Lottum: Rose Culture, History and Nature

Lottum is especially associated with rose cultivation; at the same time, chapels, churches and the historic Borggraaf estate tell the story of the village. The landscapes also vary: Kaldenbroek is characterised by hay meadows and alder carr forests, while the natural course of the stream takes centre stage at Siebersbeek. You can tailor your trip to your interests by choosing how much emphasis to place on rose culture, architectural history and nature.

Rose Culture and Routes

The first roses were cultivated in Lottum around 1875. Around 20 million shrub roses are grown each year in Rozendorp Lottum and the immediate surrounding area. This accounts for 70 percent of Dutch production; this share may change over time. The Rozenhof Lottum Museum presents the history and development of roses, their role in culture and new developments in rose breeding. This brings together a historical overview and a look at breeding.

Rozenhof Lottum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., from May through October. It is also a good starting and finishing point for interesting hiking routes. Check the opening hours before your visit; route availability may also change. The Rozenroute is marked with green signs bearing the words “Rozenfietsroute”.

Landscape at Kaldenbroek and Siebersbeek

Kaldenbroek lies in an old, largely silted-up bend of the Meuse. The area consists largely of a mosaic of partly damp hay meadows and alder carr forests. Open meadows and woodland thus meet here, with the meadows being damp only in some areas. The Siebersbeek nature reserve has a different focus: it is one of the rare places where streams have retained their natural character. The flow of the stream shapes the landscape there.

Chapels, Church and Historic Buildings

De Borggraaf was first mentioned in 1501. The compact manor house has a forecourt and outbuildings surrounded by water. The complex’s high state of preservation within an almost undisturbed rural setting accounts for the general and cultural-historical significance of the historic Borggraaf estate.

The original Quirinus Chapel was probably founded around 1638 by Jacob van den Hondskamp. The Quirinus Chapel in Lottum was built in 1946 to replace a chapel destroyed in the war. The residents built the Holy Family Chapel in the hamlet of Houthuizen in 1947, in gratitude that their hamlet had survived the war unscathed. The rosary is prayed there on Sunday afternoons in May and October; the chapel is on the Pieterpad.

The Roman Catholic parish church of H. Gertrudis was built in 1950 on the same site as the church destroyed by the Germans in 1944. St. Anne’s Chapel was built in 1909 and restored in 2002. During the annual fair and Corpus Christi procession, held on the first Sunday in July, it serves as a resting altar.

The Houthuizer Molen houses an information room operated by Stichting de Houthuizer Molen. If you plan to visit during your stay, check visitor information in advance. There is also a former oil mill at Siebersbeek, mentioned as early as 1440 in a deed; the chamber for the waterwheel has been preserved.

The former railway is also part of the history of rose-growing: Lottum had its own railway stop, where a rose bed was planted to promote the rose. The Lottum–Lomm car ferry connects Lottum with Lomm. Check the latest operating information before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Broekhuizenvorst, Sevenum, Evertsoord, Griendtsveen, Horst, Melderslo, Meerlo, Hegelsom

For the overview of the wider area: Horst Aan De Maas.