Turnhout: Beguinage, Museums and Outdoor Discoveries

Turnhout combines architectural and urban history with museums devoted to playing cards, medicine and the region. Outdoors, a playful treasure hunt, nature watching and a cycling route steeped in railway history complement the cultural themes. This means visitors with different interests can each find their own focus – from the architecture of historic complexes to outdoor activities.

Architectural history on different scales

Turnhout Beguinage is laid out around a square and has an almost trapezoidal ground plan. Tree-lined courtyards shape the complex. The Holy Cross Church is centrally located in the western part of the beguinage and dates from the mid-17th century. The square, courtyards and church make the layout as much a subject of interest as the history of the individual buildings.

The Castle of the Dukes of Brabant is the oldest secular building in Turnhout. The monumental St Peter’s Church tells a story spanning a different period: its construction began around 1300 and continued for more than four centuries. Unlike the dating of the Holy Cross Church, the focus here is not on a single period but on a lengthy building process. Together, the three sites offer different ways to explore architectural history.

Museums with distinct themes

The National Museum of Playing Cards explores the history and development of playing cards, as well as their traditional manufacture. The Meduceum – Medical Educational Museum has a different focus: it presents the history of caring for sick people and the life and achievements of physician Paul Janssen, the founder of Janssen Pharmaceutica. Playing cards and medical history are thus the main themes of the two museums.

The Taxandria Museum presents the culture and history of Turnhout and the Antwerp Kempen. It is housed in Huis metten Thoren, a 16th-century building. The house was once home to prominent families and often served as guest accommodation for kings and nobles. Here, a regional perspective on history and culture meets the building’s former use. Those interested in the city and its region will find a different thematic perspective here than in the museums devoted to playing cards and medicine.

Treasure hunt, nature and cycling route

The Zybo Walk is a playful and educational treasure hunt of approximately 1.5 kilometres through De Heizijdse Velden Park. The city farm is also located in the park. Its approximate length and activity-based format give this outing a clearly defined scope, combining movement with discovery.

A freely accessible play forest is located 300 metres from Klein Engelandhoeve. Endangered bird species such as the black-tailed godwit, Eurasian curlew and northern lapwing can be seen on the Vennenwandeling. Numerous dragonflies, colourful butterflies and the heath spotted orchid are also mentioned. The route offers a connection with nature that differs from the treasure hunt and the cultural and historical themes.

Bels Lijntje follows the former route of railway line 29 and has been a cycling route since the end of the 20th century. Its history connects cycling with the transformation of a railway line. Turnhout therefore offers different ways to spend time outdoors: a treasure hunt, nature watching and a cycling route with a historical connection.

Plan your trip around your interests

When looking for a holiday apartment in Turnhout, you can start by considering which themes you want to shape your stay. Architectural history and museums offer a different focus from a treasure hunt, nature watching and cycling. If you would like to combine several of these interests, consider planning your stay so that you do not try to fit every experience into a single day. This way, your choice of accommodation can reflect the mix of experiences you want, without having to limit yourself to just one side of Turnhout.

Discover more destinations:

Kasterlee, Ranst, Boom, Ravels, Kalmthout, Rijkevorsel, Baarle-Hertog, Sint-Amands

For the overview of the wider region, see: Antwerp Province.