Roeselare, Hooglede and Zilverberg

The meaning of the name"Roeselare\\\" can be derived from the word"riet\\\" (intoxication) and an open place in the forest is indicated with a laar. The location of the town confirms the name, Roeselare used to be in a marshy and swampy part of the Flemish Forest. Roeselare was already mentioned in the ninth century and developed into an important industrial and trading center from the tenth century onwards. In 1250 the town had grown so much and was of such importance that city rights were granted to it, despite the fact that no defenses had been built around the city. This made Roeselare an easy target for looters. Shooting guilds were set up to deal with hostilities, but they were no match for the violence of war. In 1488 and 1492, the city had a hard time in the war against Austria. The devastation caused by this war is the reason why there are hardly any early medieval buildings left in the city. Roeselare was rebuilt around 1500, only to be destroyed again during the iconoclasm in 1566 and several subsequent wars. It is a small miracle that, despite the many destructions and disasters, St. Michael's Church has remained in reasonably good condition. After the disasters happened, the church was rebuilt again and again, so that three architectural styles can be recognized. Roeselare still has the beautiful Rumbeke Castle. The old castle is one of the oldest renaissance castles in Belgium. The Tudor arch above the east gate bears the coat of arms of the De Thiennes family, who commissioned the construction of the castle and lived there for centuries. In the eighteenth century it was renovated in a slightly classicist style. The nearby Sterrebos was also created at that time. The entrance was moved to the south wall in 1730 and the east and west gatehouses were built a year later. A tree garden has been created along the large meadow and the pond and on the square in front of the castle is an old plane tree, which was planted when the park was created in the eighteenth century. If you want to be on the road safely and want to be sure that you will not be faced with unexpected surprises, we recommend that you bring your bicycle in for maintenance at Profile Soenen. You will find the location of the bicycle specialist at the start and end of the route, where you can also park your car for free. With your bicycle discount pass you receive a 10 euro discount on maintenance and repair of defects on your bicycle.