Ravenstein Travel Guide

 
by FlyingDutchmen
 
  •   Ravenstein
    by FlyingDutchmen
  •   Ravenstein
    by FlyingDutchmen
  • Marktstraat with the museum on the right
      Marktstraat with the museum on the right
    by woodstockties
  • Kasteelsepoort
      Kasteelsepoort
    by woodstockties
  • Maaspoort
      Maaspoort
    by woodstockties
 

Explore Ravenstein

Things to Do  

City-gates

City-gates, Ravenstein

 woodstockties Says:  From the three historical city-gates there are still two left. The "Maaspoort" is a medival gate, where in the 18th and 19th century the doctor had his practice.The "Kasteelsepoort" was the entrance to the castle and was a part of the later adjustment of the works of... 

Museum for flatglass and enamel-art

Museum for flatglass and enamel-art, Ravenstein

 woodstockties Says:  The only museum in the Netherlands and the biggest of Europe for flatglass and enamel art.The museum has a permanent collection and there are changing expositions.Open: Sa and Su from 11-17 h From 1 May untill 1 October also: Tu - Fr from 13-17 hAdmission: 5 euro, kids 2... 

Saunter through the old centre

Saunter through the old centre, Ravenstein

 woodstockties Says:  The centre of the small town, surrounded by moats, looks almost the same as a few ages ago. This picturesque citycentre has small streets with beautiful houses, but paved with hard-to-handle pavingstones.Inside windmill "De Nijverheid" you will find the tourist infocentre. 

One of the remaining gates!

One of the remaining gates!, Ravenstein

 Roeffie Says:  One of the two remaining city gates is called Maaspoort. The winning combination of the Ravensteinse lottery was declared here at the top right window!The earnings of the lottery was used to finance the building of the Lucia Church. 

Church financed by a lottery!

Church financed by a lottery!, Ravenstein

 Roeffie Says:  This Lucia Church was financed by a lottery held here from 1729 to 1783!The winning combination was made public at the "Maaspoort". 

The old cityhall!

The old cityhall!, Ravenstein

 Roeffie Says:  Today Ravenstein is part of Oss a bigger town of over 50,000 inhabitants. Until January 1st 2004 Ravenstein used this City Hall for the purpose it was once built for. Now they have to find a new use of it! 

Huis van de Hofraad

Huis van de Hofraad, Ravenstein

 Roeffie Says:  This house nowadays functions as a café. It was originally built in the 17th century.The house was owned by L.L. van Duren, secretary of the Landcouncil and "Hofraad" of Gulik and Berg. I have no clue what this meant being a Hofraad, so I promise you to look into it and I'll... 

Former brewery "De Gerstaar"

Former brewery "De Gerstaar", Ravenstein

 Roeffie Says:  I don't think there are still brweing activities left here!I think in early days this was the town's Brewery that provided the many Inns with their necessary beer! 

Neerlangel: St. Jan's church

Neerlangel: St. Jan's church, Ravenstein

 OlafS Says:  A short walk from Ravenstein is Neerlangel, a very small village of ca. 70 people, which however does have its own church. The St. Janskerk is a tiny neo-Gothic church from 1869. It replaced a medieval church of which the 11th-century Romanesque tower remains, albeit... 

Windmill De Nijverheid

Windmill De Nijverheid, Ravenstein

 OlafS Says:  De Nijverheid ('the industry') is a tall windmill built on one of the bastions of the former fortifications. The mill processes bearded wheat (Dutch: spelt), of which bread is made and sold by several bakeries in the town. If you like to make your own bread you can buy some... 

St. Lucia church

St. Lucia church, Ravenstein

 OlafS Says:  Ravenstein's autonomy made it one of only a few areas in the Netherlands were Roman Catholicism was not prohibited. The St. Luciakerk is a church in southern-German Baroque style, built in 1735. As Baroque was a very catholic style only few such churches were built in The... 

Deursen: H.H. Antonius en Rochus chapel

Deursen: H.H. Antonius en Rochus chapel, Ravenstein

 OlafS Says:  Deursen and Dennenburg today form a single village. Deursen's location in the autonomous Land van Ravenstein guaranteed religious freedom to the catholics. This small octagonal chapel, named H.H. Antonius en Rochuskapel and built in 1745-1747, attracted many pilgrims from... 

Dennenburg: St. Michael's church

Dennenburg: St. Michael's church, Ravenstein

 OlafS Says:  Another village that used to be part of the Land van Ravenstein is Dennenburg, where you'' find this old church, consisting of both Romanesque and Gothic parts. The oldest part is the 11th-century nave. The tower dates from the 13th century, although it was heightened and... 

Maaspoort

Maaspoort, Ravenstein

 OlafS Says:  The Maaspoort is the only survivor of Ravenstein's former three town gates. It's as old as the Kasteelsepoort and has suffered a similar fate, having been incorporated in a house in 1839. 

Castle gate

Castle gate, Ravenstein

 OlafS Says:  The only part of the castle complex that has survived is this gate, the Kasteelse Poort, which gave access to a courtyard just outside the actual castle. The oldest parts of the gate date from the 1520's, in the 17th and 18th centuries it became part of a house. The castle... 

Hotels  

Transportation  

Bike tour

Bike tour, Ravenstein

 OlafS Says:  In Ravenstein itself there's only one way of transport that realy makes sense, and that would be your feet. But it's also a great place to start a bicycle tour along the nearby villages. Just ride towards Neerlangel and follow the road on the dykes. You'll soon find yourself... 

Walk around in the historic centre

Walk around in the historic centre, Ravenstein

 Pavlik_NL Says:  Ravenstein is a very small town, yet in it's days centuries ago, quite important in it's direct environment. As castle/fortress on the borderarea between two large dukedoms (Gelderland and Brabant) it regularly forfilled it's function as refuge for the farmers and common... 

Local Customs  

Christmas in candlelights
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Pavlik_NL 3266 reviews
Behind every window burn the candlelights

The weekend app. 10 days before Christmas brings a very special in Ravenstein. In the town centre people dress up with oldfashioned clothing, guildes are working out their professions, there are little choirs singing on the corners of the alleys and streets and ... in the evening the modern electricity is turned off (in the centre) and thousands and thousands of candlelights aluminate the town in a romantic, fairytale-like atmosphere. at the blacksmith, the fire blazes high when he demonstrates the making of chandeleers. The windmills sails turn like ghosts around making a soft wooshing sound each passing. The "pastorie" (vickers house) is another middlepoint of attention as it's garden is alluminated with a million little candles placed on every 10 cm2. Finally there are many places where you can get hot chocolat, "gluehwein", "jaegertea", Christmascookies, "poffertjes" and on the market ... one finds the strangest Christmas-decorations imaginable.

Written Feb 5, 2003

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Off The Beaten Path  

Don't miss this little gemstone along the river
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Pavlik_NL 3266 reviews
The river Maas, now peacefully sliding by

Ravenstein in itself is a not so frequently visited place by foreign tourists and even many Dutch visitors in the environment forget it's hidden beauty. The more busy it is with Ravenstein's special Christmas-night, when the town's centre is only aluminated by candlelight. A romantic and wonderful experience that brings back the good old days.
The towns situation along the river Maas invites to include it in a bikingtour in this region of the Dutch riverlands. Cycling along the dikes and enjoying the view, it is immediately on the route.

Written Feb 5, 2003

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Favorites  

Remarkable architecture of St Lucia's church
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Pavlik_NL 3266 reviews
Saint Lucia's from the townsquare

Favorite thing: The Saint Lucia-church and former monastry are of a very strange architectural form (within the styles that are common in The Netherlands. From various sides the church seems to differ completely. One time the to towers still out into the sky, while other views hide one or even two from sight and leave the dome of the main-building in the eye. The interior of the church is then sober and then again richely decorated with statues and artworks. The "pastorie" has a backyard that stretches widely behind the buildings and is in between the St Lucia and "Eendracht" (the majestic Ravenstein windmill).

Fondest memory: The candle-light Christmas in Ravenstein (see local customs).

Written Feb 5, 2003

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Map of Ravenstein