De Oude Toren in Oostelbeers

The Oude Toren is a medieval church tower. The tower stands in the middle of the fields just outside the village centre surrounded by large trees and a shooting range.

History of the tower
The church of Oostelbeers is first mentioned in 1207; the Abbey of Tongerlo then had the right to appoint the parish priest. Between 1300 and 1350, the church tower was built against the existing church. This tower still stands today. In the 15th century, the church was enlarged and the tower was made higher.
From the Peace of Münster (1648), the church was neglected by Protestants. By 1798, the church was in such bad shape that the inhabitants of Oostelbeers no longer wanted to use it. In the second half of the 19th century, the church collapsed but the tower remained standing. The connection to the church can still be seen in the tower wall.

The construction of the tower
The tower is an austere four-storey brick structure with a tent roof and without buttresses. Next to the tower are remains of church. The structure appears to have been surrounded by a moat and earthen wall. The tower is home to bats and a barn owl.
In 1968, the tower was restored and did not receive a spire in the process.

Refurbishment
In 2024, the tower will undergo a refurbishment and the foundation of the old walls will be made visible again, preserving the surrounding trees. During this work, an old rampart from the time of the Eighty Years' War was discovered.