Bovekerke: Local history and trails through the landscape

When planning a stay in Bovekerke, it is worth considering two different topics: historic buildings and the Poggio mountain bike route through the flat landscape. This will help you decide in advance whether local history or a bike ride better suits your plans.

Church and architectural history

The Parochiekerk Sint-Gertrudis is a three-aisled brick church built between 1841 and 1848. Its architecture includes a Romanesque crossing tower dating from the 12th century, which serves as an eastern tower with a portal. This brings together different building periods in one structure: the medieval tower and the 19th-century church. The furnishings also include a fully preserved 17th-century pulpit, which remains in its original location.

The churchyard around the Sint-Gertrudiskerk is also part of the local history. It is accessed through a gate; memorial and gravestones are set into the church walls. The church tower is visible from the surrounding streets and serves as a landmark in the village of Bovekerke. The church therefore not only shapes the historic character of the area, but also helps people find their way around the village.

Other buildings reflect different public functions and styles. Bovekerke’s former town hall is a protected monument. It was built around 1922–1923 to plans by Bruges architect Theo Raison. The municipal boys’ school was built in 1873 in the neoclassical style, to plans by provincial architect Pierre Buyck. The buildings thus represent different periods and purposes: administration on the one hand, education on the other.

The events of the First World War are also connected with these buildings. The Germans first used the Parochiekerk Sint-Gertrudis as a field hospital and then as a warehouse; its tower served as an observation post. The boys’ school was used as a stable for horses during the war. From 1919, the boys received lessons in a so-called “front-line school” in a front room of the school building. The Kapel Onze-Lieve-Vrouw adds to this local history: it was built in the 1950s in fulfilment of a vow for a mother’s recovery.

Trails and landscape

The Poggio mountain bike route runs through Bovekerke’s flat landscape. It takes you along old farm tracks and unpaved paths to the beginning of the polders. The route thus reflects both the landscape and the character of the trail. As the condition of unpaved paths can change, it is advisable to check current conditions before setting out.

The Budopad in Koekelare offers a different kind of activity: it runs through the local arboretum and is designed as an adventure course. It focuses on balance, focus, concentration and physical activity. This makes it different from the Poggio route, whose description emphasises mountain biking and the Bovekerke landscape.

If you are looking for a hotel in Bovekerke, you can take these different interests into account when planning your trip. The buildings offer an opportunity to explore local and wartime history; the Poggio mountain bike route is a way to experience the flat landscape. Consider which theme you would like to shape your stay before comparing specific hotel offers.

For the broader travel overview: Koekelare.