Ghost town Doel | Belgium

Doel is a ghost town in Belgium that used to have 1.300 habitants, today only 10 remain. The town has 2 nuclear plants “Kerncentrales Doel”. Habitants had to vacate due to the enlargement of the harbor of Antwerp.

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A ghost town

Doel is a small town in Antwerp and is located on the left bank of the Scheldt. In 1972 about 1,300 people lived in this town, now only a handful. The Flemish government wanted to expand the port of Antwerp and the town would have to make way for this. The majority of the residents have therefore left, but some have stayed and have protested vigorously and have started legal proceedings. With effect, the plans were halted because expansion was no longer necessary.

The original inhabitants never returned, resulting in a lot of vacancies in Doel. After a few years, the town fell into disrepair and a number of buildings have since been demolished. The buildings that are still there have smashed windows, and boarded-up doors and are sprayed with graffiti, sometimes beautiful works of art, often ugly tags. The remaining buildings are slated to be demolished, even the inhabited ones. This is being fought against. The activists aim to make the town liveable again.

After haunting the streets of Doel, you can have a drink in café ‘Doel 5’. In the Scheldemolenstraat – a little further on – you will find restaurant De Molen, silhouetted against eternal clouds of smoke over the nuclear power plant.

The nuclear power plant

The nuclear power station is dominant in the streetscape of Doel. You can see the power station from various points in the village. The nuclear power plant is one kilometer away. It was opened in 1975 with the expectation that the power station will supply electricity for a maximum of thirty years but this was always extended up until now.

What you need to know before you go to Doel!

Keep in mind that entering abandoned buildings is punishable and dangerous. Windows and doors of the abandoned houses are entirely closed with metal plates. The goal is an inhabited village, and respect the inhabitants and the properties.

From Monday to Friday from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am, and on weekends and public holidays, Doel can only be reached by car if you have Belgian nationality. Upon entry, you must register with a Belgian eID card, to get access. On working days from 06:00 to 18:00, Doel is freely accessible to everyone by car. Motorbikers or pedestrians don’t need to register.

Where to park in Doel?

Parking is free and is possible at Café Taverne Doel 5 and on the Scheldemolenstraat, near restaurant De Molen. You can also get there by public transport, bus 19 from Antwerp Noorderplaats takes you – with a change in Nieuw-Namur for bus 31 – to Doel.

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