Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Everything at Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe is served in takeout containers.
Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe
The fried green tomato sandwich comes on jalapeño cornbread toast.
Café Reconcile
BBQ shrimp braised in beer are a popular menu item.
High Hat Cafe
The pastries at Lagniappe Bakehouse are worth waking up for.
Lagniappe Bakehouse
Peter Vazquez has been quietly making a name for himself for years.
The Appetite Repair Shop
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
13 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
14 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
15 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
16 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Belgium Baarle-Hertog Zendstation MN7
AO Edited

Zendstation MN7

A reconstructed World War I-era communications array that was once hidden in plain sight.

Baarle-Hertog, Belgium

Added By
CoolCrab
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
  CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
  CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
  CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
  CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

When Germany invaded Belgium during the First World War, the Belgian parts of Baarle presented a bit of a problem for the Germans, because they were surrounded by neutral Dutch soil. Thus the Baarle-Hertog became a key strategic place for the Belgian army.

Perhaps the most impressive act of rebellion was when the army smuggled in a complete communication array, pretending that it was part of the equipment used to build a refugee camp. Some of the materials smuggled in included zinc plates for grounding and dozens of 18-meter (59-foot) ship masts, which were transported to the station by a local craftsman in his handcart. When complete, the Zendstation MN7 boasted a 40-meter (131-foot) central antenna mast, which was used to exchange messages with the Belgian resistance and to jam German communications.

The station was a real problem for the Germans, but there was nothing that they could do due to the neutral Dutch land that surrounded it. Plans were even made to bomb the radio station, but they were eventually scrapped because the location was wedged between Dutch land on three sides and it would be impossible to not hit them. The mast was taken down not long after the war ended, with nothing preserved except the memory of how it was brought in.

But nearly a century later a replica was commissioned by the Amalia van Solms Society and the local tourist bureau as part of a larger walking route exploring the history of World War I in Baarle-Hertog. The mast was finished and unveiled in 2014. It is purely decorative and does not have any working elements, but does resemble the original quite well.

You can see the Dutch-Belgian border close to the mast.

Related Tags

Borders Radio War History World War I

Know Before You Go

The mast is freely available.

Community Contributors

Added By

CoolCrab

Edited By

environut80

  • environut80

Published

March 16, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.dodendraad.org/wandelroute-baarle-hertog-en-baarle-nassau-centrum
  • https://www.amaliavansolms.org/wat-doen-we/wandelingen
  • https://m-en.visitbaarle.com/locaties/zendstation-mn7-5b5dcac02a5ab0f1b28502ff
Zendstation MN7
7 Leliestraat
Baarle-Hertog, 2387
Belgium
51.445365, 4.926691
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The Migrating House

Baarle-Hertog, Belgium

miles away

Melkfabriek de Hoop

Baarle-Nassau, Netherlands

miles away

Borders of Baarle-Nassau and Baarle-Hertog

Baarle-Hertog, Belgium

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Baarle-Hertog

Baarle-Hertog

Belgium

Places 5

Nearby Places

The Migrating House

Baarle-Hertog, Belgium

miles away

Melkfabriek de Hoop

Baarle-Nassau, Netherlands

miles away

Borders of Baarle-Nassau and Baarle-Hertog

Baarle-Hertog, Belgium

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Baarle-Hertog

Baarle-Hertog

Belgium

Places 5

Related Places

  • Versailles border stone showing the “P” for Poland

    Wierzbno, Poland

    The Versailles Border Stone

    The original stone marking the interwar border between Germany and Poland sits in this unassuming village park.

  • Redcar’s Sound Mirror, also known as ‘Redcar’s Concrete Ear’

    Redcar, England

    Redcar Sound Mirror

    A World War I relic found in the middle of a modern residential area.

  • Gabrielle Petit was executed at the age of just 23.

    Brussels, Belgium

    Gabrielle Petit Statue

    Belgium's national heroine turned spy sacrificed her life to combat German occupation.

  • This monument commemorates a soldier who passed away at the age of just 25.

    Cairndow, Scotland

    The John Lauder Memorial

    A poignant tribute from a local legend paying tribute to his son.

  • Entrance to the cemetery.

    Freetown, Sierra Leone

    Lumley Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery

    This cemetery contains a small fraction of the hundreds of Sierra Leoneans who died in the world wars.

  • Kirkee War Cemetery

    Pune, India

    Kirkee War Cemetery

    This neatly maintained cemetery honors the sacrifice of the brave soldiers who laid down their lives during World War I and World War II.

  • Ilidža, Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Hotel Austria & Bosna

    In 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand spent his final night alive at this luxurious hotel.

  • Cima Ora Fort

    Bagolino, Italy

    Cima Ora Fort

    The haunting remains of a World War I fort perched atop a mountain.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.