Aarle Rixtel: Bell Founding, Monastery Routes and Landscapes

Aarle Rixtel brings together the history of bell founding and its buildings with walking and cycling routes through varied landscapes. These highlights are easy to distinguish when planning your trip: local history stretches from the Petit & Fritsen bell foundry to churches, farmhouses and Kasteel Croy; outdoors, you can choose from trails of different lengths and character. If you’re looking for a hotel for a stay combining cultural history and time outdoors, you can plan around these themes.

Bell Foundry and Architectural History

The Petit & Fritsen bell foundry is officially dated to 1660 and has been based in Aarle-Rixtel since 1782. The Klokkengieterij Petit en Fritsen factory building was built for the bell founders in 1906; since 1907, the foundry has been housed in the monumental building at Klokkengietersstraat 1. The building contains Europe’s only wood-fired foundry. Huize De Klok also reflects the company’s history: the year 1782 on its façade marks the founding of Petit & Fritsen’s first bell foundry there. The building has Rijksmonument status because of its unique architecture.

Other dates trace different eras. A wall anchor on the right-hand side façade of the Tol- of wevershuisje bears the year 1785. The Langgevelboerderij Kannelustweg Aarle-Rixtel is a long-gabled farmhouse dating from 1714; a bakehouse stands at the start of Populierendreef. The oldest parts of Kasteel Croy date from the late 15th century. The estate includes a brick gateway with an octagonal stair tower, dating from around 1500. Until the end of the 19th century, the castle of Rixtel stood in ’t Gulden Land, better known as “Gulden Huijs.”

Churches, Chapel and Music Pavilion

Sacred and cultural buildings also offer different points of historical interest. The Onze Lieve Vrouw in ’t Zand chapel was founded around 1500 and rebuilt in 1597. The Onze Lieve Vrouw Presentatie Church dates from 1846 and is a so-called Waterstaatskerk. Its features include a tower with a distinctive dome and carillon, and a richly decorated interior with the monumental Smits organ.

The music pavilion was built in traditionalist forms in 1924 and restored in 1974. It has cultural-historical significance as an example of cultural development and architectural-historical value as an example of a traditionalist music pavilion; it is also rare. This combination of architectural style, history and rarity complements the older evidence of agriculture, religious architecture and industry.

Landscape and Walking

In ’t Gulden Land, swamp woodland alternates with grassland, shaping a water-rich landscape. Plans call for the area to be developed into a fully fledged nature reserve in the coming years. Plans also include opportunities for walking and cycling, and space for flowers, plants, insects, birds and other animals. The area’s historical and planned landscape development sit side by side: until the end of the 19th century, the castle of Rixtel stood here.

The De-Biezen Route passes through avenues, along sandy tracks, through old herb-rich grasslands and mixed forests. At Pak de Biezen, the route follows nature trails and wooden boardwalks, past meadows and through the forest; arrows mark the way. This walking route offers a choice of 4.5 km or a shortened 3.2 km option. A longer option is the Kloosterrondwandeling Aarle-Rixtel: it is 13 km long, takes about 3 hours and 20 minutes, and starts at Missieklooster Heilig Bloed. This lets you factor distance and time into your day’s plans without treating the different routes as equivalent.

Monastery Garden, Cycling Routes and Harbour

On 15 July 1903, 74 sisters moved into the new Missieklooster Heilig Bloed. Part of the monastery garden has been open to visitors since 2011. A path leads to the Lourdes grotto, which contains a Sacred Heart prayer site. Check the latest access information before visiting the garden. The monastery is also a useful starting point for a walk: the Kloosterrondwandeling Aarle-Rixtel begins here.

Cycling routes vary in both distance and starting point. The Fietsroute Laarbeek is about 35 km long and starts at the Onze Lieve Vrouw in het Zand chapel on Bosscheweg. The 47 km Fietsronde Aarle-Rixtel | Brabants Kloosterpad starts and ends at Missieklooster Heilig Bloed and leads on a pilgrimage to the Processiepark in Handel. Route details may change, so check the latest information on distance and duration before setting off.

The visitor facilities also include the Passantenhaven: in summer, it is full of leisure boats and offers visitors a pleasant mooring. When choosing your stay, you can first consider whether you want to focus mainly on architectural history, the partially open monastery garden, or a particular walking or cycling route.

Discover more destinations: Lieshout, Mariahout, Beek En Donk.

Go to the main travel overview: Laarbeek.