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Origin

Colony 5-7 comprises Wortel and Merksplas Colony. Wortel was founded as the fifth colony, Merksplas as the seventh. Both colonies form part of the Colonies of Benevolence, which were created at the beginning of the nineteenth century as an

Landscape under pressure

The story of vagrants in Wortel and Merksplas Colony ends in 1993. Once vagrancy is no longer punishable, the sites lose their original function. Several buildings end up empty and the landscape in danger of becoming fragm

What were the Colonies?

At the beginning of the 19th century, a large-scale social experiment took place in the United Kingdom of Netherlands. Goal: Eliminate poverty. The Society of Benevolence purchased large, undeveloped tracts of land from 181

Only on a bicycle do you really discover Colony 5-7!

From node to node

Colony 5-7 is included in the network of cycling routes. Signs point the way to the nearest node. This way, you don’t have to remember complicated routes; just follow the

Forest playgrounds

In Wortel Colony, part of the forest (16.6 ha) is devoted to a ‘forest playground’. Here you can play in the forest to your heart’s content all year long.

In Merksplas Colony, a wooded area (3 ha) where children can pla