Geluveld: Hilly Landscape and History

Geluveld combines a hilly landscape with hiking trails and historical themes. If you’re looking for a hotel in Geluveld, you can shape your trip around nature, religious art and First World War memorial sites. Notable points of interest include the Geluveld walking loop, St. Margaret’s Church and several memorials.

Hilly Landscape and Hiking

Geluveld’s landscape is hilly and crossed by the Reutelbeek and Kasteelbeek streams. The Geluveld walking loop is 4.5 km long and starts at Marktplaats Geluveld, where parking is also indicated. Its length and starting point give the route a concrete framework for planning. The Geluveld walking route offers expansive scenery and panoramic views over the Leie Valley and the border region. Those interested in hiking will find both a specific route length and wide-ranging views. The streams shape the description of hilly Geluveld, while the panoramas take in the Leie Valley and the border region. The route details and scenery therefore offer different starting points for planning your trip.

Church and the Tradition of St. Margaret

St. Margaret’s Church in Geluveld contains numerous wax figures of Saint Margaret; several bas-reliefs on the exterior depict scenes from her life. The figures inside and reliefs outside portray the same saint in different forms: as a three-dimensional figure and in scenes from her life story. The novena in honour of Saint Margaret against “cramps” begins each year on 20 July. If this tradition is important to your trip, check the current dates before planning; event details may change.

Castle History and Memorial Sites

The rebuilt Keingiaert de Gheluvelt Castle was an improved copy of the old castle. Its relationship to the original building remains a central point in the castle’s history: the reconstruction builds on the old castle while presenting an improved version.

A straight entrance avenue runs from Geluveldplaats to the main entrance of the castle estate. It describes a direct route from the square to the entrance of the grounds.

A memorial to the South Wales Borderers Regiment commemorates the fierce fighting around Geluveld Castle Park on 31 October 1914; it was unveiled in 1929. The two dates mark different events: 1914 is the date of the event being commemorated, while 1929 is the later unveiling.

The Geluveldmolen was destroyed by the Germans on 27 October 1914. In 1923, the Geluveldmolen was moved from Watou to Geluveld to replace the destroyed windmill. Nine years therefore separate the destruction and its replacement.

A memorial featuring a portrait bust of King Albert I stands southeast of St. Margaret’s Church at Geluveldplaats. The Worcestershire Regiment memorial was unveiled on 31 October 1925. The two memorials can be distinguished by different features: the portrait and location identify the King Albert I memorial, while the regiment and unveiling date identify the Worcestershire Regiment memorial.

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