The cemetery contains 227 anonymous white crosses. Most of them have no name, only a number. In total, more than 6,000 vagrants are buried here. The cemetery consists of three plots, each with its own entrance and its own story.

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🇧🇪 Herwig Aertbeliën

April 4, 2025

Cycling

There are 227 anonymous white crosses in this cemetery. Most of them only have a number. A few crosses have a name. In the period 1873-2000, more than 6000 people were given a final resting place in the three cemeteries. Quite a touching place.

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wendy van de water

November 3, 2025

Hiking

Wortel Cemetery

Visit this silent witness to Wortel Colony's vagrant past. Vagrants were given a number upon arrival at the Colony. Lead plaques often bear only a number, not a name, on the white crosses of the vagrant cemetery.

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Best routes to Vagrants' Cemetery Merksplas Colony (Landlopersbegraafplaats Merksplas-Kolonie)

4.7

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281

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1. Colony - Eastern Rampart – Open hay barns Kolonie 5-7 loop from Natuurreservaat Eksterheide en omgeving

12.8km

03:14

20m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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4.7

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2. Open hay barns Kolonie 5-7 – Colony - Eastern Rampart loop from Kolonie Merksplas

11.2km

02:50

20m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

4.6

(19)

154

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3. Colony - Eastern Rampart – Open hay barns Kolonie 5-7 loop from Beerse

13.9km

03:31

20m

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Moderate

Details

Informations

Elevation 80 m

Weather

Tuesday 3 March

17°C

3°C

-- %

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Location: Merksplas, Turnhout, Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium

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Vagrants' Cemetery Merksplas Colony (Landlopersbegraafplaats Merksplas-Kolonie)

1. Colony - Eastern Rampart – Open hay barns Kolonie 5-7 loop from Natuurreservaat Eksterheide en omgeving

2. Open hay barns Kolonie 5-7 – Colony - Eastern Rampart loop from Kolonie Merksplas

3. Colony - Eastern Rampart – Open hay barns Kolonie 5-7 loop from Beerse

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