Grote Hoeve – Colony 7 Visitor Center loop from Kolonie Merksplas

Hiking trails & Routes

Grote Hoeve – Colony 7 Visitor Center loop from Kolonie Merksplas

Easy

4.6

(32)

192

hikers

Grote Hoeve – Colony 7 Visitor Center loop from Kolonie Merksplas

01:17

5.04km

10m

Hiking

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: August 17, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

986 m

Colony Church

Highlight • Religious Site

1.32 km

Historic main building - Merksplas Colony

Highlight • Historical Site

The Merksplas penitentiary was built in 1825 as a colony to accommodate beggars and vagrants. After WWII it evolved into a semi-open prison with a community regime. Today it is a closed institution for convicts.

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1.53 km

Gentse Wijk, Merksplas

Highlight • Forest

2.51 km

The Basin - Historic Swimming Pool Colony

Highlight • Lake

Historic Swimming Pool was dug manually by vagrants in the 19th century. The 'Bassin' of yesteryear had the allure of the French Riviera and was only allowed for staff. There …

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3.93 km

Vagrants' Cemetery Merksplas Colony (Landlopersbegraafplaats Merksplas-Kolonie)

Highlight • Historical Site

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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4.77 km

Grote Hoeve

Highlight • Historical Site

The Grote Hoeve ("Big Court") was built in 1880 according to a design by Victor Besme in monastic architecture. The buildings are arranged along a large rectangular courtyard.
You can …

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4.88 km

Colony 7 Visitor Center

Highlight • Historical Site

Get to know Colony 5-7 here!
The visitor center tells the story of Wortel and Merksplas Colony. Walk at your own pace through this former pigsty of the Grote Hoeve …

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4.95 km