The Colony of Wortel is part of a unique history of a large-scale social experiment in the Netherlands and Belgium. Together with the colonies in the Netherlands, Colony of Wortel, in Hoogstraten, northern Belgium, has been classified as a UNESCO WHS in 2021.
I already had a card of one of the Dutch colonies, now I've also the Belgium colony, thanks to Gerda.
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In 1822, a Dutch general purchased approx. 532 hectares of land in Wortel. He developed the land, established the free Colony of Wortel there and built small farms to accommodate a large number of poor families. The project was not a success and was shelved after Belgium became independent.
From then on, Wortel-Kolonie became a haven for vagabonds and the homeless. After the Act on Vagrancy was abolished in 1993, the central buildings were refurbished as a prison. The remaining buildings and land were given a new use. The estate, a unique compartmentalized landscape with forests, pastures and monumental lanes, has been protected as a cultural-historical landscape since 1999 (...). Today, it is generally a beautiful place for walks and cycling tours. - in: https://visithoogstraten.be
From then on, Wortel-Kolonie became a haven for vagabonds and the homeless. After the Act on Vagrancy was abolished in 1993, the central buildings were refurbished as a prison. The remaining buildings and land were given a new use. The estate, a unique compartmentalized landscape with forests, pastures and monumental lanes, has been protected as a cultural-historical landscape since 1999 (...). Today, it is generally a beautiful place for walks and cycling tours. - in: https://visithoogstraten.be
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