Oud Kenknof: a necropolis that teaches us about the past and Belgian culture
Located on the Kempische Steenweg, Hasselt, the cemetery offers a necrotic portrait of Belgian culture.
Article by David Dias.S
The Belgian cemetery in Hasselt has a story to tell. Here lie curious characters from the past, such as the little priest or the soldiers who died in the First World War.
Oud Kenknof is a cemetery located near the faculty of Media and Tourism of the University PXL Media and Tourism, and is open from 9 am to 5 pm. Visitors will enjoy the beautiful necrotic beauty as well as the mixture of renaissance and gothic art. The first stop being the soldiers of the First World War.
The tombstones were all the same, they all ended with a thick concrete cross and had the bases of a building. The tombstones were as firm as the soldiers who once lived and now have their eternal sleep in a comfortable wooden coffin. The tombstones welcome them like a mother from the lands of Hades. A medal with the Belgian flag reads “for the fatherland” and visitors feel the military salute of the former soldiers.
Walking further towards the back of the cemetery there is a flower sculpture. The work with its wonderful colours creates a great contrast to the greyness of the rest of the cemetery. It represents the babies who did not make it to the physical world. In a wonderful remembrance the flower represents that humanity continues to grow and that the souls of these babies rest in peace.
Next to the stall is a curious grave where lies the “little priest”, who in the past was a priest who helped the community of Hasselt a lot. His grave is adorned with flowers and on the tombstone lies a face that watches over every visitor who passes by the grave. Visitors can spend hours looking at the face trying to deduce its emotions.
The trees are also part of the story. They have been guarding the tombs for at least centuries. Their trunks are so thick that they could survive the impact of a thousand cannons. The Virgin Marys are also keeping watch and with their melancholic look they say a lot about their work.
Oud Kenknof is a place where the dead explain the past.