Campine

The Campine (in Dutch Kempen ) is an area which is partially in the Belgium, and other share in the Netherlands. Campine is located on the provinces of the Limbourg, Antwerp (Belgium) and in the south of the Brabant-Septentrional (Netherlands). It is located at the east of the town of Antwerp and at the west of Eindhoven. More to the east, this area extends on the Plateau from Campine. The southern limit is formed by the Démer and the limit is by the valley of the Meuse. Considering the area is made of a poor sandy ground, few old women or big cities are found there. Those are located rather on its circumference: Hasselt, Diest, Aarschot, Ivy (“the Door of Campine”), Breda, Tilburg, Eindhoven, Maaseik, Maastricht. Turnhout makes exception here and is often called the capital of Campine. Since unmemorable times, there was in the west of this city a clay exploitation intended for the production of bricks. It is one of the reasons for which the Canal Dessel-Turnhout-Schoten, which goes to Antwerp, was dug. The area was populated little, this is why monks sought there the calm one (inter alia with Achel, Zundert, Postel, Westmalle), but that also explains the presence of polluting industries like metal industries with Balen, Overpelt and Molen, as well as first Nuclear plant of Belgium, with Mol. Thanks to the development of the coal strokes campinois, especially after the Second world war, appeared however of new industrial centers, like Geel, Beringen and Genk.

Nature is relatively well preserved there: one finds there wood, Tourbière S, Bruyère S and pastures, intersected with some small towns and villages. There remain still many traditional farms campinoises, but the majority are entirely used as dwelling. Most of the inheritance campinois is preserved at the museum in the open air Bokrijk.

Random links: