Discover Kontich: Archaeology, Landscape and Culture

Kontich combines a landscape shaped by fields and pastureland with remarkable traces of the past. Around the Our Lady chapels, natural areas, water landscapes, archaeology and local culture come together. If you are looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Kontich for your stay, you can tailor your trip clearly to your own interests: the focus can be on experiencing the landscape, an archaeological discovery tour or the history of the town.

Fields, Pastureland and Water Landscapes

The landscape around the Our Lady chapels is characterised by fields and pastureland. The Babbelkroonbeek runs through this area. The Babbelse plassen form another characteristic landscape area. This is a provincial floodplain with created shallow-water banks and embankments for water storage. This combination gives the surroundings a distinctly different focus from a purely museum visit: when planning your trip, you can also take open landscapes, water and historic sites into account.

The Boskapelweg crosses the area of the Our Lady chapels from east to west. The local history also includes the Our Lady Chapel dating from 1838. It stands on a rectangular site surrounded by a moat and planted with trees. For visitors who want to combine tranquil landscape impressions with a specific historic destination, this part of Kontich offers a clearly definable thematic focus.

Archaeology on a Cycling and Hiking Route

Kontich has an archaeological cycling and hiking route called “Leven en wonen rond het Kontichs Broek”. Its theme is life and living around Kontichs Broek. The accompanying brochure explains excavations and life in Kontich during the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman period and Middle Ages. The route is therefore aimed not only at travellers who want to be active while exploring, but also at anyone who wants to understand the landscape through its history.

Information panels with further explanations are located at Kontich’s six most important archaeological sites. You can incorporate these details into your daily itinerary and discover the municipality’s archaeological perspective step by step. Since the route is described as both a cycling and hiking route, this area of interest can also be incorporated into your travel plans in a way that suits your preferred mode of transport.

Museum with Regional and Archaeological Collection

The Museum voor heem- en oudheidkunde Kontich displays folk-cultural objects and archaeological finds. These include ceramics and everyday objects from the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Gallo-Roman period and Middle Ages. The archaeological department also includes finds from the Stone Age dating back to 3500 BC.

Another special feature is the textile collection, with many dozens of embroidery pattern cloths, drawing cloths and ceremonial scrolls. The museum thus complements the archaeological route with ethnographic and craft-related themes. For a trip involving different interests, this can be a worthwhile addition to the landscape and outdoor experiences in Kontich.

Altenapark and Neo-Gothic Chapel

Cultuurhuis Altena is also one of Kontich’s cultural points of interest. It is located in the centuries-old Altenapark. The chapel of Cultuurhuis Altena has been protected as a monument since 2008 and is considered a unique example of Neo-Gothic architecture. The site therefore offers another perspective on architectural and cultural history, clearly distinct from the archaeological finds in the museum.

Which Accommodation Suits Your Travel Plans?

When choosing your holiday apartment in Kontich, you can first determine your preferred focus. Anyone primarily wanting to experience the fields, pastureland and landscape around the chapels will plan differently from someone placing the museum, archaeological route and cultural centre at the heart of their trip. A holiday apartment or holiday home is above all a starting point for individually arranged activities; you should check the specific facilities, location and availability of individual accommodations separately.

More Places to Consider for Your Trip

If you would like to compare Kontich with other destinations, you can also view Balen, Herentals, Vosselaar, Schoten, Poppel, Mortsel, Dessel and Hulshout.

For the overarching travel overview: Province of Antwerp.