works by
notable Belgian artists such
Display in the courtyard of the Museactron in Maaseik
Limburg and across the
border into the Netherlands.
It has a varied landscape of
heath, marsh, woodland and
farms. The area is sparsely
popu lated and consequently,
cherished by those seek ing
natural beauty and tranquillity.
A portion of this region
between Maaseik and Genk
was set aside in 2006 as
Belgium’s first national park,
the Hoge Kempen (High
Kempen). It covers 50 sq km
(20 sq miles), containing pine-
woods and quarry lakes, and
features marked walking paths
and cycling routes of varying
lengths. The land rises to an
altitude of 100 m (330 ft) in
places, afford ing fine views.Environs
South of the Nationaal Park
Hoge Kempen, the town of
Maasmechelen has a large
“fashion village”, built in
an engaging traditional style.
With nearly 100 outlets selling
both Belgian and inter national
labels at dis count prices, plus
restaurants and cafés, it attracts
shoppers from neigh bouring
countries such as Germany
and the Netherlands.Maasmechelen
15 km (9 miles) E of Genk.
Tel (089) 774000. # 10am–6pm
daily. 7 0 - http://www.
maasmechelenvillage.comas Ferdinand Braekeleer the
Elder (1792–1883).Landcommanderij
Alden Biesen hKasteelstraat 6 Bilzen; 20 km
(12 miles) S of Nationaal Park Hoge
Kempen. Road Map E2. Tel (089)- @ # Easter–Oct: 9am–5pm
daily; Nov–Easter: 10am–5pm daily.
¢ mid-Dec–Jan. & for permanent
display and garden. 0 =
http://www.alden-biesen.be
A magnificent red-brick castle,
Alden Biesen was built
between the 16th and 18th
centuries with courtyards,
turrets, a moat and a large
Baroque chapel. It was ori-
ginally founded in 1220 on
land that was given to the
German Order of the Teutonic
Knights, whose mission was
to defend Christendom. By
the 16th century, the power
of the order rested mainly inR St-Catherinakerk
Kerkplein. # Jan–Jun: Tue–Sun;
Jul–Dec: daily. &
E Musea Maaseik
Lekkerstraat 5. Tel (089) 566890. #
Apr–Oct: 10am–5pm Tue–Sun; Nov–
Mar: 10am–4pm Tue–Sun. & =
E John Selbach Museum
Boomgaardstraat 20. Tel (089)
May–Oct: 11am–5pm
Wed–Sat; Nov–Apr: 11am–4pm
Wed–Sat. &