Lucid
Hooghuis
Doel was once a peaceful polder village. Today it is mainly known for its abandoned houses and streets full of graffiti. In the south of this brave little ghost town you can find the 17th-century Hooghuis, a heritage site in urgent need of rescue. Help us forge a new future for this monument and for the village of Doel as a whole!
Lucid
17th-century Skipper's House in Doel
1614 AD: Jan Willemsen, a Protestant skipper, buys a plot of land in Doel and has a new house built there. Over the centuries there are several changes of ownership. The building serves as a shop, entertainment venue and café. The current name Hooghuis was given in the 19th century. This place is often associated with Pieter Paul Rubens, who is said to have inherited it through his father-in-law Jan Brant. In reality, however, the site got confused with a once nearby mansion.
Hooghuis has been protected as a monument since 1978. The building has a striking, baroque door frame in blue limestone. Inside you can find a baroque fireplace with marble and white Delft tiles, a late Gothic mantelpiece and an authentic oak beamed ceiling.
When Doel was in danger of disappearing due to the expansion of the Antwerp harbour, a plan was hatched to dismantle Hooghuis brick by brick and rebuild it elsewhere. Now that Doel remains on the map, Herita can start to save this historic place from further decay. Will you help?
Hooghuis
Hooghuisstraat 8/12
9130 Beveren
+32 (0)3 226 31 85
info@herita.be
Accessibility
Given the precarious state of Hooghuis, it is currently not possible to visit this monument.
Herita has been managing this site since April 2023 and will start the preliminary investigations for restoration as soon as possible. More information will follow in due course.
