Roeselare Things to Do Tips by filipdebont

De Grote Markt - the Big Market place.

There are several market squares in Roeselare, but I am not sure if this is the biggest one, but whatever . . .

But it is the market square that is mostly used when there are special festivities.

The Grote Market is surrounded with beautiful houses with crow-stepped gables.

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Address: grote markt
Directions: in the city centre

Sierlijkheid van de beeldhouwer Renee Duriez.

A few years ago several statues where placed at different locations in the city centre of Roeselare.

At the corner of the Grote Markt, the intersection of the Ooststraat, the Zuidstraat, the Noordstraat and the Manestraat, you can se the statue Sierlijkheid (elegance), made by the sculptor Renee Duriez.

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Address: grote markt
Directions: in the city centre

A few years ago this central market square was completely renovated. And while rebuilding the market they cleared the remains of the former City Hall and the Belfry, which where located in the middle of the Grote markt (till 1704).

Of course this is (was of great historical importance, but they had to cover these archeological remains again. But then they decide to draw the ground plan of this former
building into the cobbles stones that cover the parking place.

So when you are lucky that there aren't many cars parked on the Grote Markt, you can see
this design. (But I can tell you that you need lots of luck to see it . . .)

Sunday 2nd of May, I passed at the Grote Markt, and . . . it was completely empty, so it was the ideal occasion to make a picture (it was empty because of a Porsche happening, which started and ended at the Grote Markt). The insert shows the remembrance plate which says : Here stood the City Hall - 13th - 18th century - excavation 1979.

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Address: Grote Markt

This beautiful City Hall was built in 1769 - 1771, and it is a perfect example the 18 th century building style - well in fact it was built in the Louis XV-style.

The new wing is built later on (1925) and is inspired on the medieval City Hall with a belfry tower.

This picture was made on Sunday 3rd of April, and it is pretty unusual to see an empty Grote Markt, but that day there was a Porsche happening (The cars started at the Grote Markt and came back late in the afternoon).

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Address: Grote Markt

At the Grote Markt, near the beautiful City Hall, at the other side of the corner, you can see another remarkable building.

It is the convent of the Grey Franciscan Sisters, this crow-stepped gable dates from the 16th century, and it is built in a gothic style.

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Address: Grote Markt

The Grote Markt of Roeselare is surrounded with beautiful houses, some of them have those typical crow-stepped gables.

Och, yes of course you can not compare these fronts with the fronts you can see in Brugge or in Antwerpen.

Behind the row of houses you can see the big tower of the Saint Michael's church.

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Address: Grote Markt

Rodenbach . . . . . no, no not only the beer

No, no the name Rodenbach is more then the beer

At the De Coninckplein you can see a beautiful statue of Albrecht Rodenbach.
It was made by Jules Lagae and unveiled in 1909 during a 3-day Flemish festivity.

Albrecht Rodenbach was a member of the famous Rodenbach family.
Albrecht Rodenbach was a poet and a student leader, which started the combat in order to defend the use of the Flemish language as the common language in the schools seemed to be French.

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Address: De Coninckplein

You can find this small statue at the Botermarkt, (that is only a few steps
from the Grote Markt).

Jef Claerhout made this statue.

In fact Peegie is a legendary person here in Roeselare, he is the main character in the book Peegie written by Willem Denys.

He symbolises the roguishness and the commercial spirit of the habitants of
Roeselare.

As you can see on the statue, Peegie is selling his so called last box of shoe shine,
while he has several more inside his pocket . . .

On special occasions he is even dressed up by the Guild of the Maten of Peegie (the friends of Peegie), same as his little friend from Brussels (Manneken Pis)

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Address: Botermarkt

This National Cycling Museum is located in the former fire department arsenal. This building has a typical front in Flemish style (1903).

It is really worth to visit this museum, as you can learn everything on the history of the bicycle and there is also an important section where youcan see more on cycling as sport. Here you can see the bicycle of Johan Musseeuw, which he used when he won Paris- Roubaix a few years ago.

Another remarkable fact is that when you visit the National Cycling museum you can meet a former World Champion : Freddy Maertens.

Freddy Maertens works here in this museum, and he is really a friendly guy.

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Address: Polenplein 15

The front hall of the national Cycling Museum is often used for temporary expositions.
Of course the theme of these expositions is mostly related to the bicycle and cycling.

As we visited the museum last November there was an exposition with fascinating race bikes, like the time trail bike of Lance Armstrong (then US Postal, now Discovery Channel team).

Last month there was an exposition with cycling saddles made in ceramics. I must say these saddles did not look so comfortable to ride big distances.

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Address: Polenplein 15