Oirschot: Heritage and Walking Routes

Oirschot combines local history with activities on foot and by bike. Museums and historic buildings reveal different aspects of the past; several routes pass through Oirschot and the surrounding area. Depending on your travel interests, you can make a guided tour, a walking route or a cycling route the focus of your plans.

Museums and historic buildings

Museum de Vier Quartieren is located behind the basilica in Oirschot’s historic centre. It is housed in a monumental former canon’s house dating from the late Middle Ages. The immersive exhibition “Het oog van Vincent” depicts the former life of an Oirschot farming family from Vincent van Gogh’s perspective. Exhibition content may change; if this particular presentation is important to your plans, it is best to check the latest information.

The Sint-Petrusbasiliek also offers several points of connection with the town’s history: the first Sint-Petrus church in Oirschot was built in 1268, and the tower has a carillon with 50 bells. The Boterkerkje on Vrijthof is considered Oirschot’s oldest monument. The history of the Oude Raadhuis dates back to 1513: it was built with a covered market hall for trading butter, eggs, poultry and other goods. The buildings thus represent different historical themes, from church history to trade.

You can also discover special monuments through QR codes featuring a green stepped gable. Each code tells the story of a heritage site. This lets you explore local history at individual monuments rather than learning about it only as an overview.

Walks, guided tour and cycling route

For a guided overview of the historic centre, there is a circular tour lasting 1.5 to 2 hours. It passes monuments and introduces the town’s history. Dates and prices may change, so check them if you are planning to take the tour. The Kloosterrondwandeling Oirschot takes a different approach: it is 9.8 kilometres long, starts at Klooster Nazareth and passes, among other places, the Bedevaartsoord Heilige Eik, the Sint-Petrusbasiliek, Huis Den Beyerd, the chapel and the Sint-Joris Gasthuis.

The De Heilige Eik walking route is 9 kilometres long and runs through the area around the Kleine and Grote Beerze near Oirschot. It also passes the Kapel van de Heilige Eik, where walkers can light a candle. The two stated walking distances are close: at 9 kilometres, the De Heilige Eik route is shorter than the 9.8-kilometre Kloosterrondwandeling; they also differ in their respective stops and landscapes.

By bike, you can choose the IVN “Sporen van vroeger” route. It is about 21 kilometres long and runs in and around Oirschot. The cycling route therefore differs from the two walks both in mode of transport and in its greater distance. These distances give you a concrete basis for choosing the kind of exploration that suits your stay.

Brewing history and local offerings

The history of the De Kroon brewery can be encountered in several places. Proeflokaal Vandeoirsprong is located in the brewery’s former bottling plant. Visitors can order the brewery’s beer and a dish from the kitchen there. Vandeoirsprong brews beer in Oirschot, building on the history of the former De Kroon brewery. Museum Vandeoirsprong offers guided tours about the De Kroon family, the history of the brewery of the same name and the brewing process.

There are also two authentic drinking-water pumps on Oirschot’s market square. Together with the museums, buildings and routes, these places offer different ways to shape your stay around your interests, whether you are mainly interested in local history, walking or brewing history.

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