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Rotemhoeve (Former Abbey of Mariënrode)

Rotemhoeve (Former Abbey of Mariënrode)

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Rotemhoeve (Former Abbey of Mariënrode)

Recommended by 13 hikers out of 16

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Location: Halen, Hasselt, South Limburg, Flanders, Belgium

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Best Hikes to Rotemhoeve (Former Abbey of Mariënrode)

4.3

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1. Black Devils Monument – Rotem Mill loop from Halen

9.41km

02:24

30m

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

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Moderate

3.0

(1)

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2. Rotem Mill – Black Devils Monument loop from Halen

11.6km

02:58

40m

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

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Moderate

4.0

(4)

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3. Rotem Mill – Mieke Pruimemond loop from Loksbergen

7.69km

01:59

30m

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Easy

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October 10, 2025

Remains of the "Rothem Abbey" now disappeared, except for this farmyard and the gatehouse. The original monastery was located near the border with Geetbets and Kortenaken.

On the Ferraris cabinet map (1770-1778), the abbey buildings are depicted as a complex with a square plan surrounding a central courtyard, located south of the Velp. Freestanding buildings surround this. East of the gatehouse is the hedged vegetable garden, and to the west is a hedged orchard with a pond. Rotemstraat is bordered by a row of trees. The Vandermaelen map (1846-1854) shows only the farm and the gatehouse, surrounded by fields and grassland.

Today, the farm is situated in an agricultural area of fields and meadows and is bordered to the north by the Velp, which forms a green ribbon with its accompanying row of shrubs and trees.

Inventory of Immovable Heritage: Mariëndal Abbey and surroundings, id.erfgoed.net/erfgoedobjecten/21795

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October 10, 2025

In the early 13th century, a women's abbey was established near Halen. The precise date, the first location, and the initiator remain unclear, but it is certain that Mariënrode already existed before 1239, the year in which the abbey is first mentioned in a papal bull. The foundation of Mariënrode in Rotem near Halen fits perfectly within the Western European time period of the 12th-13th centuries.

A major change was the dissolution and sale of Mariënrode in 1797, which resulted in the disappearance of most of the monastery site (church, gatehouse, chapter house, refectory, hospital, stables, barn, brewery). Only the farm remained. To this day, the foundations of the former abbey site are still clearly visible in the meadow between the abbey farm and the Velpe. North of the Velpe, between Liniestraat and Velpenstraat, the ground may also contain remains of buildings belonging to the former lordship of Velpen, the "mansion of Velperen" and the "paenhuis" (paw house).

Inventory of Immovable Heritage: Battlefield of Halen, id.erfgoed.net/erfgoedobjecten/300946

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An 🇧🇪

April 14, 2025

This 'beautiful farm' is called the Rotemhoeve and is the last remnant of the former Rotem Abbey, also called the Mariënrode Abbey. The abbey was founded around 1237 on the Wolfsput and was located on a piece of land cut from the Petanenbos on the border with Geetbets and Kortenaken. In 1242 it was moved to its current location, on the banks of the Velpe, between Velpen and Rotem (Halen). An associated watermill, the Rotemse Molen, was built shortly after 1422. In 1304, the patronage rights of the chapel were granted to the Godsdal Abbey in Aubel, and later it came to the Villers Abbey. From 1735, this right came to the Saint-Sauveur Abbey. The church was built from 1323-1324, in 1355 the construction of the monastery buildings was started and in 1518 new monastery buildings were built. In 1669 the current gatehouse was built and at the beginning of the 18th century, under Abbess Constance de Millet, there were many construction activities. In 1711 the church was renovated, in 1714 an abbess' quarters was built, in 1722 a farmyard and in 1728 a guest house. In 1777 and 1779 new service buildings were built. Around 1796 (the French period) the abbey was dissolved. Church and monastery were demolished. The abbey was never very large, because there were several Cistercian abbeys in the area. The gatehouse from 1669 is still present. It is a brick building with sandstone decorations. In 1777 the appearance of the gatehouse was changed. The large basket-arch gate and the adjacent pedestrian gate are from this year. Nowadays, this gatehouse is part of a farm complex: the Rotemhoeve, formerly the monastery farm. It is a closed farm with buildings from the second half of the 18th century, among others. Next to the farm is a garden and an orchard. The impressive complex is also of landscape importance.

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Elevation 70 m

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Monday 19 January

7°C

-1°C

0 %

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Max wind speed: 10.0 km/h

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Location: Halen, Hasselt, South Limburg, Flanders, Belgium

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Rotemhoeve (Former Abbey of Mariënrode)

1. Black Devils Monument – Rotem Mill loop from Halen

2. Rotem Mill – Black Devils Monument loop from Halen

3. Rotem Mill – Mieke Pruimemond loop from Loksbergen

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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