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About Baarlo

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      Some information about Baarlo

Baarlo is a village in the Limburg municipality of Peel en Maas that is located on the left bank of the river Maas, a few kilometres south of Venlo and north of Kessel. A ferry boat connects Baarlo to the eastern bank of the Maas. The Napoleonsbaan is the provincial road connecting the towns of Venlo and Maaseik.

The first mention of the name Baarlo dates back to 1219. The name Baarlo indicates that the village has been situated in a wooded area for a very long time, as ‘bar’/’baar’ means ‘bare’ (open space between village and river) and ‘lo’ means ‘woods’ (on the other side of the village).

Archaeological excavations have shown that people had already settled in Baarlo before the beginning of our era. Later on the Romans arrived; along the Roman road between Tongeren and Nijmegen they built fortresses in, among other things, Kessel and possibly also in Baarlo.

Baarlo is known as a ‘castle village’, because no less than 4 castles can be found in and around the village centre.

- D’Erp Castle (Kasteel D’Erp) is located in Baarlo’s green heart and is privately owned. This green heart includes a castle park forest and a castle meadow, and, besides, a water mill with a historical washing area.

- De Berckt Castle (Kasteel De Berckt), is a fortified farmhouse which served as a convent in the past, is now a group accommodation and a big conference centre.

- Château De Raay, which is also a former convent, has been transformed into a luxury hotel and restaurant. The castle is conveniently located on the edge of a vast forest area.

- Scheres Castle (Kasteel Scheres) is inhabited by the Tajiri family. Shinkichi Tajiri (1923-2009) was a world-famous artist who settled with his family in Scheres Castle in 1962. His sculptures and personality have meant and still mean a lot to Baarlo. The knots he gave to the village are of great importance, symbolizing solidarity between the residents and with the region, between De Peel and the river Maas.

Baarlo and its historical center attract many tourists. Therefore, tourism is one of the main pillars of the municipality, with Baarlo being one of the spearheads. Baarlo’s appeal to tourists lies not only in its castles and historical center, but also in its green heart, its two streams meandering through the village, its wooded surroundings, Tajiri’s knots and sculptures of several other artists and the beautiful location along the river Maas.

Since its inception in 2009, the Baarlo Leeft! Foundation has contributed to Baarlo’s visual appeal by adding several artworks. This includes 6 sculptures donated to the community through a sculpture symposium in 2018 (to be repeated in 2024) and a nearly 6-metre high work of art depicting the history of Baarlo which is currently being realised.

The village offers several accommodations for tourists such as a hotel, B&B’s, holiday apartments and (mini) campsites. The many neighbourhoods allow for close-knit communities. As the village grew, social life started to flourish. This social life is almost completely based on volunteers who like to participate in the development of this close-knit community.

For more information about Baarlo and its surroundings,
VVVBaarlo, Grotestraat 16a Baarlo
Open Monday – Friday 9.30 – 16.30h; On Saturday 9.30 – 12.30h
Tel. 077-4773666