Summary
Located where the River Dender meets the Scheldt, Dendermonde is a historic city rich in cultural heritage.
It boasts two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: a striking Gothic belfry and a beguinage that originates from the 13th century.
Moreover, Dendermonde is renowned for its folkloric horse, Ros Beiaard, which, according to legend, rescued its owner and three brothers (Four Sons of Aymon) from capture by Charlemagne.
Every decade, with the last occurrence in 2020, this 800-kg wooden figure is displayed around Dendermonde, ridden by actual brothers simulate the Medieval riders.
Indeed, Ros Beiaard is a significant cultural icon, even featured in the city’s anthem.
1. Grote Markt
It is fascinating to consider that individuals have convened on Dendermonde’s main square for centuries.
Originally, this area served as the outer bailey of a castle, and archaeological findings have uncovered an 11th-century cemetery.
Currently capturing attention are the Vleeshuis (meat hall) and the city hall alongside its Gothic belfry, all of which welcome public visitors.
The square’s ancient cobblestones were replaced with more accessible paving in 2004, featuring an intricate design by artist Harold Van de Perre.
You can relax at the terraces with a local tripel or dubbel, and if adventurous, enjoy it with a slice of the local delicacy, headcheese accompanied by mustard.
There are weekly markets every Monday, and a significant Christmas market is held in early December in this square and surrounding streets.
2. Stadhuis
The city hall, established in the 13th century, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its magnificent belfry, one of just 56 listed towers across Belgium and Northern France.
Initially, Dendermonde’s belfry functioned as a corner tower for the city’s cloth hall.
This structure, characterized by stepped gables and intricate moulded niches, was integrated into the city hall during the 15th century.
The belfry has housed a carillon since the 16th century (reinstalled in the 70s following WWI devastation), and visitors on Sundays or Mondays from 11:00 to 12:00 can enjoy a concert by the city’s carilloneur.
The city hall, belfry, and cloth hall can all be explored through a self-guided tour using an audio guide.
This opportunity is particularly compelling due to the collection of fine art on the first floor, primarily representing the 19th-century Dendermondse School, along with works by Piet van de Ouderaa, Henry De Noble, and Frans and Jan Verhas.
3. Vleeshuismuseum
The splendid Late Gothic meat trading hall in Grote Markt was completed in 1462, replacing a previous structure from the 13th century.
It served as the venue where local butchers conducted business on the ground floor, being the singular location in Dendermonde where they were authorized to sell directly to consumers.
By the 1860s, the original meat counters were dismantled, and the hall was repurposed into a covered market for vegetables.
The city’s museum began its operation in 1899, remarkably surviving the First World War without damage.
Inside, one can view an authentic 30,000-year-old mammoth skeleton, ancient blades and firearms, and a wooden figurehead from either the Merovingian or Saxon periods.
The museum also provides insights into Dendermonde’s culture, detailing local guild life, the city’s processional giants, and the legendary horse, Ros Beiaard.
4. Begijnhof
This beguinage housed Beguines, devout laywomen who abstained from taking formal vows of poverty, from its inception in 1288 until the last passed away in 1975. The Sint-Alexiusbegijnhof consists of 61 homes arranged around a grassy trapezoidal square, reconstructed at the end of the 16th century following an iconoclastic riot.
In 1998, the beguinage was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a museum was established, preserving houses No. 11, 24, 25, and the infirmary from 1709, which assist in maintaining the site.
These residences, furnished with period appliances and furniture, offer insights into the daily life of a beguine during the 19th and 20th centuries.
5. Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk
Inside the stunning Scheldt Gothic church with its octagonal tower, there is much to explore.
Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk attained its current form when the earlier 11th-century Romanesque structure was transformed between the 13th and 15th centuries.
The adjoining buildings on the east side constitute a chapterhouse that has existed in various forms since the 12th century.
Among its interior treasures are paintings by renowned artists such as Anthony van Dyck, Gaspar de Crayer, and David Teniers the Elder.
Additionally, do not miss the exquisite 12th-century Romanesque baptismal font fashioned from Tournai blue-black limestone, as well as the 17th-century Baroque choir screen, pulpit, confessionals, and other intricately carved church furnishings from the same era.
Moreover, the church treasury showcases invaluable silver and gold liturgical items, including monstrances and reliquaries.
6. Abdij van Dendermonde
Another notable landmark in the historic center of Dendermonde is the active Benedictine abbey located on Vlasmarkt.
Dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, it was established in 1837 by one of the last monks from Affligem Abbey, which was dissolved during the French Revolution in 1797. The site chosen for Dendermonde’s abbey was previously a 16th-century Capuchin monastery, reconstructed in the neo-Gothic style in the late 19th century.
The monks also acquired a portion of the adjacent Prinsenhof palace.
Regrettably, the abbey suffered significant fire damage during World War I and was reconstructed in the 1920s.
The monks sustain themselves by brewing a sought-after abbey beer, Dendermonde Tripel, a top-fermented, dark blonde beer with a subtly sweet flavor.
They also distill a herbal liqueur named Smaragdus, ideal both as a digestif and in dessert recipes.
Aside from the modest yet attractive basilica and the monastery shop, access is limited to the abbey, except during the afternoon on Whit Monday when visitors have a rare opportunity to observe a modern-day monastery in operation.
7. Dendermonde–Puurs Steam Railway
A 14-kilometer heritage railway operates from July to September, connecting Dendermonde with the town of Puurs, situated midway to Antwerp.
This railway is maintained by a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving a fleet of nine steam and diesel locomotives in varying conditions of restoration.
The experience of traveling through the East Flanders and Antwerp countryside in a vintage 1930s carriage takes approximately 70 minutes one-way from Baasrode-Noord in Dendermonde, with a stop in Sint-Amands along the way.
Visitors can also tour the workshop and yard in Dendermonde to view the collection of rolling stock and the ongoing restoration projects for carriages, electric commuter trains, and locomotives.
8. Gerechtsgebouw van Dendermonde (Justititiepaleis)
Historically, the Lords of Dendermonde resided at the site of the current Court of First Instance located on the left bank of the Oude Dender.
In 1664, this castle was given to a Carmelite monastery, which was later suppressed during the French Revolution.
The impressive neo-Gothic courthouse visible today is the second building at this site, as the first Neoclassical structure was destroyed during a German assault in World War I.
Renowned sculptors Geo Verbanck and Oscar Sinia contributed to the decorative elements on the facade.
The facade features Dendermonde’s famous folkloristic horse, Ros Beiaard, alongside the Four Sons of Aymon.
Additionally, coats of arms representing Belgium’s various judicial districts embellish the facade, with gilded owls adorning the tower—symbols of wisdom.
9. Bastion VIII
Until the 20th century, Dendermonde was encircled by walls and a canal belt, remnants of its history as a fortified barrier between the Dutch Republic and the Kingdom of France.
Traces of these defensive structures can be found throughout the city, and a glance at a map reveals the outline of the moat.
In the western area of Dendermonde, a former bastion fell into disrepair and became a landfill.
However, this site was cleaned several decades ago and now serves as a nature education center, mainly catered for schools.
For adults, it offers a peaceful environment for leisurely walks in close proximity to the city center.
Several information boards highlight the old defenses amidst a mosaic of habitats including scrub, wet woodland, and freshwater areas.
10. Wandelroute: Dendermonde Vestingstad
If the history of Dendermonde’s military background intrigues you, a three-kilometer walking path has been established by the city’s tourist office.
This route, although not signposted, can be undertaken with a complimentary leaflet and map.
Participants will encounter bastions, ravelins, restored city gates, an infantry barracks, an arsenal, and a military hospital, largely originating from the early 18th century when Dendermonde was fortified against potential French incursions that ultimately occurred in the 1740s.
The leaflet includes detailed descriptions of each site, alongside an overview of the complex geopolitical landscape that heightened Dendermonde’s vulnerability to invasion.
11. Zwijvekemuseum
In the heart of Dendermonde, one can explore the remnants of a Cistercian Abbey established within the city walls in 1223. Zwijveke Abbey was relocated behind the church of Sint-Gillis-Binnen in the 17th and 18th centuries but ultimately fell victim to the French Revolution and was auctioned off in 1798. Although much of the complex was destroyed, the Neoclassical cloisters were repurposed as housing for Dendermonde’s working class and were ultimately restored in 1980 to function as a museum.
Visitors are encouraged to admire the sophisticated gallery arches, which were occupied by dwellings for over 150 years.
The museum, open Monday through Friday, houses a collection of memorial stones and tombstones dating from the 1500s to the 1800s, as well as documents reflecting the local cultural history throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
12. CC Belgica
Dendermonde is home to a compact performing arts venue situated in a splendid Renaissance Revival building on Kerkstraat in the city center.
Since its inception in 1996, CC Belgica has hosted a variety of shows, and upon attending a performance, guests can unwind at the stylish bar with an adjoining terrace.
Although the auditorium is modest in size, it is excellently equipped for a diverse range of musical presentations, plays, stand-up comedy, dance performances, lectures, family shows, films, and educational workshops covering topics from poetry to first aid and stress management.
13. Donkmeer
Situated about ten kilometers west of Dendermonde in Berlare, Donkmeer is one of the largest lakes in Flanders, spanning 86 hectares.
This relatively young water body was shaped by human intervention in the 18th and 19th centuries during peat extraction activities.
This led to the transformation of over 600 hectares into marshland and standing water, ultimately drained in two phases in 1862 and 1926. Donkmeer and its vicinity have long been famed for its eels, with several restaurants along the water’s edge, particularly on the eastern shore.
During summer, it serves as a recreational hub, supporting walkers, cyclists, and fishermen, and offers rowboats and pedal boats for those wishing to embark on a leisurely adventure.
Additionally, a small tourist market is available to explore on Sunday afternoons from April to September.
14. Cycling
Dendermonde is integrated into an expansive network of primarily car-free cycle paths, facilitating effortless travel throughout the area on two wheels.
To aid cyclists, the region boasts numbered junctions or “knooppunten,” which simplify route planning.
The Dendermonde tourist office provides complimentary leaflets featuring inspiring cycling routes along the Dender, Scheldt, or Rupel, or to approximately a dozen noteworthy breweries in the vicinity.
For those without bicycles, the Blue-bike share program is a convenient option.
A depot is located at Dendermonde’s railway station, with an annual pass available for €12, allowing rentals for as low as €3.15 per 24 hours, as of January 2020.
15. Katuit
Dendermonde is well recognized for its UNESCO-listed heroic horse, Ros Beiaard, which is showcased throughout the city every ten years, ridden by local siblings portraying the Four Sons of Aymon.
This impressive figure, even without riders, weighs 800 kg; it was announced in early 2020 that a parade was scheduled for May.
Another annual event is Katuit, held at the end of August, during which Dendermonde’s historic processional giants—Indiaan, Mars, and Goliath—traverse the city accompanied by the city anthem, celebrating Ros Beiaard.
The giants are carried by a guild of “giant carriers” (Reuzendragers), a privilege traditionally passed down from father to son.
This festivity also features the archers’ guilds (Schuttersgilden), armed with muskets, a remnant of the historical militias that defended cities like Dendermonde until the French Revolution.
