Old Tower, church tower at the Hillestraat in Oostelbeers, Netherlands
The Old Tower in Oirschot is a stone structure built in the 14th century to serve as a church tower in a largely flat landscape. The structure consists of four successive brick sections with a conical roof and demonstrates medieval craftsmanship without elaborate decorative elements.
The structure was built between 1300 and 1350 as part of a church complex whose history traces back to 1207. After the Treaty of Munster was signed in 1648, the church fell into disrepair while the tower itself endured and remains as a stone witness to these changes.
The Old Tower was originally part of a church that served as the heart of the Oostelbeers community. Today it houses bats and a barn owl, which have found shelter in its ancient walls and made the structure a quiet refuge for local wildlife.
The tower stands about 700 meters from the village of Oostelbeers and is surrounded by fields and trees that make for a peaceful walk. The site is easy to reach and suited for a brief stop, with daytime visits recommended to better see the architectural details of the structure.
The building underwent restoration in 1968 when the old spire was removed, and recent work in 2024 uncovered the foundations of the ancient walls. These excavations also revealed sections of a medieval defensive wall, showing the site served purposes beyond religious gatherings.
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