The route "Belforten van de Arbeid" consits of a circular route of about 10 km during which visitors can learn about 17 industrial sites concerning the industrial past of the city of Aalst. A majority of the sites on the route were former textilefactories and leather tanneries. The route follows the river Dender which was the industrial artery of nineteenth century Aalst.

The poor working conditions of the factory workers gave birth to a political movement named after its champion, the priest Adolf Daens. Visitors get a good picture of how the sleepy provincial town was suddenly thrown into modernity with heavy industrialisation in its wake with a few examples still surviving only 500 metres from the town centre.

An introduction to the industrial past of Aalst is given by the city museum 't Gasthuys - Stedelijk Museum Aalst.