What does the early Herentals Tourist Tower design reveal—and can visitors still go there?

The immediate issue is structural rather than aesthetic. Herentals closed the viewing platforms in April 2025 after an inspection found serious fungal damage in wooden beams supporting several floors. VRT NWS reported that some connections between beams and columns had rotted beneath an outer layer that still looked intact, weakening their load-bearing capacity. Mayor Jan Bertels said at the time that visitors would not be admitted until safety could be guaranteed.

The same inspection did not indicate an imminent collapse of the entire structure or a danger from falling pieces, according to VRT NWS, so the city did not establish a wider exclusion perimeter. The closure nevertheless means that older tourism pages describing the climb should not be read as live access information.

This distinction matters for newcomers and day-trippers. The Toeristentoren stands in woodland off Heistraat in Herentals, in the Dutch-speaking province of Antwerp. In local information, “Toeristentoren” means Tourist Tower, while “Kempense Heuvelrug” refers to the Campine ridge. Herentals is officially a stad, although English-speaking residents may loosely call its administration a municipality; on Dutch forms and websites, look for stad Herentals or gemeente rather than the French commune.

Yes, but plan the outing as a woodland walk rather than a tower climb. VISITFLANDERS describes an 8.4-kilometre discovery route through Herentals, beginning at the Netepark and passing the Kleine Nete, the medieval beguinage, nature areas and the Kempense Heuvelrug. Its route description still mentions the tower’s 112 steps, so visitors should cross-check access with the city or local tourism office before setting out.

For public transport, the Flemish tourism portal identifies Herentals station and the Netepark area as useful access points for the wider route. Timetables and bus numbers can change, so consult the official SNCB/NMBS and De Lijn journey planners on the day. Drivers can use the Netepark area as a starting point for the published walk rather than assuming that tower facilities or parking arrangements are unchanged.

The provincial tourism service also presents the tower area as the starting point for the four-kilometre children’s walk De woeste bergen van Baroes. Families can therefore still use the forest and walking offer, subject to any signs or temporary diversions on site. The safest rule is to obey local barriers and never attempt to enter a closed staircase, even if an older brochure or third-party listing says the attraction is open.

The tower carries more emotional weight than its modest scale suggests. Its own historical account says the first structure opened on 26 July 1958, when local tourism organisers used the momentum of Expo 58 to promote the surrounding landscape. Architect Frans Verelst designed that tower for the wooded dunes known as De Paepekelders.

Woodworm damage and a lightning strike eventually contributed to the original tower’s removal in 1983. A replacement was built in 1985 with 112 wooden steps, a 24-metre structure and a highest floor about 22 metres above the ground, according to the tower’s historical website. The present renovation debate is therefore not the first moment when Herentals has had to decide how much of a cherished landmark can be preserved while making it durable and safe.

Residents defending the familiar silhouette see the timber construction and open views down through the structure as part of the experience. Those open to ARAT’s preliminary approach may see metal protection and a larger platform as practical tools for safety, durability or accessibility. No published final technical assessment yet shows which interpretation will prevail, and visual preference alone cannot determine whether a structural solution is viable.

Herentals and its design team must refine the proposal, establish the necessary interventions and communicate which version—if any—will proceed. Questions still requiring firm answers include the cost, procurement and permit route, treatment of the damaged wood, future management of the café or hospitality space, construction timing and reopening date.

Until the city publishes those decisions through its official Dutch-language channels, residents should read the disputed renderings as consultation-stage material. Tourists can still enjoy the Kleine Nete and Kempense Heuvelrug, but the panoramic climb that made the tower a local landmark remains unavailable. The enduring story is less about one metal railing than about how a Flemish municipality renews a place that is simultaneously infrastructure, landscape marker and shared memory.