Estate De Bedelaar

Estate De Bedelaar
Professor Duboisweg
6081 NJ
Haelen
An open field of fens on Estate De Bedelaar, surrounded by forest and a beautiful cloudy sky.
The historic Owl Tower on De Bedelaar Estate, hidden among the trees and surrounded by green bushes.
Vast grassland on the Estate, surrounded by forest edges and a partly dilapidated fence under a slightly cloudy sky.
The sturdy Owl Tower of Estate De Bedelaar, photographed from the ground with an imposing look up at the dark brick structure.

Area of natural beauty

De Bedelaar is a 38-hectare estate located west of Haelen. The area consists of forests, fens and open nature. Two prominent fens in the landscape bear the names Groote Bedelaar and Kleine Bedelaar. Besides its natural beauty, Estate De Bedelaar is also known for its distinctive Owl Tower and an old saga associated with the place.

Name Estate De Bedelaar

The name De Bedelaar is a corruption of the Limburg word "loar" or "laar", meaning a small pond in a wooded area. The location of the area was originally referred to as "Beej de loar", or "near the fen". Over the years, this name changed to Bedelaar, creating an unusual and mysterious name.

The legend of the Sunken Castle

According to an old legend, a mighty castle once stood on this spot. One evening, a beggar knocked at the gate, seeking shelter and food. However, the castle residents rejected him in a harsh and cold manner. In anger, the beggar pronounced a curse on the castle and its inhabitants. When the tower clock struck midnight, the castle began to tremble and sank into the swamp along with its inhabitants. The fen Groote Bedelaar was later created on that spot, where the story still lives on.

Nearby

The distances mentioned below are the distances from the location above.

 
2,34km
Visitor Centre