Culture and History
The tower of Saint-Vaast Church is made of white bricks, was built in 1513, and is crowned by an octagonal spire reaching 82 metres. The church itself was rebuilt between 1602 and 1620 as a three-aisled hall church; part of the transept was preserved.
Anyone choosing Hondschoote as a holiday destination will want to rent a holiday apartment.
Hondschoote Town Hall was classified as a Monument historique by decree of 22 January 1910. It was built in the 16th century; the year 1558 is visible in the centre of the cornice, and its architecture features both Gothic and Renaissance elements. The building contains a former courtroom with panels depicting the town’s history.
Hondschoote Town Hall and the Musée Municipal d’Hondschoote can be visited by prior reservation. The museum houses several paintings from the church as well as a series depicting the Neuf Preuses.
La statue de la Victoire was erected in memory of the Battle of Hondschoote; the monument was inaugurated in 1890 and created by the Lille sculptor Darcq. The Chapelle Saint Augustin is a Neo-Gothic brick chapel from the late 19th century, built by the Congregation of the Black Sisters of Furnes. Inside, it has a wooden pointed-arch vaulted ceiling and stained-glass windows depicting, among others, King David, Saint Cecilia, and Saint Barbara.
The mills are also part of the townscape. The Moulin Spinnewyn, also called the Moulin de la Victoire, was built in 1993 in memory of the gendarmes who took part in the 1793 Battle of Hondschoote. It is a post mill; its millstones produce flour only during local festivals. The Noordmeulen is also a post mill. The year 1127 is inscribed on its main beam, which is why it is considered possibly the oldest windmill in Europe.
The Carillon de Hondschoote was officially inaugurated on the night of 31 December 1999 to 1 January 2000; it comprises 61 bells spanning five octaves and can be visited with a mini-concert by prior reservation.
Visits and virtual tours of Saint-Vaast Church are available by prior reservation through the tourist office in French, Dutch, English, and German.
Routes
The 10.4-kilometre Promenades des Zwingelaers hiking trail begins in Hondschoote and leads to flax retting facilities and former flax retting facilities, as well as exploring the history of the connection between Hondschoote and flax. The 10.5-kilometre Circuit de la Tour Blanche hiking trail combines Hondschoote’s Flemish architecture, chapels, oratories, and windmills with a walk through the agricultural countryside.
The Route du lin can be explored in Hondschoote on foot or by bicycle. The seasonal activity Découverte du lin leads from the flax fields to the workshops and showcases local know-how that remains alive today.
