Geraardsbergen — Manneken Pis Secret

Your quest begins in Geraardsbergen's Groenemarkt, in front of the Manneken Pis, a fountain inaugurated in 1450. This small 22 cm statue, a local symbol since the 16th century, is a copy of the lost original. It was restored in 1998 after an act of vandalism. The costumes it wears during local festivities might hide messages: observe carefully the virtual patterns superimposed on its digital attire, as the details of its history will guide you to the next clue in the heart of Geraardsbergen.

A short walk away, the Stadhuis van Geraardsbergen stands, built between 1512 and 1521 in Brabantine Gothic style. Its 56-meter high bell tower, classified as a Belgian historic monument in 1936 and whose belfry was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1999, served as an observation point. It was here that Philip the Handsome, Archduke of Austria, was received during his visit in 1505. The engravings on the walls of the Stadhuis might reveal hidden symbols, numbers, or letters that, once deciphered, will lead you to the next stage of your infiltration in Flanders.

The Grote Markt, a rectangular central square of 4,500 m², stretches before you, surrounded by gabled houses from the 17th and 18th centuries. This was the heart of the fortified city in the 13th century and the site of a weekly market since the ducal charter of 1248. It was on this square that Godfried van Heusden, lord and founder of the city, is said to have overseen the first constructions. The historic cobblestones of the Grote Markt, witnesses to so many exchanges and gatherings, may conceal marks left by merchants, or secret inscriptions visible only in augmented reality.

Your journey then takes you to the Sint-Bartholomeuskerk, a Gothic hall church built from 1557 to 1591. 62 meters long, with a central nave 22 meters high, it houses paintings by Rubens, including "The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew" from 1620. The 72-meter western tower, completed in 1759, offers a view of the Dender, a river flowing through Geraardsbergen for 65 km and canalized in 1830. The stained-glass windows and pillars of this Geraardsbergen church, classified as major Flemish heritage, may conceal architectural details that, illuminated by your phone, will reveal the next part of the puzzle.

Finally, the Oud Hospitaal van Sint-Adriaan, founded in 1243 by Countess Alix de Thouars, presents you with a final challenge. Its 14th-century Saint Adrian's Chapel, restored in 2008, and its buildings classified in 1943, occupy an area of 1.2 hectares. Used as a retirement home until 1975, this place rich in history has seen generations pass through. The peaceful gardens of the old Geraardsbergen hospital are the culmination of your exploration. The secret of the Manneken Pis, and the messages of the resistance fighters, will be revealed here, at the end of a thematic circuit that will have immersed you in the heart of Geraardsbergen's history, its monuments, and its heritage, a true interactive visit of Flanders.