A leaning tower is a striking feature of Lichtenvoorde’s local history. Churches, the Bloemencorso and street art add to the town’s cultural appeal. Wentholtpark offers a natural counterpoint: this publicly accessible park, covering about 10 hectares, connects the town centre with the surrounding countryside to the south of Lichtenvoorde, in the direction of neighbouring Aalten.
Building history and features around the market square
The Scheve toren in Lichtenvoorde is about 58 metres tall and was built in the 15th century. Due to the ground subsiding, it leans more than two metres out of plumb. The Johanneskerk has medieval origins; the Roman Catholic Bonifatiuskerk dates from 1912.
Lichtenvoordse Koningssteen, a glacial erratic weighing about 20,000 kilograms, is located on the market square. The Richtershuis on the market square is one of Lichtenvoorde’s oldest buildings and can be viewed from the outside on a walk through the town centre. The same market square is therefore home to both a glacial erratic and a historic building, each a distinctive feature of the town.
Bloemencorso: history and cultural heritage
The timeline of the Bloemencorso is also worth distinguishing: its official starting year is 1929, while an earlier version had already returned annually from 1926. The Bloemencorso is included in the Netherlands’ National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage as well as UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The two lists place the tradition in a national and international cultural heritage context.
Wentholtpark: animals and play
During opening hours, children can walk among the animals at the Dierenweide in Wentholtpark with their parents, pet and cuddle them, and sometimes help with feeding. The animals there include about 10 to 15 deer, as well as alpacas and two geese. As opening hours may change, it is best to check them before you arrive.
The same park is also home to the Cool Nature play area, a natural playground for children of all ages. The two places have different focuses: the Dierenweide is about interacting with animals, while Cool Nature is a natural playground for all age groups.
Street art and cycling
Murals and street art by national and international artists can be found in the town centre and beyond. You can get the full street art route from the VVV in Lichtenvoorde; guided tours are available on request. This offers a choice between seeing art around town and taking a guided look at the works.
By contrast, cycling from the town centre takes you straight into the surrounding countryside, past meadows, hedgerows and quiet country roads. The area around Lichtenvoorde is also connected to the extensive Achterhoek cycling network of numbered junctions. Stenen Museum Winkeltje offers free consultations and workshops on spirituality and personal development—a distinct thematic feature alongside building history, street art and nature.
Discover more destinations: Lievelde, Groenlo, Vragender.
Go to the regional travel overview: Oost Gelre.
