history
The Rusthof Van Acker - Peeters, a rest home founded by Van Acker / Peeters and Bergmann / Van Acker was built in 1902. It is a corner building (Begijnhofstraat and Kapucienenvest) in the eclectic style, in brick and natural stone. It consisted of a main building with, on the Kapucienenvest side, twelve separate identical little houses, arranged around an inner courtyard. In the middle of the inner courtyard is the old well topped with a cast iron decoration by the Lier artist blacksmith Lodewijk Van Boeckel. The building owner's tenants used to live in these little houses. They were renovated in the 1970s. In 1992 the building was protected as a monument. In 2008 the building was converted into the Zimmerhof Hotel. The shared living and dining room of yesteryear is now fitted out as a reception and bar. One downstairs room is fitted out as a lounge. From here you can see out to the Gevangenenpoort (Prisoners' Gate).
The Gevangenpoort, previously the Eikelpoort (Acorn Gate) is a remnant of the city walls around Lier. It was built in 1375 and rebuilt in 1728. In around 1650 the gate was used as a prison. In 1980 the monument was protected.