Must-sees

Town Hall - Grote Markt

Menen's town hall is actually an age-old square complex consisting of several buildings located in the middle of the market square (Grote Markt). Through the centuries, it has been repeatedly devastated and altered. The present town hall building was established in 1782, when the Austrian Habsburgers ruled over the Southern Netherlands. This date is carved in Roman numerals on the town hall fronton. The two sculptures on top of the fronton symbolize, on the left, the administrative power, and, on the right, the judicial power. The façade is in a simple and austere classical style. The Cloth Hall and the Mansion (landhuis) were also part of the town hall complex. The Cloth Hall was situated in the Ieperstraat, behind the belfry.

The District Hall was the seat of both the town council and the council of the "Menen roede" or district. The latter was one of the five "roedes" of the viscounty of Kortrijk. A viscounty was a governmental-administrative district of the county of Flanders that also had tax-collecting and judicial functions. The French Revolution put an end to the roles of the "roedes" and viscounties, and thus to the role of the county of Flanders too. It was then that the recent District Hall and the Cloth Hall suffered severe damage.

After the French Revolution, in 1808, Napoleon had the buildings repaired. Another 30 years later, when Belgium had become an independent state, the Menen town council decided to convert the Cloth Hall into private houses. Over the last 150 years, several buildings in the town hall complex have changed purposes a number of times and were converted each time. The town hall survived both world wars unscathed.

The major renovations carried out in 2005 and 2006 preserve most of the façades. A new work of art has been introduced into the complex and beautiful inner gardens have been laid out on the inner courtyards, around which the offices of the municipal services are grouped. The plans have been drawn up by the young noA architects team.

Belfry and Carillon - Grote Markt

The Menen belfry was built up against the town hall on the market square (Grote Markt). It has an eventful history and has been listed by Unesco as a world heritage site since 1999.

The first stone was laid in 1574, but as the wars of religion were raging in those days, the works were already halted in 1576, barely 2 years after they started. The construction works were resumed in 1610, and a superstructure in brick was constructed on top of the existing base that was put up in natural stone. On top of that structure, a wooden spire was established, with a domed roof and lantern. That spire was shot off during the siege of Menen in 1706.

Afterwards, the belfry was repaired and a third, octagonal upper layer was added at the same time. On this third floor too, a wooden spire was built, again with domed roof and lantern.

The belfry escaped major damage during the French siege and the subsequent Austrian period. Until the French Republican troops shot off the lantern again in 1794. It was only in 1828 that repair works were carried out, and that a fourth, octagonal floor was added, which was enclosed by an openwork balustrade. On the side of the belfry, in a recess, a small 17^th-century statue is still to be seen. It is a superb wooden sculpture painted in polychrome representing the flagellated Christ. It is called Ons Heer in ‘t Riet, freely translated as Our Lord of the Reeds.

The belfry houses the carillon. The present carillon was installed in 1962 and comprises 49 bells, weighing nearly 5 tons. Like all carillons, the Menen carillon also has its origin in the tower clock. The first carillon dated from 1616, when the belfry tower had only two floors and a wooden spire. It had 18 bells. A century later, it was replaced by a new carillon with 34 bells, but this did not survive the French Revolution. After long negotiations, Menen finally acquired a bass bell in 1802, but even so, the present carillon only was installed in 1962. In 2001, a new carillon keyboard was installed.

Carillon concerts are given regularly, and the municipal carillonneur is Frank Deleu, a son of Menen. In 2004, an orientation table was put on top of the belfry.

Ramparts - Park Ter Walle and Blekerijvesting

It was Vauban who made Menen into a true model fortress (1679-89). Vauban's fortifications had a perimeter of 3 km.
There were 11 bastions and 4 town gates. The ramparts that are nowadays known as the "Dutch" ramparts (1817-1830) are unique in Belgium.

Between 1990 and 1996, an important part of the ramparts in Park ter Walle was restored. A pedestrian tunnel (the former course of the brook Geluwebeek) leads strollers to the new park Brouwerspark and the Academy of Fine Arts. Between 1996 and 1999, 11 bombproof shelters, the so-called Casemates, were also restored nearby the river Leie. These shelters can be visited with a town guide.

Casemates - Oude Leielaan

The casemates are part of the town fortifications. These bombproof vaulted rooms were used for military purposes, such as the storage of ammunition or provisions, or as a shelter for soldiers or gunfire. The casemates measure 4 by 5 metres and are 3 metres high. They are connected by man-sized passageways.

The entry to the casemates was situated on the town side, whereas a solid brick wall was built on the side of the moat. The outer wall of each of the casemates has four loopholes. A thick layer of earth was laid over the vaults to counteract the impact of bombs.

During the two World Wars, the inhabitants of the town also sought shelter here.

Several casemates have been preserved in Menen. With the exception of a few, they are all on private land and are used as garages, wine cellars or sheep houses.

These particular casemates were part of the Leie bastion, 1 of the 11 bastions of the town. A bastion or bulwark is a projecting, reinforced part of a rampart, usually in the form of an irregular pentagon.

Originally, there were 30 casemates, and only 11 remain. On the upper floor, they have all been restored. They date from the Dutch period, 1815 to 1830, when Menen was a barrier town on the southern border of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The upper layer was built on top of a lower layer of existing casemates, possibly designed by Vauban, the French military engineer, in the late 17^th century, in the time of Louis XIV, the Sun King.

These casemates were restored in 1996 by the non-profit institution ‘vzw Wonen en Werken'.

The cannon at the entrance to the casemates is French and of the type used by the troops of Louis XIV at the siege of Lille in 1667. It was purchased in 2001.

Old Dutch Military Hospital - Leopoldplein

The ramparts of a fortified town also encloses many great buildings. At the time of the first major fortifications under Louis XIV, the French concentrated their entire military infrastructure in the northwest of the town. The Dutch, to the contrary, - during the Dutch period from 1815 to 1830 - scattered their new bombproof military buildings all over town. In the east, there was a bakery, an arsenal and a hospital.

The hospital was built in 1823, close to the Kortrijkpoort (the Kortrijk Gate) and against the Rekkem bastion. At that time, the town had 4 town gates and 11 bastions.

The hospital was 87 metres long and almost 12 metres wide, and comprised 11 bombproof vaults. It gave accommodation to 150 patients in 13 wards. There was also space for a kitchen, apharmacy, abathroom and astockroom. After the independence of Belgium in 1830, the building was used by the Belgian army, first as a hospital and later as the barracks for the garrison and for the training of recruits. In 1930, ownership of the building was transferred to the town of Menen. The right wing, of which the interior has also been completely restored, now houses the OCMW, the town's social welfare department.

Old French Military Hospital - Ieperstraat 14

From 1830 to 1991, this building was a tobacco factory. However, its history goes back much further into time. We have to go back to the second half of the 17^th century, when Louis XIV of France, commissioned his military engineer Vauban to develop Menen into a full model stronghold.

Gates, ramparts and bastions were constructed to protect the town. In addition, a whole series of military buildings arose within these walls: an arsenal, powder magazines, barracks for the troops, stores for provisions and also a hospital. The Royal Hospital was built in 1684, and the invalid soldiers were cared for by the Bleuette nuns.

Later, a primary school was added to the hospital, but the French Revolution meant the end of patient care, the primary school and the Bleuette convent. The hospital was first used for a variety of purposes, and then from 1830 to 1991 without interruption as a tobacco factory.

In 2006, a reuse project is elaborated, converting the old tobacco factory into a residential site with café and restaurant.

Academy of Fine Arts - Bruggestraat 43

The premises where the Municipal Academy of Fine Arts is nowadays accommodated used to be the brewer's house. It was the property of Adolphe Lannoy, chairman of the Belgian Brewers, who had it built in 1890.
The house was part of the large brewery complex of the Trois Rois brewery, one of the most important breweries in the area.

In 1966, the entire complex was purchased by the town of Menen. Two years later, the brewery itself - so not the brewer's house - was demolished and replaced by modern studios.

However, the interiors have been preserved intact as an opulent whole.

The stairwell is unique and the various drawing rooms are evidence of the client's refined taste and of course of the superb craftsmanship of the decorators. There is a striking Venetian drawing room and also a glass drawing room. The artist Alfred Wallecan painted a series of large murals in situ. The panelling and wall coverings are also unique.

A glazed passageway takes the visitor from the Brewer's House to the Academy's studios. Behind the Academy, slightly lower down, lies the Brouwerspark (Brewer's Park), a fine and easily accessible municipal park that is open to the public.

Church of St. Vedastus - Rijselstraat

The Church of St. Vedastus was named after the Bishop of Arras who defeated a bear. The church has stood here in its present form since 1820, but there was already a castle chapel at the time of the Lords of Menen. This chapel later became the parish church of the new settlement. The oldest sources that refer to the ‘altar of Menen' date from the year 1087. The oldest part of the present church, the tower base, goes back to the mid-15^th century and is constructed in Balegem limestone. The present church is in a plain classicistic style. The façade is reminiscent of a Greek temple. In a recess in the façade we see, along with St. Vedastus and the bear, St. Rochus - and his dog - and a fine statue of St. John the Baptist.

Inside the church, we immediately come across a painting of St. Vedastus.
The church interior has several fine pieces, including two striking sculpted prayer stools, and in the side chapel on the right a wooden sculpture of St. John the Baptist. The church vaults are barrel vaults resting on pillars and a single roof that covers the entire nave.

Church of St. Francis - Ieperstraat

In its present form, the Church of St. Francis dates from 1861. However, the history of the church goes back further in time. The Capuchin Friars established their monastery and church in 1603. Nevertheless, a hundred years later, in 1706, the entire complex was destroyed in the siege of Menen. Reconstruction started in 1710.

In a certain sense, the French Revolution meant the end of the monastery. The monks were violently expelled and the monastery buildings were used for either civil or military purposes. In the end, the dilapidated buildings had to make way for a car park.

The choir of the church is graced by a magnificent altar. It is in the 18^th-century baroque style and originates from the monastery of St. George. The altar includes a triptych showing Our Lady of the Seven Afflictions, the Assumption and the Flagellated Christ. In addition, the choir is also decorated with old frescoes.

When works were being carried out under the choir in 1973, a crypt of 8 by 10 metres was discovered, with eight recesses. It was the place where 24 monks were buried in the 18^th century.

Church of St. John - Guido Gezellelaan

The history of the parish of St John starts after the First World War. A council housing estate was built here in the 1920s. It was given the name ‘Ons Dorp', meaning ‘our village'. Hundreds of social houses were constructed and since it was too far to the existing parish churches, a weekly mass was held in the nearby school. After the Second World War, a chapel was first erected and ultimately, in 1962, this modern Church of St. John. The first mass was celebrated here on Christmas Day 1962. St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of the town of Menen, was also chosen as the patron saint of the church.

This church, still relatively recent, was designed by the Bruges architect Jozef Landsoght. He also designed the Church of Our Lady of the Dunes in Koksijde.

The ground plan of the church is reminiscent of a heart. The tower is 32 metres high and has 3 bells. The interior of the church is bathed in light, partly thanks to the large stained-glass windows. These windows were designed by Maurits Nevens. Only those near the entrance are figurative, and depict ‘Jesus' baptism in the Jordan' and ‘the Sacraments'. In the choir, we see the risen Christ on the altar cross. It was sculpted by Maurice Withouck, who made four modern sculptures for the interior of this church, of which this is probably the most striking.

Church of St. Nicholas and Manor Farm - Moeskroenstraat, Rekkem

The Church of St. Nicholas, the parish church of Rekkem, now part of Menen, goes back to the 12^th century. Part of the transept is Romanesque, as is the square crossing tower that is constructed in quarry stone from Tournai. The Romanesque church burned down in 1658 and was largely rebuilt in the Gothic style. A polygonal choir was added shortly afterwards. The sacristy was built on in 1950, when the whole church was also renovated. Inside the church, the paintings of Evarist Carpentier, Arthur Deltour and Andreas Bosteels demand the most attention. There are still numerous examples of Romanesque parish churches in the Leie Region.

Behind the Church of St. Nicholas lies an old manor farm. Rekkem possesses quite a few fine farmhouses. The old Manor Farm was the home of the Lords of the Manor of Rekkem and together with the church, it formed the heart of the old settlement.

The house - rural and aristocratic - with two crow-stepped gables and blocks of white stone, dates from the 16^th century. The gateway on the northern side with its little wall-mounted chapel was built in 1831. At that time, this side, the façade, faced the village square. So, in fact the old village square of Rekkem was where we now find the small square at the front of the Manor Farm and at the rear of the church.

German Military Cemetery - Groenstraat Menen-Wevelgem

The "Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Menen 1914 - 1918" is situated in the Groenestraat on the border line between Menen and Wevelgem, behind the St. Theresa quarter (Wevelgem).

This cemetery is one of the largest German military cemeteries of the First World War. Officially, 48,049 German soldiers rest here in peace (and not 47,864 as is indicated at the entrance). In comparison with other similar cemeteries there are almost no unknown soldiers buried here.

Windmill ‘The Good Hope' - Kortrijkstraat

The ‘Good Hope' mill is a so-called ‘tower mill'. It is built of brick and stands on a small mound. Originally, it was used as an oil mill, and only later also as corn windmill.

The brick body of the mill is 15 metres high. The most striking feature of this mill is its iron stage or gallery. The sails have a span of 24 metres.

Inside, the mill is divided into several floors or lofts. The lower floor was originally equipped for oil crushing. The first loft is the flour loft. The second is the stone loft, because that is the floor on which the millstones are located.

The third loft is for storage. On the fourth floor is the hoist mechanism used to lift the sacks. The fifth loft, called the cap loft, contains the roller system by means of which the cap of the mill is turned into the wind, and also the mill sail axle around which the brake wheel turns.

It is not exactly known when this windmill was built, but we may assume that it was erected in the second half of the 18^th century. This makes it one of the oldest stone mills in the province of West Flanders. It remained in use until 1946. In 1981, it was purchased by the town of Menen. The Municipal Mill Committee worked for years for the repair of the mill and in 1993, the restoration works finally could start. Two years later, in 1995, the sails turned again and the mill was again ready for operation. Additional restoration was done in 2003: the body of the mill was caulked and got back its white colour.

From Easter to mid-September, the windmill is open to the public on Sundays from 2 to 5 PM.
Groups can at all times visit the windmill on demand.

Price: € 25
Info: Jan Bekaert, chairman Molencomité, 0475 50 10 43

The Leie

The "golden river" cut the town of Menen in two parts and has been playing an essential part in the history of our town for many centuries. In part, the Leie is also the border line between Menen and Halluin (France). In days past, the river was the scene of intensive contraband. The course of the Leie has been changed often by human interventions.

Thanks to the last straightening and deepening works, the Leie is navigable for ships to 1,350 tons. Just outside Menen (in the direction of Wervik), there is a modern lock complex on the Leie.

The old locks, dating from the 1920s, are no longer used. At the beginning of the ‘90s, a Leie island has been created, with a small marina and a new recreation zone (fishing, rowing, pedal boats, kayaks).