Holiday apartment in Siebengewald: border history, art and nature

Siebengewald stands out for its location on the border and its combination of history, art and nature. The town is a true border town where many German residents do their shopping in typically Dutch style. You can also experience its special location by bicycle: from Siebengewald, you can cross the border into Germany or cycle into the De Maasduinen area, a large nature reserve.

Holiday apartment in Siebengewald between border history and local life

The town's history goes far beyond present-day experiences of the border. The historic settlement of Siebengewald was an exclave under the rule of Weeze, situated between Afferden and Goch. After the exchange of the exclaves in 1817, the old farming community became the nucleus of present-day Dutch Siebengewald. The local past also includes the production of heather brooms, which was an important source of income for the inhabitants.

The war memorial is located next to the chapel in the Siebengewald cemetery. It commemorates nine local residents who lost their lives in acts of war. The Sint-Jozefkerk in Siebengewald was destroyed in February 1945. The foundation stone of St. Jozefkerk was laid on 10 July 1955, and the church was consecrated on 8 September 1956.

Art and historical traces in the town

The former barracks at Augustinusweg 2 housed customs officers who guarded the border and had to arrest smugglers. The former Jagershof café has a history of more than 200 years as an inn. The Haagdoorn building at the corner of Augustinusweg and Gochsedijk later also became known as Jagershof.

The sculpture “Playing Children” by Sef Moonen, dating from 1965, stands on Kendelweg near the 't Kendelke primary school. The artwork “Border Crossings” by Hans Mes is located next to Gochsedijk. On the property at Boterdijk 64, there is a section of Augustinusweg, which was formerly called PLEESSEN DIECK.

Cycling and hiking in De Maasduinen

Between junctions 33 and 27, a cycling route runs partly through the Bleijenbeek golf course. De Maasduinen National Park has marked hiking trails, including a route between nodes 43 and 86. The routes provide clear reference points for planning a day out: when cycling, you use junctions, while when hiking, you use the nodes in the national park. Combined with the option of cycling from Siebengewald into the De Maasduinen area, this gives you a choice between bike rides and marked hiking routes.

When planning a trip to Siebengewald, regional products complement its border history, art, cycling and hiking. At Ingenbleek Asperges, you can buy asparagus grown on their own land. Alongside the landscape and history, regional products are therefore also part of Siebengewald's distinctive character.

You can then discover Well, Afferden and Wellerlooi for more places in the same area.

For the broader travel overview: Bergen.