Riekend Rustpunt

The Riekend Rustpunt is a museum at the lock crossing in Berlare that documents the transport of manure and waste from cities to farmland. It shows how waterways in Flanders served as vital connections between urban centers and agricultural regions over many centuries.

From around 1600 until the 1930s, this site served as a key loading point where city waste was transferred onto boats and transported to farms by water. The practice ended with the arrival of modern transportation and changing farming methods.

The museum shows how city dwellers organized waste management by using specialized workers to transport materials to the countryside. It tells the story of a practical relationship between town and country that is rarely visible today.

The museum is easiest to visit from April through September when weather is fair and access is straightforward. For visits outside this season, contact ahead since access arrangements differ.

Near the museum stand old cement pools where city residents stored organic matter before farmers bought and used it as fertilizer. These pools are a rare remnant of a nearly forgotten economic practice.