Landen, a town in the countryside

“Landen is the city in the countryside,” An says enthusiastically. “No traffic jams here, no sprawling suburbs. Just 500 meters from the center, you’re in the middle of a gently rolling landscape, among Roman tumuli and medieval motte-and-bailey mounds, square farmhouses, and the most charming little field chapels you can imagine. A remote corner in the best sense of the word.”

“A little corner of Flemish Brabant, on the border with three other provinces. Here, you can cycle from village to village through the fields. I was born in Wange myself, had my First Communion there, and my parents were married and buried there. Every little village has its own charms. Like the Romanesque church tower in Walsbets, dating from the 13th century. The tower of St. Amandus Church in Wezeren is said to be even older; it was a defensive tower on the border between the Duchy of Brabant and the Prince-Bishopric of Liège, where skirmishes used to break out regularly. The stone block altar dates from the 11th century."

Hidden Gold Treasure

In Landen, you go from one surprise to the next, and the best way to do that is by cycling, says An. “The Landen route connects all the villages to the center. It’s beautiful during the blooming season, when the fruit trees are in bloom.” The starting point is a highlight right from the start. The Rufferdinge Experience Center is a historic watermill complex that also houses an interactive center dedicated to agriculture, technology, and hydropower. “Kids can play there, and adults can explore the history. And there’s even a treasure chamber—or at least that’s what I call it,” she laughs.

Because Landen has a history that captures the imagination. In Wange, traces were found dating back to the Linear Pottery culture, five thousand years before Christ. Roman, Merovingian, and medieval remains have also been unearthed here. They are true treasures. In 1994, during restoration work, a laborer found a small pouch containing 17 ancient gold coins in the bell tower of St. Amandus Church in Wezeren.

At Pepijn’s Home

Even more remarkable were the discoveries at the Sinte Gitter archaeological site, on the outskirts of town. “During excavations in 1958–1959, two Merovingian graves from the 7th century and the foundations of a small stone church from the 8th century were discovered. Was this the estate of Pepin of Landen? He was mayor of the palace to the Merovingian kings and an ancestor of Charlemagne. One of the two motte mounds in the area is still called Pepin’s Tomb, although it is actually a motte and not a tomb.”

Via Longa

“Take your time on the Landense route, because you’ll pass by the most beautiful little spots and field chapels. Such as the Chapel of the Holy Cross in Neerwinden, which stands on the site where, in 1693 and 1793, the great European armies fought fierce battles. Or the St. Job Chapel from 1705 on the Via Longa, the most beautiful sunken road in Flemish Brabant. A Roman road, deeply carved into the ground.”

A stroll through Vietnam

Landen is delightfully quirky. Even the neighborhood names are. “Ask for directions here, and you might be sent to Dallas or Old Korea,” An laughs. “The neighborhoods around downtown were given nicknames like Afghanistan, Dallas, Old and New Korea, Lebanon, Vietnam, Guantanamo, Cuba, and Tfabrik. They reflect the spirit of the times in which they were built. But you won’t find them on a map.”