A strange unsupported iron staircase was built by the sculptor Yves Willems in 2013. Known as the Vlooybergtoren, it stands on a hill in a remote area of Flemish Brabant.
You reach it along a narrow path that climbs the hill behind the former vicarage in Tielt-Winge (now the local tourist office).
The rusted metal structure rattles noisily as you climb the 57 steps. From the top, you get a spectacular view of lush cornfields and vineyards. On clear days, you can even see the Vilvoorde power station cooling towers and the abandoned mine shafts of Limburg.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
