Alphen offers travellers several distinct themes: archaeological traces, a church tower almost 65 metres high and the landscape of the ’t Zand recreation area. Your choice of stay may therefore depend on whether you are particularly interested in history, architecture or nature. Even among the historical sites, it is worth noting the differences: the Kwaalburg burial mound is freely accessible, while the monumental farmsteads at De Hoevens cannot be visited.

Archaeology and architecture

The entrance hall of the Oudheidkundig Streekmuseum Alphen displays archaeological finds that tell the story of Alphen’s long history of settlement. One specific archaeological site is the Kwaalburg burial mound. It is about 25 metres in diameter and contains cremated remains and a bronze socketed axe, which were buried or deposited there more than 3,500 years ago.

After archaeological investigation, the burial mound was restored and is freely accessible. Check the access conditions on site before visiting. Kwaalburg brings archaeological traces into focus at an accessible location; the Oudheidkundig Streekmuseum complements this perspective with finds that illustrate Alphen’s long history of settlement.

The church tower of Alphen offers a different picture of the town’s history. It is almost 65 metres high and is considered an important example of Kempische Gothic. Its height and architectural classification give you two concrete points of reference for appreciating the tower as a building. Together with the finds in the museum and the burial mound, this means that historical interest ranges from archaeological remains to Gothic architecture.

De Hoevens: history and access

Landgoed De Hoevens also has a documented historical connection to the region: in 1204, the Lord of Breda donated an allodial estate to Tongerlo Abbey. Landgoed De Hoevens is associated with this donation. In 1213, this estate was referred to as “hof van het nieuwe land”. The two years mark different stages in this history: the donation and the estate’s later designation.

It is important to bear access restrictions in mind when visiting. The monumental farmsteads Grote Hoef and Nieuwelandse hoef at De Hoevens are privately owned and cannot be visited. However, Nieuwelandse hoef is clearly visible from the public road. This makes the site quite different from the freely accessible Kwaalburg burial mound: at the farmsteads, views of Nieuwelandse hoef are limited to what can be seen from the road.

Landscape and visiting ’t Zand

The ’t Zand recreation area in Alphen includes forests, grassland, heathland and small bogs. The landscape therefore combines several different types of terrain within the area. Visitors can also swim there. Check the latest bathing water information before swimming.

For orientation, the ’t Zand bus stop is a useful reference point: it is 400 metres from the recreation area. This distance describes the stop’s location in relation to the area; by itself, it says nothing about journey times or connections. When planning a visit, you can thus distinguish the landscape and swimming opportunity at ’t Zand from Alphen’s historical sites.

The Oudheidkundig Streekmuseum Alphen is scheduled to be open on Thursday afternoons and on the second Sunday of the month, from 13:30 to 16:30. In July, August and September, the fourth Sunday is also scheduled. Check whether these hours are current before your visit. This makes it possible to weigh up a museum visit alongside the other themes described without confusing their different access arrangements.

Discover more destinations: Galder, Chaam.

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