HOOGSTRATEN

Elisabeth Milde - Lore Bergers

MAASTRICHT

The ENCI quarry is a very large quarry, where excavation of limestone started in 1926. In 2018, marl mining on the Sint-Pietersberg stopped definitively and also the cement factory closed. In the past, limestone was extracted by digging tunnels. However, ENCI demolished entire sections of the limestone massif, so that of the 400 km of tunnels, only 80 km remained. North of the ENCI site, the quarry has been returned to nature. Since October 2010, Natuurmonumenten has been the owner of the Oehoevallei: a beautiful place with steep marl walls where the largest owl in Europe lives: the Oehoe. From the Sint-Pietersberg, visitors have a unique view of the Oeho valley and the animals and plants that live there.

When we investigated the site, we discovered that until 1971, that one of the underground tunnels was inhabited by Greetje Blanckers. She lived inside a tunnel and made it her home. Greetje Blanckers was an important source of inspiration. She brought us to the essence of the place, ‘the underground part’. It became clear to us that being able to explore and experience the special conditions of the tunnels could be a sensible more-value for visitors. Therefore, we developed of a sequence of different staircases scattered through the tunnels interconnected by a pathway. This trail is an extension of an existing walking route. We want visitors to experience the limestone material and understand how it was quarried by providing several stairs that lead to fascinating elements in the tunnels. The last staircase brings the visitor to an opening to the outside, giving a beautiful view on the greenery and more specific towards the Oehoe-valley.