What is being described as “a unique and spectacular find” has been discovered under a house in the West Flemish town of Tielt
A tunnel under the house in the Nieuwstraat is believed to have been used by the German occupying forces as an escape tunnel during WWI
The tunnel is 10 metres long and just 1.4 metres high
Archeologists say that they are 99% certain that it was used as an escape route
During the First World War Tielt was an important logistical centre for the German army
They used the large town houses in the centre of Tielt as headquarters
The house in the Nieuwstraat was a war room with a large scale model of the front
It was in this house the the first chlorine gas attack was planned and the decision was made to deploy flamethrowers
In 2017 the owner of the house made a surprising discovery when they started to renovate the floor of the building
They saw a drain cover that they didn’t know existed
Archeologist Sam De Decker told VRT News that “Using a ladder we climbed down and we reached a well”
"Underneath that there is a 10-metre-long tunnel
We didn’t know anything about this structure and so we started to look into what it could be
We soon realised that it had been built in the 20th century
The fact that it is located under a commando post would point us towards the conclusion that it is an escape tunnel”
"The passage is at the most just 1.4 metres high
making it not really comfortable to walk through
It is clear only to be used to escape in case of emergency
Another archeologist Marc Dewilde says that there is no other explanation
"It would seem a little far-fetched to me to believe that it was to channel water to the well
The Germans were used to being prepared to escape if
Sam De Decker says that he and his colleagues are 99% certain that it was an escape tunnel
the fact that the tunnel had been bricked up after 10 metres and they don’t know where it originally led to leaves a little room for doubt
"Soon some houses in the area will be knocked down and we hope that this will provides us will enough additional information to dispel that 1% of doubt that is still in our minds”
“We don't know of any similar examples
There are rumours that there were also tunnels in Ghent
It is the very first time we are actually able to examine a tunnel like this and be almost certain that it was an escape tunnel
but did not find any similar examples."
When passersby point at the Vlooybergtoren in the town of Tielt-Winge, Belgium and say
“Lookout,” it’s not because the large metal staircase is about to fall—even though it looks like it should
a favorite place to climb up and take in the view in town
so when the Vlooybergtoren was commissioned
the conditions were that it had to be made of metal and vandal-proof
seemingly gravity-defying nature of its design is just icing on the cake
Designed by the Belgian engineering firm Close to Bone
the top platform of the staircase tower offers a view of the stunning landscape
including nearby Kabouterbos ("Fairy Tale Forest")
It has been called both the “stairway to nowhere” and the “stairway to heaven.” The structure weighs 13 tons and the top platform is 33 feet (10 meters) off the ground with nothing supporting it
Only the bottom platform makes any contact with the ground
Most who visit it wonder how this is possible
That would be because the bottom portion of the tower is very heavy and very strong
functioning as light but sturdy structural beams intended to resist forces acting on the structure
They prevent the peculiar structure from dangerously sagging or tipping
Two vibration dampeners keep the Vlooybergtoren from shaking due to foot traffic up and down the stairs
or strong winds. The steel of the walls is galvanized to prevent corrosion and covered with weathering steel to protect it from the elements
It has the same rusty color as local ironstone
a deliberate reference that does not indicate that the metal is in danger of falling apart
TheVlooybergtoren gained popularity after being shown on the Belgian TV show Callboys
which shot a few scenes at the staircase in 2016 and 2019
Update July 2018: The tower has recently been damaged by an explosion caused by vandals
so city council is looking to improve the tower
and it's said they may construct a new tower somewhere in 2019
Update May 2022: The tower has been fully renovated and is once again accessible
The "plyscraper" is the world's tallest building made predominantly out of wood
continuously moving elevators still in use in the U.K
The first skyscraper to include a Ferris wheel built into the facade
This 47-story "M" needed 20 years to be completed
This distinctive bug-like bridge is made of recycled horseshoes
Locally known as the "Onion” and the "Egg Beater,” Casper’s most recognizable buildings are beloved local landmarks to many
helped inspire the modern architecture movement
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Independent retailers Rudi Meeus and the Van der Poel family invested in the modernisation
Independent retailers Rudi Meeus and the Van der Poel family have reopened their SPAR Supermarkets following extensive refurbishment programmes
The two stores now operate under licence from SPAR Retail Partners Colruyt
The renovated SPAR Supermarket in Tielt-Winge
features a modern design and offers a wide range of fresh and quality products
The store’s butchery section features an open refrigerated cabinet for an easy selection of meat
The store also has an expanded fruit and vegetable section and checkout area
SPAR in Tielt-Winge also stores a variety of locally sourced products
with two colleagues currently being trained as sommeliers to improve customer service
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also features energy-efficient cooling units to enhance sustainability
The Van de Poel family reopened the SPAR Supermarket in Lichtaart after a three-week remodelling programme
The renovation added 250m² of retail space to the existing SPAR Supermarket and expanded its offerings to include a larger range of vegetables
It expanded its bakery section to offer salads
pizzas and freshly squeezed juices made onsite
The SPAR Supermarket in Lichtaart also has electric car charging stations and a covered bicycle parking area
The opening hours of the store have been increased to improve customers convenience
It is staffed by 20 permanent employees and some flexi-jobbers and students
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Part of the road surface in a street in the West Flemish town of Tielt has sunk by four metres
The sinkhole is on the busy Deinsesteenweg just before its junction with the town’s Zuiderring
No one was injured when the sinkhole opened
The sinkhole is 6 metres wide and around 4 metres deep
The fire service and the police both went to the scene and cordoned off the area around the sinkhole
The road has been partially closed with traffic now being obliged to travel over a single lane of what is normally a dual carriageway
Every effort will be made to fill the sinkhole up and repair the road as quickly as possible