Gilze En Rijen: Memorial Routes, Village History and Nature

In the municipality of Gilze En Rijen, 26 Rijksmonumenten and 39 municipal monuments form part of the cultural heritage. Hiking and cycling trails, as well as themed routes, also explore the varied landscape. If you wish to visit a specific monument, check its individual listing in advance.

Memorial Sites and Village History

The Herinneringsroute Tweede Wereldoorlog is a 31-kilometre cycling route through the municipality’s four village centres. Along the way, it links memorial plaques, three Liberation Columns and two thanksgiving chapels. A dedicated memorial site is the war memorial in the cemetery in Gilze: it names 88 war victims from Gilze, Rijen, Hulten and Molenschot. The Dutch Dodenherdenking is held there every year on 4 May; the memorial service arrangements may change.

Another historical period takes us back to 1831. At the time, more than 13,000 soldiers were housed in Kamp Rijen in a tent city made of canvas and heathland sods, as large as Breda was then. Numerous rectangular pits are visible on the site of Kamp Rijen. Access may vary because the site is used for military purposes.

Villa Mol remains a prominent feature in the centre of Gilze and illustrates the Mol family’s influence on the village. Another industrial landmark in Rijen is the 32-metre-high factory chimney. It still marks the location of the former factory from a distance.

Chapel, Local History and Green Spaces

The earliest known mention of the Sint Annakapel in Molenschot dates back to 1549. For a long time, single people and couples wishing to have a child have made pilgrimages to Sint Anna, lighting a candle and praying for a life partner or the birth of a child. This tradition gives the chapel a special place in local history.

Heemkring Molenheide is dedicated to the history of Gilze, Rijen, Hulten and Molenschot. At the Heemgebouw in Gilze, the association offers a heritage garden and exhibitions on local history. As programme dates may change, it is advisable to check the schedule before visiting.

The public Mollebos is located in the centre of Gilze and was created from a former ornamental garden. Almost 80 trees grow there, including five Rijksmonument trees: three horse chestnuts, a lime tree and a beech. The park also serves, on a modest scale, as a venue for cultural activities; individual events may vary.

The Boerenblomhof adds to these green spaces with more than 250 plants, shrubs and trees. Its paths are designed to be wheelchair accessible. Visits are possible on the first Sunday of each month during the exhibition’s opening days. Check the dates in advance, as the opening schedule may change.

Planning Walking Routes and Tours

The Boomkikkerpad is part of an ecological corridor and runs through farmland, woodland and the distinctive village of Molenschot. The 3.7-kilometre trail starts at Landgoed Toxandria, Veenstraat 89, in Molenschot. The 6.1-kilometre Ommetje Leemkuilen starts at Café De Hooikar, Alphensweg 14a, in Gilze. Check trail conditions before setting off.

On the Ommetje Leemkuilen, you pass the De Schaepsdyck farm shop, which sells regional products, as well as a restored brickworks. Check whether the farm shop is open before your visit. If you are more interested in local history than a longer tour, Rijen has a three-kilometre historical circular walk north of the railway line. It passes Rijksmonumenten, municipal monuments and works of art.

The route lengths offer a practical initial comparison for planning: three kilometres on the historical walk, 3.7 kilometres on the Boomkikkerpad and 6.1 kilometres on the Ommetje Leemkuilen; the 31-kilometre route is a separate cycling option. This lets you make your planned activity the focus of your stay without treating hiking and cycling as the same thing.

The location of the wooded areas also offers different experiences: extensive forests lie near Chaam in the south of the municipality, while the Boswachterij Dorst pine forest is near Rijen. For travel by train, Rijen has the NS railway station Gilze-Rijen. From there, train services run to Dordrecht via Breda and to Arnhem/Nijmegen via Tilburg. Check the timetable before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Maasdonk, Best, Helmond, Reusel-De Mierden, Hilvarenbeek, Bergeijk.

Return to the main travel overview: North Brabant.