Holiday apartment in Hunsel: church, chapels and landscape

Hunsel combines a varied landscape with traces of regional history. The area around the village is characterised by higher-lying sandy soils and hedgerows. This offers families who want to combine culture and landscape on a trip a variety of points of interest. A holiday apartment in Hunsel provides the right thematic setting if you would like to plan your days around historic sites, a waterside landscape and paths through the countryside.

Church and pilgrimage history in Hunsel

The Sint Jacobus de Meerdere kerk is at the centre of the village’s history. It was built on the foundations of a medieval church; the present single-nave church dates from 1839. The original Romanesque marlstone tower was built around 1300. In 1951, the tower was rebuilt under the supervision of the architect Joseph Franssen. For many centuries and to this day, the church of Hunsel has been an important stop for pilgrims travelling to Santiago de Compostela.

In front of the church is the Jacobustuin, which has been decorated with a scallop shell since 2020. A historic statue of Saint Roch also belongs to St. Jacobuskerk in Hunsel. It dates from the 16th century and was created in the workshop of the Master of Elsloo. A route has also been visualised behind the Sint Jacobus de Meerdere kerk.

Chapels, farmsteads and special details of the village

Hunsel is still home to several old farmsteads and small chapels. The Bruggerkapel is a chapel dedicated to Mary, or Our Lady of Lourdes. It was built in 1902 from leftover bricks from the construction of the bridge over the Uffelse beek. The original Ongerbrögkerkapel was built around 1815 out of gratitude for the safe return from Russia of a soldier from Hunsel who had served in Napoleon’s army. The present Ongerbrögkerkapel is a Marian chapel rebuilt in 2006.

Uffelse beek and Grenswaterwandeling 10

The Uffelse beek is 35 kilometres long and is called Aabeek in Belgium. Its course can be experienced particularly directly on Grenswaterwandeling 10: For longer stretches, the route follows a grass path, mostly directly alongside the freely meandering Uffelse beek. It also passes the Lancaster Monument, which stands on the bank of a pond. The historical context recalls the crash of a British Lancaster bomber, ME 858, on 20 July 1944; seven crew members lost their lives in the accident.

Places to visit in the surrounding area

Kasteel Groot Buggenum and Kasteel ten Hove, both castles, are located near Hunsel. The surrounding area also includes Noordplas beach and the parks Beegderheide, Wellenstein and Houtsberg. Exaten and Kasteel Het Geudje are further castles in the area around Hunsel. At Uffelsestraat 5 in Haler stands the Uffelsemolen, a watermill dating from the 19th century. There is also a chapel near Hunsel, by the Uffelsemolen on the Uffelse beek.

When choosing your accommodation, you can focus on the mix you prefer: The church, chapels and pilgrimage connections provide a cultural focus, while the Uffelse beek and Grenswaterwandeling 10 add a natural dimension. Further places for regional orientation: Neer, Buggenum, Baexem, Ittervoort, Heythuysen, Ell, Haelen, Roggel.

For the overarching travel overview: Leudal.