Paden van de Waaienberg

Paden van de Waaienberg is a private sculpture garden tucked away in Duisburg, a village that forms part of the municipality of Tervuren, right on the edge of the Sonian Forest (Zoniënwoud). For more than two decades, sculptor Tom Frantzen has been shaping this three-hectare plot into an organically grown space where nature and art blend into a single experience. The name "Paden" (paths) reflects the way the garden is meant to be explored: winding trails lead visitors between trees, ponds and greenery, revealing a new sculptural composition at almost every turn.

What is there to see in the garden?

The grounds hold around one hundred sculptures by Tom Frantzen, whose personal style is described as "contemporary Flemish fantastic art." Many of his works take the shape of spatial, bronze "cartoons" – elaborate figurative scenes that combine humour, grotesque imagery and reflections on the human condition. The best-known piece is "The March of Human Insanity" ("De Mars van de Menselijke Waanzin"), a 26-metre-long sculptural group housed inside two former grapevine greenhouses that have been repurposed to display art. These greenhouses, alongside the open-air paths through the garden, create the site's distinctive contrast between an intimate, sheltered display and a sprawling outdoor collection.

How is the garden organised?

This is not an institutional museum but a private collection, run without public subsidies – effectively the artist's own museum-garden. That shapes how it can be visited: the site is not open daily but only seasonally, from April through October, and exclusively through guided tours. Visits take place on a recurring schedule, every two weeks on Sundays at 14:30, and advance booking is required. This format keeps the experience intimate and unhurried, with a guide leading small groups through the garden and explaining the individual sculptures along the way.

Where exactly is it located?

The entrance to the garden is at Waaienberg 17 in Duisburg, a small locality that administratively belongs to the municipality of Tervuren, east of Brussels. Its proximity to the Sonian Forest – a vast, UNESCO-listed forest complex – makes it easy to combine a visit to the sculpture garden with a walk along the surrounding forest trails.

Frequently asked questions

Is the garden open all year round? No – visits are seasonal, running from April to October.

Can visitors explore the garden on their own, without a guide? No, visits take the form of guided tours held on a recurring Sunday schedule, and advance registration is required.

Who created the sculptures? All the works were created by Belgian sculptor Tom Frantzen, whose style is described as contemporary Flemish fantastic art.

How many sculptures are in the garden? The collection includes roughly one hundred sculptures spread across three hectares.

What is "The March of Human Insanity"? It is the garden's most elaborate work: a 26-metre sculptural group housed inside two former grapevine greenhouses.