Why Herentals
Herentals is a municipality and city located in the province of Antwerp in Belgium's Campine region. It incorporates the main city of Herentals alongside the smaller communities of Morkhoven and Noorderwijk, spanning a total area of 48.56 square kilometers. Serving as a regional commercial hub, the city honors Saint Waltrude as its patron saint. Locally, residents are associated with traditional sobriquets, such as "Klokkenververs" and "Peestekers," the latter originating from an old tale involving farmers using carrots to lock one of the town gates.
The historic center features well-preserved architecture, highlighted by a church and a town hall whose belfry forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Belfries of Belgium and France. Two original city gates still stand today: the Bovenpoort, which serves as the northern entrance, and the Zandpoort to the west. Former structures such as the Nederpoort and Koepoort were demolished in past centuries.
Visitors to the town can explore modern attractions alongside historical sites. Herentals is home to the Hidrodoe science museum, providing educational exhibits for guests. The municipality also hosts significant manufacturing operations, including a large chocolate factory that functions as the sole worldwide production facility for the Milka Leo chocolate wafer bar.
Waterways have historically played a vital role in the local infrastructure. Early 19th-century canal projects under Napoleon initially stalled, but developments in the 1830s and 1840s established the canalized Kleine Nete and the Kempische Vaart, creating a direct route connecting the Meuse and Scheldt rivers through the heart of the city. By the 1930s, the Albert Canal was constructed to the south, where Lock 10 currently connects to the remaining waterway known as the Bocholt–Herentals Canal.
Herentals became a prominent rail junction beginning in 1855 with lines connecting toward Turnhout, Lier, and later Mol. Transport in the modern era relies on the central Herentals railway station, as former regional stations have closed. Drivers can reach the city via the A13 motorway (E313), while local vehicle traffic utilizes portions of the partially completed R15 ring road.
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