Bollekens is the name of an area formerly belonging to the Land of Hoogstraten. It is located between Meerle and Ulicoten. Bernarduskapel
Bollekens was added to the Spanish Netherlands in 1648. As the area formed a cove on the border with state-Brabant, the border came close to the bowl of Ulicoten. When the exercise of Catholic religion was forbidden in the same year in the state area, one responded to this by setting up a border church in 1654, where the 15th century image of Bernardus of Clairvaux was placed, about which a devotion had arisen. / p>
In 1798, the inhabitants of Ulicoten returned to their church, but the border church was seized by the French government and broke down.
During the Second World War, the Ulicoten pastor promised to rebuild the chapel if the parish would appear intact from the war. However, the parish church was destroyed just before liberation. Nevertheless, the chapel came into being for a design by J. Oomen. For the construction the stones of the devastated church were used. On August 20, 1945, the new Bernard Chapel was initiated. The chapel is surrounded by a park. In 1949, in a nearby bush, crossroad stations were also manufactured by Matthieu Doesborg and donated by parents whose sons had returned to Indonesia from all walks of life.
A monument was introduced in 2002, which presents two praying hands and was made by Jan Boeren. The same artist is a handwriter, placed in 2004, wearing a white Bernardus image.
The chapel and surrounding park, although located on Belgian territory, are owned by the Ulicoten parish. Nature and landscape
The Bollekensloop and the Polish Fence meet in this forest area to flow further to the Mark as Heerlese Loop.
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