Aalst: Carnival, Architectural History and Nature on the Dender

Aalst offers you an exciting mix of lively tradition, distinctive architectural history and green landscapes. Those who want to combine culture and nature on one trip will find various opportunities for shared discoveries here. The annual Aalst Carnival is a three-day celebration that begins on the Sunday before the Christian period of Lent. The Academy of Carnival Arts also organises workshops and lectures to pass on Aalst’s carnival tradition.

Belfry, Church Art and Traces of the City’s History

The Belfry of Aalst stands on the Grote Markt, a UNESCO-protected group of buildings consisting of the Schepenhuis, the belfry tower and the gebiedshuisje. The carillon in the Belfry consists of 52 bells. The oldest bell still hanging in the Belfry of Aalst dates from 1437. The Schepenhuis also tells of the long history of the place: its construction began in 1225.

The late medieval fortifications can still be recognised in the city layout today. On the left bank of the Dender, their course corresponds to the Wallenring; it is complemented by bastions from the 16th and 17th centuries. For visitors interested in sacred architecture, Sint-Martinuskerk is another important landmark. It is an example of Brabantine Gothic, and its construction lasted from 1480 to 1664. The Rubens Altar comprises four paintings by Peter Paul Rubens.

The history of Aalst also includes the Gasthuyssite, which is one of the oldest settlement and city centres. The city developed from here from the 12th century onwards. The ’t Gasthuys Museum tells the history of Aalst through objects from the city. Admission is free; the stated opening hours for visitors are Tuesday to Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m.

Castle Park, Osbroek and the Dender

Kasteeldomein Terlinden adds another historical facet. The estate comprises a U-shaped castle with a main building from 1913 and side wings from the 18th century. The park is a landscaped park of historical and sociocultural value. This allows you to choose different focuses for your trip between urban architectural history and a historic park landscape.

Together with Stadspark, Osbroek forms a large contiguous green area in Aalst. It was created through erosion by the Dender and is a protected landscape; protection was established by Royal Decree on 30 November 1977. The free guided nature walks through Aalst’s natural areas take place on the first Sunday of each month and start at 10 a.m. Visitors can also paddle two-person kayaks on the Dender.

Routes for Active Days Away

If you would like to include a longer distance in your plans, the 20.9-kilometre “Verrassend Aalst” walking route begins at Sint-Annabrug in Aalst, near the Dender. The route can be treated as a separate focus for an active day, while the nature walks and paddling offer other forms of activity. For cycling tours, the Aalst cycling route uses green bicycle node signs.

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Aalst, it is therefore worth deciding on your preferred focus for the trip first. If the trip is to centre mainly on carnival, the Belfry and church art, the cultural topics take priority. Those who prefer to alternate between green spaces, water and longer routes can include Osbroek, Stadspark, the Dender and the “Verrassend Aalst” route in their plans.

For more ideas of places to visit, you can also expand your travel plans with the pages on Hofstade and Moorsel.

For the higher-level travel overview: East Flanders.

More Destinations

More places within the same destination:

Assenede, Ronse, Evergem, Temse, Horebeke, Hoeselt.