Geraardsbergen

Updated on Dec 16, 2023

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Country Belgium Region Flemish Region Postal codes 9500, 9506 Area 79.71 km² Area code 054		Community Flemish Community Arrondissement Aalst Area codes 054 Local time Sunday 6:41 PM Province East Flanders

Weather 13°C, Wind N at 6 km/h, 58% Humidity

Geraardsbergen ( [ˈɣeːraːrdzbɛrɣə(n)], French: Grammont) is a city and municipality located in the Denderstreek and in the Flemish Ardennes, the hilly southern part of the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Geraardsbergen proper and the following towns:

Map of Geraardsbergen, Belgium

Goeferdinge, Grimminge, Idegem, Moerbeke, Nederboelare, Nieuwenhove, Onkerzele, Ophasselt, Overboelare, Schendelbeke, Smeerebbe-Vloerzegem, Viane, Waarbeke, Zandbergen and Zarlardinge.

On January 1, 2006 Geraardsbergen had a total population of 31,380. The total area is 79.71 km² which gives a population density of 394 inhabitants per km².

The current mayor of Geraardsbergen is Guido De Padt, from the Open VLD (liberal) party.

History

Geraardsbergen is one of the oldest cities in Belgium. It came into existence close to the settlement of Hunnegem and in 1068 was one of the first communities in Western Europe to be granted city status.

The city was destroyed in 1381 by Walter IV of Enghien and his troops. According to legend, during the siege local people threw some of their left over food over the city wall to show that they had sufficient food to survive a long siege. This bravado notwithstanding, the city was still captured by Enghien's troops. Every year the city organizes the krakelingenworp carnival on top of the hill at Oudenberg (111 metres (364 ft)) to celebrate this historical event.

On 29 May 1815, shortly before the Battle of Waterloo, Wellington and Blücher reviewed the Allied cavalry here. Some 6,000 troops were paraded in meadows on the banks of the Dender between Geraardsbergen and Jedeghem.

Places of interest

Manneken Pis, the oldest such statue, older than the more famous one in Brussels.‹See TfD›

The wall, a steep street paved with cobblestones, climbed every year by cyclists during the Tour of Flanders.

Boelare Castle, seat of the former feudal domain Land (Barony) of Boelare.

Overboelare Airfield, small glider airfield with a Douglas C-54A Skymaster (DC-4) as gate guard.

Mattentaart

Geraardsbergen is known for the mattentaart, a type of sweet pastry. This is made with matten paste or cheese curd.

The mattentaart was granted Protected Geographical Indication status by the European Union in 2006, indicating they can only be made in Geraardsbergen or in the nearby municipality of Lierde.

Notable individuals

Daniël van Geraardsbergen (1116–1196)

William of Moerbeke (1215–1286), first translator of Aristotle's works into Latin

Guillebert de Mets (1415–1460), scrivenist and scribe

Gabriël Grupello (1644-1730), Flemish Baroque sculptor

Frans Rens (1805-1874), Flemish scholar, in the Flemish movement active

Robert de Foy (1893–1960), Belgian magistrate, and head of the Belgian State Security Service

Frans Van Coetsem (1919-2002), Belgian-born linguist and university teachers (Leuven, Leiden and Cornell )

Cyriel Delannoit (1926-1998), boxer, European champion 1948

Paul Van den Berghe (born 1933), Belgium Bishop in the Roman Catholic Church

Ferdi Van Den Haute (born 1952), cyclist

Guido De Padt (born 1954), politician

Marie-Christine Deurbroeck (born 1957), long-distance runner

Michaël Borremans (born 1963), painter and filmmaker

Alain Van Den Bossche (born 1965), cyclist

Dean Delannoit (born 1989), singer

References

Geraardsbergen Wikipedia

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