Sint-Niklaas Tourist Attractions
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Sint-Niklaas, situated in the province of East Flanders between the rivers Scheldt and Durme, is the center of the Waasland, the agricultural region to the northeast of Ghent.
Balloonfest
Annually on the first Saturday in September balloonists from all parts of Europe meet in Sint- Niklaas to start a race from the Grote Markt.
Grote Markt
The imposing center of Sint-Niklaas is the Grote Markt which has an area of 3.2ha/8 acres, the largest municipal town square in Belgium. Its northwest end is dominated by the neo-Gothic Stadhuis (town hall) of 1878, the tower of which houses a carillon of 35 bells. Behind the Town Hall rises the tower of Onze-Lieve-Vrouwkerk of 1841 with a gilded dome and a statue (6m/20ft high) of Mary.
Parochiehuis
Opposite the town hall on the southeast end stand the Parochiehuis, a priest's house of 1663, later the town hall and now a commercial court, the Cipierage, originally a prison of 1662 and now a library, and the Landhuis, former law courts of 1637.
Sint-Niklaaskerk
Behind the Parochiehuis rises Sint-Niklaaskerk, the church of the patron of the town, dedicated in 1238 and extended on several occasions in the 16th C. Notable features of the interior include the Baroque side altars of Hubert and Norbert van de Eynden as well as sculptures by Luc Fayd'herbe and a figure of Christ by Duquesnoy.
Museum
Zamanstraat branches off Statioonsstraat. Along it can be found the museum of the town and the Waasland (Museum van de Stad en van de Oudheidkundig Kring van het Land van Waas). It is divided into the Department of Fine Art (primarily Dutch and Flemish paintings of the 17-19th C.), the Archaeological Section (prehistoric and Frankish finds), the Folklore Section, the Mathys-Vanneste Collection (furniture, porcelain, silver, a painting by Rubens, Belgian paintings of the 19th C.) and of special interest the room devoted to the great geographer Geradus Mercator. Mercator was born in Rupelmonde not far east.
Museum Branches
Three other collections belong to the museum and these are all housed in a building at Regentiestraat 65 (a little north of the museum). The collections include those concerned with the International Exhibition Center with 90,000 exhibits and 150 relief plates, the "Barbierama", a collection of toilet articles and hairdressers' implements, and a collection of musical automata such as phonographs and gramophones.
Walburg
The Castle of Walburg in the middle of the town park east of the Grote Markt was built in 1553 and considerably altered in the 19th C. The 5m/16.5ft high and 3.8m/12.5ft wide astronomical clock (Heirmanklok) adjoins the castle.
Organ Museum
In Oostjachtpark 15 can be found an organ museum with fair organs, barrel organs and street organs.
De Ster Recreation Park
In this amusement park, visitors can enjoy many activities for adults and children. The site has all the makings of a modern water park, with minigolf, go-carts and numerous other sports events. The area also includes a beach and bathing lake, a children's farm, and an herb garden.On or in the water, visitors can find pedal boats, sail boats, canoes and sailboards.The highlight of the park though is the four waterslides.For food, visitors can stop off at one of the restaurants or can bring their own lunches to eat under the awning.
Festival of Peace
The Festival of Peace is held in Sint-Niklaas in September.
