'De Wens Bron' is fortunate enough to be situated in one of the most delightful countryside areas of Belgium roughly between the towns of Tongeren and St. Truiden. In fact, we are only 10kms away from both St.Truidens Saturday morning fleemarket and Tongerens weekly Sunday morning Antique/Fleemarket, and only 500metres away from over 300kms of safe Cycling/Walking routes.

Below you will see a sample of the things to do plus a little of the history of these areas, but it is by no means exhaustive, please also pay a visit to our Googlemap which is constantly being updated with places to visit.

Borgloon

Borgloon dates back to the middle ages.

It was built on top of a hill, in former days it was a reinforced city which governed the sepulchres concerning their county, which on his peak the current province, equaled Limburg in size. Borgloon enjoys the splendid centre of the fruit growing region where sloping lands, splendid castle parks and thriving orchards - in spring nevertheless - are a sight for the eye.

In Borgloon you find walking or cycling and placidity rests, values which become always more important in this hechtic society. Discover our many castles, churches and monuments in several styles. Here past times breathe and speak through the stones.

St. Truiden

Sint-Truiden’s historical centre includes the town hall (Stadhuis), with a 17th-century tower classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1999. The oldest parts of the building date from the 13th century.

The 15th-century Church of Notre Dame (Lievenvrouwenkerk) stands just beside the town hall. The béguinage of Sint-Agnes, with its 13th-century church, was also classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. An 11th-century Romanesque tower and crypt are all that remain of the old abbey of St Trudo. Several other Romanesque buildings can also be visited in town: Sint-Pieterskerk, Sint-Gangulfuskerk, and the Guvelingen chapel.

On the abbey square stands the statue of St Trudo which, together with a meridian line traced on the ground, also functions as a sundial. Sint-Truiden offers several good examples of Baroque architecture, including the gable of the town hall and the Minderbroederkerk.

Tongeren

The oldest city in Belgium dates back to Roman times. No matter which direction you come from, you can see the belfry tower for miles.

During the course of the 12th and 13th centuries the rise of the regional textile industry contributed to a large extent to the emancipation of the urban settlements that arose around the feudal fortresses.  In the 13th and 14th centuries, belfries were detached buildings with added multifunctional halls that  served both as administrative and commercial purposes.

In another type of architecture in 14th and 15th centuries, the belfry tower is incorporated in the elevation of the main façade of the town hall.  Gradually, the clock and watch tower function of the belfry became predominant and as a result the belfries were given a more elegant and tall elevation and crowning which in fact fits in very well with the gothic style prevailing at that time but thus also made into easy targets for enemy attack.

The greatest humiliation to which the enemy could subject a town was the imposition of silence, causing damage or even forcibly removing the belfry's bells and the carillons.  In "ancient" Brabant and neighboring areas the role of the secular belfry is frequently taken over by the main church. The belfry in Tournai which dates back to 1187 is the oldest in Belgium.

Below are some pictures from the antique market which is one of the most famous markets in Belgium, featuring over 300 stands.