Belgium: Deinze

I went to Deinze in August 2011. There was an event called the Alcatraz Metal Fest, with bands like U.D.O., Helloween, W.A.S. and more.

Before going to the festival site, I visited part of the city centre.

I woke up early in the morning and went to the station to take my Thalys high speed train.
I changed for an intercity train in Brussels and then for a regional train in Ghent. It sound long, but it took less than 3 hours to get from Paris to Deinze with 3 different trains.

When I got there it was raining so I thought that visiting would be a bad idea... but the rain stopped and I could take a walk through the city.

The first thing I saw when I walked outside the station was this advert for a local beer on the left!
Yeah, this is definitely Belgium, and I love it!

The Alcatraz Metal Festival was held at the Brielpoort, in Deinze city centre. One of the two stages was outdoors, so it was fun to visit the city while hearing some heavy metal played live.

Deinze is not a mjor tourist spot, but it's a pleasant place to walk.
The city is very green and there are many trees around the Leie Rivel (Lys River).

Many people were riding bicycles near the river and on the pedestrian streets.

But things haven't always been this calm: since the Middle Ages, the city has been destroyed 3 times.

Troops from Ghent, Brugge, Spain, France and Austria fought in this place... revolts and wars causing the destruction of the city.
In more recent times, the city also suffered during World War I and II.
To the left, a monement to the Deinze residents fallen during the irst World War.

Deinze is an old city, altough not many old buildings have been preserved.
The first records of Deinze date from the 9th Century as a feudal manor. Several families ruled the place, and later it had been under Dutch, Spanish and French control.

Today, Deinze is part of East Flanders and has some 28 000 residents..

Next to a bridge over the Leie I found this rather strange monument.
The shepard has the face of a dog (or ist it a fox) and the chicken look in the opposite direction.
Weird, not particuarly good-looking, but still it catches the eye.
I don't have any information about the artist or the monument itself, but fell free to contact me if you got anything on it.

There is a castle in Deinze called Ooidonk. The problem is that it's 4 kilometres away from the city centre and I didn't have time to go.
Maybe I'll visit it in the future, but in the meantime, click here for Ooidonk official site.

There was a wedding at the Cathedral of Deinze.
Of course, I waited until everyone was gone to visit it.

Our Lady of Deinze is a protected historical monument.
The church dates from the 9th century church but it was destroyed by a ire, so the present building is from the 14th century.

When I entered the place and found an empty gothic church in silence.

There are hige sculptures of the apostles along the nave.
The ones of Saint Simon holding a saw and Saint Bartholomew holding a large knife (that actually looked like a sword) are very imposing.
It was almost scary.

A Nobleman born in Deinze become Saint Poppo, abbot of Stavelot.
He went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land and brought relics with him. He donated those relics to the church.
And it's said that now they are immured within the walls of the church. I didn't found any information and what or whose exactly those relics are.

Our Lady of Deinze is well known for its carillon, with 48 bells. The new carillon was built in 1988 and there are even musical recordings of it.

There is an imposing 18th Century organ. Its classic style contrasts with the gothic arches and the grey walls.

Well I was running out of time and I had to get to the Festival.
But the next day I had time to visit another place: the beautiful city of Ghent.

Click here for and article and some pictures of Ghent.

Belgium Links:

Deinze on Trip Advisor
Belgium on Trip Advisor
Belgium Official Tourism board
Lonely Planet Belgium guides
Compare flights to Belgium

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