Sint-Truiden Attractions
Sint-Truiden (French Saint-Trond) is the chief town of the Haspengouw (French Hesbaye), the market center of an extensive fruit-growing area (principally cherries), and at the same time an important industrial base with a sugar refinery and various other industries. The cherry blossom and the harvest are an excuse for lively festivals.
Sint-Truiden developed around an abbey which St Trudo had founded in 657. The town received a charter in the 11th C. and was surrounded by fortifications in 1086. At first the Benedictine abbey came under the jurisdiction of the abbot and bishop of Metz, whose place was taken in the 13th C. by the prince-bishop of Liège. In this period Sint-Truiden developed into an important center of cloth production on the trade routes between Bruges and Cologne. After the town had fallen to the French in 1795 the monastery was suppressed. From 1814 Sint-Truiden belonged to the Netherlands until the founding of the Belgian kingdom.
The Town Hall in Sint-Truiden has a 17th century tower classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as the buildings of Sint-Agnes. The architecture in Sint-Truiden includes examples of Baroque architecture on the gable of the town hall and the Minderbroederkerk.
Sint-Truiden developed around an abbey which St Trudo had founded in 657. The town received a charter in the 11th C. and was surrounded by fortifications in 1086. At first the Benedictine abbey came under the jurisdiction of the abbot and bishop of Metz, whose place was taken in the 13th C. by the prince-bishop of Liège. In this period Sint-Truiden developed into an important center of cloth production on the trade routes between Bruges and Cologne. After the town had fallen to the French in 1795 the monastery was suppressed. From 1814 Sint-Truiden belonged to the Netherlands until the founding of the Belgian kingdom.
The Town Hall in Sint-Truiden has a 17th century tower classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as the buildings of Sint-Agnes. The architecture in Sint-Truiden includes examples of Baroque architecture on the gable of the town hall and the Minderbroederkerk.
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Grote Markt
This is Belgium's largest Grote Markt, and home to the 18th C town hall, and the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwkerk with a history dating back to the 14th C.
Borgloon - Klooster van Kolen, Belgium
(Near Sint-Truiden)
About 12km/7.5mi to the east of Sint-Truiden, we come to Borgloon, once the chief town of the county of Loon, where just outside to the north lies the monastery of Kolen. It was founded in the 13th C. by crusaders and then taken over by the Cistercians. The reliquary of St Odile which was made in 1292 is kept in the sacristy; scenes from the life of the saint are painted on the wooden sides.
Faestraets Clock
The Festraetsstudio opposite the begijnhof should be visited. It contains an astronomical clock assembled by Kamiel Festraets (1904-1974) from over 20,000 individual parts. It is 6m/20ft high and the largest of its kind in the world. Also to be seen are other exceptionally fine examples of mechanical apparatus.
Hours
April 1 to October 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 | 12:00 |
| Close | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 |
Guides
Guided tour available as optional extra.
Farm Museum
A unique collection of machines and farming devices awaits visitors at the farm museum in Sint-Truiden.
Hours
April 1 to October 1
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 |
| Close | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 |
October 1 to April 1
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | 14:00 | Closed |
| Close | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 |
Kortenbos, Belgium
(Near Sint-Truiden)
Ursulinenklooster
The former Ursuline convent, south of the Grote Markt, now houses an interesting museum of pillow lace, a craft once traditional in Sint-Truiden.
Zepperen, Belgium
(Near Sint-Truiden)
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