An open-air theatre on the slope of Spaubekerbos and an organ dating from 1868 add historical and cultural interest to Spaubeek. There are also routes across fields or past a gravel pit where layers of sand and gravel are visible; the Vrouwenbos has steep hiking trails. There is a variety of things to discover: architectural history, local culture and landscape.
An open-air theatre in a wooded hillside
Openluchttheater Spaubeek is on the edge of the village and was built into a slope in Spaubekerbos. It has historical and cultural as well as landscape value, and has been designated a municipal monument since July 2023. The theatre was founded in 1921 by a group of committed Spaubeek residents and their theatre association. The remains of the theatre lie in the wooded hillside behind Dorpsstraat; it has not been used for decades.
The theatre’s history combines local initiative with its distinctive hillside setting. Those interested in cultural history will find a different focus here than at the village’s churches and historic farmsteads: a theatre whose origins lie in an initiative by Spaubeek residents and their association.
Churches, a chapel and religious history
Laurentiuskerk was built between 1924 and 1926 on the site of a church dating from 1837. It was the first church design by architect J. Schoenmaekers to be built. Its historical and cultural value lies in its distinctive expression of the development of local and regional religious life in the first half of the 20th century. The church also houses an organ by Lambertus Vermeulen dating from 1868, considered the oldest surviving organ by this maker.
Sint-Annakapel takes visitors further back in architectural history: the Neo-Gothic chapel was built in 1865 on the site of the former parish church. Its architectural features include a three-sided apse and a small turret on the roof near the façade. It also continues to serve a religious purpose today, as the chapel is still used for praying the rosary.
Farmsteads and architectural details
Huis Sint Jansgeleen stands on grounds that were once surrounded by a moat. The two-storey marlstone house dates from 1567. A trefoil frieze runs along the front, and an alliance coat of arms is set above the entrance. The complex also includes an L-shaped brick farmstead with marlstone bands dating from 1720 and 1730. The entrance gate has a recess for a drawbridge and a reinstalled coat-of-arms stone from 1571.
The farmsteads also display a variety of architectural styles. The farmhouse at Dorpstraat 81 has segmental-arched windows made of Namur stone from the 18th century. Hoeve De Borgh is a half-timbered farmstead built in 1729. The gable of its house dates from 1793 and features so-called vlechtingen: wedge-shaped masonry pieces along the sloping edge of the gable. Hoeve Riga in Spaubeek was built in 1780; half-timbering can be seen in its courtyard.
Sint Jansmolen adds an earlier economic context to these architectural landmarks. It was a compulsory mill where the residents of Beek and Spaubeek had to have their grain milled. The mill’s original milling bench and gearing have been preserved.
Routes through fields, geology and woodland
The Spaubeekroute leads from Spaubeek across fields into the idyllic surroundings of Spaubekerbos. The walking route “Wat de Maas rond Spaubeek achterliet” offers a different perspective: it passes Grindgroeve Houben, where various layers of sand and gravel are visible. The two descriptions have different focuses—one on fields and woodland surroundings, the other on the geological layers at the extraction site.
The Vrouwenbos has steep hiking trails. In Hegge, a green, rolling and expansive landscape and winding bridleways shape the scenery. When choosing a route, you can take these specific differences into account: fields and woodland, visible layers of earth or steep hiking trails. In Hobbelrade, by contrast, a long row of old farmsteads stands out, including a large half-timbered building.
Two other routes are also worth considering when planning. The Grensmaasvallei MTB-Gravelroute passes through Spaubeek; check the latest route information before setting out. The southern loop of the Route vol Verwondering can be started at Spaubeek railway station. Here too, it is a good idea to check the latest route information before finalising your plan.
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