Visit to the Belgian Ghost Town: A Post-Apocalyptic Artistic Paradise
Having heard a lot about the brave people of a Belgian ghost town — Doel, we had always been curious to stroll on the solemn streets. Being located close to the port of Antwerp on the Scheldt River in Flanders, the village of Doel has become a target for demolition by the authorities who wish to expand the port.
Cycling close to the second largest port in Europe — ‘Antwerp port’, we saw the first mark of entering Doel. A board stating “Hier stopt de haven” meaning ‘here the port ends’. After cycling past rows of shipping containers, logistic centres and operational buildings, our entry into the Belgian ghost town left us awestruck by the sheer beauty of what seemed to be an artistic paradise.
Like us, there were several other tourists exploring the streets and the grand houses which bespoke the history of a former lively town. On each side of the street, we could see abandoned houses, unmowed lawns and untamed grass fields which were once vibrant and tidy. As an act of defiance against the authorities’ attempt to demolish the village, several artists have covered majority of walls with beautiful graffiti. The slogans written on the walls reminded us of the town’s struggles.
In our conversations with the local residents (now limited to only 15–20), we could sense how proud they felt about living in this Belgian ghost town. Some of them were generous enough to serve us lip-smacking authentic dishes.
While we sat chit-chatting with an old lady at her care withheld house, we could see several photographers clicking pictures of the forlorn streets. Others were busy eye capturing the empty streets straight from their cars. There was a strange contrast between the well-kept houses which were occupied by the residents and the abandoned houses exemplifying the village’s true name — ‘Belgian ghost town’.
What we liked the most was the way the people of Doel express their emotions by writing beautiful verses on the walls. One of the walls read:
“In time, when the many beautiful memories
Have taken the place of my grief,
I might be able to express in words
What I can now only tell with tears.”
To save the land from being demolished, a special group — Waterschoot (which is responsible for promoting and representing the village via dialogue discussions about its future) is trying its best. Also, some architects of the University of Leuven are working to prepare a detailed repair schedule for three valuable historic buildings.
The most striking thing of our visit was the hope with which the people of this Belgian ghost town have been living with. The belief that they can save their town from being doomed and the expression of their feelings in graffiti’s and slogans was worth looking. We are surely never going to forget our visit to that abandoned land!
