About Flanders

Geel

Geel is a small town, but it covers a fairly large area.  It developed along the rivers Grote Nete and Kleine Nete and is also crossed by the Albert Canal and the Canal Bocholt-Herentals.  There are 10 rural parishes and one urban centre.  The city has a number of buildings of interest, which relate to a rich history: the churches of
St-Dimpna and St-Amandus, the former Lakenhalle (now town hall) and the Hospital.  The St-Aloysius college is the oldest college of the country. 

Geel claims to be the birthplace of care for the mentally handicapped.  Originally this system of psychiatric health care traces back to invocations of the blessing of St-Dimpna, later this evolved to home-care, a form of treatment which is increasingly being copied. 

The town now functions as a market town and a centre for shopping, healthcare and education.  There is a big industrial estate along the Antwerp-Hasselt (Boudewijn) motorway and the Albert Canal. 

The rural area around Geel offers a lot to nature lovers: woods, sand dunes, a bird sanctuary and many walk and bicycle paths. 

For further information visit the website of Geel www.geel.be.