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Graventoren of Rupelmonde

Castles

Graventoren of Rupelmonde

Highlight • Historical Site

Graventoren of Rupelmonde

Recommended by 46 cyclists out of 47

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Location: Kruibeke, Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, Flanders, Belgium

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Top cycling routes to Graventoren of Rupelmonde

4.4

(69)

733

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1. Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp – Polders of Kruibeke loop from Temse

47.4km

02:46

120m

Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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4.3

(66)

679

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2. Polders of Kruibeke – Kruibeke Polder Nature Reserve loop from Van Eeden

44.9km

02:33

110m

Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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4.5

(36)

388

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3. View of the Durme – Polders of Kruibeke loop from Elversele

45.9km

02:36

100m

Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

Tips

🇧🇪 Herwig Aertbeliën

May 27, 2025

When you say Rupelmonde, you say Mercator and the Graventoren. This historic tower is a former moated castle that is linked to a bloody history.
The Graventoren was once owned by the Counts of Flanders. This colossal fortress protected the Scheldt from attackers and conquerors.

Historical context:
Mercator's dungeon
Mercator also plays a leading role in this story. When he shared his revolutionary insights with the world, he was promptly sent to the dungeon by the church authorities. Guess where that dungeon was located? Exactly, in the cellars of the Graventoren. He was locked up here for seven months, accused of heresy.

A bloody history
However, Mercator was not the only one who saw the cellars of the moated castle from the inside. Many dissidents suffered the same fate, and often worse. A stay in the dungeons of the Graventoren often ended with a bloody beheading. The Counts of Flanders may have a legendary status in history, but they were not sweethearts. Count Robrecht van Bethune once even threw his own son in jail here, accused of high treason. A kind of room arrest avant la lettre, you could say.

At the end of the 17th century, the curtain fell for the moated castle. The fortress was then drastically destroyed and the rubble was reused for other buildings. For example, the church of Rupelmonde was built with materials from the ruins of the castle.

Translated by Google •

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Elevation 80 m

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Tuesday 4 November

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Location: Kruibeke, Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, Flanders, Belgium

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Graventoren of Rupelmonde

1. Cathedral of Our Lady, Antwerp – Polders of Kruibeke loop from Temse

2. Polders of Kruibeke – Kruibeke Polder Nature Reserve loop from Van Eeden

3. View of the Durme – Polders of Kruibeke loop from Elversele

Other Popular Places to Check Out

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