TYPE: CIRCULAR WALK
Distance: 5 km
Difficulty: easy
START- and END POINT: MARKT, CULEMBORG
Public transport: It is 20 minutes walk from the station to the city centre
October, 16, 2024
Today was the day, I had an appointment at Ventje in Culemborg to place the upper bedboard in my camper. It would take about 3 hours so ideal to go and discover the city walk in Culemborg.
Fifteen minutes before my appointment, a small stone hit my windshield hard – later, during the repair, I found out it was actually two small stones, side by side. It also turned out that the installation of the upper bed wasn't planned. They thought I was only coming to look at one. However, after an internal check, they were able to install it after all. Top-notch service!
I had a quick coffee and then headed for the city centre. Culemborg has a rich history and has over centuries developed from a modest trading town on the Lek River to a bustling city in the Betuwe.
On the Market Square, there's a panel with information about various walks in the area, ranging from 4 to 17 km. So, plenty of options! I personally followed the city walk written in the brochure of Stichting Bureau Toerisme, a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and growing the leisure sector in the municipality of Buren since 2004. The brochure is well-written with beautiful pictures, and I would definitely also recommend the walk. This city walk provides insights into the history of Culemborg and takes you past monumental buildings.
I entered the city through the Binnenpoort, the only of seven city gates that has been preserved. In 1318 Culemborg was granted city rights and the fortifications of the old city centre began. In the early 20th century, it almost came to the point where this gate would cease to exist. The gate was set to make way for traffic. However, members of the 'Voet' association and some prominent citizens were able to ensure that the Binnenpoort was preserved.
In the Herenstraat I pass the Elisabeth Weeshuismuseum. The orphanage itself was founded in 1560 thanks to the legacy of Lady Elisabeth van Culemborg. As the daughter of Jasper van Culemborg and Johanna van Bourgondië, she grew up at the Habsburg court in Brussels. When her father died (1504) she became Lady of Culemborg. She married twice but died childless at the age of 80. A large part of her legacy had to be spent on the ‘true poor’.
Until 1952 it served as an orphanage. Nowadays you also find other institutions in the building, such as the library.
In the garden behind the city office you'll find a small chalet-style building. Between 1857 and 1935 there was also a small seminary, where boys were trained to become priests. In 1899 this small gazebo became a toilet building for the small seminary. In the past it was mockingly referred to as De Acht Zaligheden because of the eight toilets where future priests could relieve themselves in peace. The small seminary itself burned down, but this building was preserved.
In 2003, De Acht Zaligheden was restored and, as the smallest gallery in Culemborg, it now serves as an exhibition space. While the monument cannot be entered, exhibitions can always be viewed from the outside.
From the Slotstraat you walk onto the castle grounds. For centuries the lords and counts of Culemborg lived here as did Lady Elisabeth. Due to French domination, it was so ruined by the French in 1762 that it became uninhabitable and continued to decay. Around 1812, the castle itself completely disappeared. Only the foundations are still visible. The well however has been beautifully restored
These are just a few highlights of this beautiful city walk.
Before you head out, make sure to also check Culemborg is right.
