Aalter

Aalter
Aalter
State :	Belgium
Region :	Flanders
Province :	East Flanders
District :	Ghent
Coordinates :	51 ° 5 '  N , 3 ° 27'  E Coordinates: 51 ° 5 '  N , 3 ° 27'  E
Area :	119.19 km²
Residents:	28,906 (Jan. 1, 2019)
Population density:	243 inhabitants per km²
Post Code:	9880, 9881
Prefix:	09
Mayor:	Pieter De Crem ( CD&V )
Local government address :	Gemeentehuis Europalaan 22 9880 Aalter
Website:	www.aalter.be

With an area of ​​119 km², Aalter is one of the largest municipalities in the province of East Flanders in Belgium . It is located in the so-called Meetjesland and has a population of 28,906 (January 1, 2019).

history

Archaeological finds from the last few decades show that the municipality of Aalter was already inhabited in prehistory. A number of stone artifacts have been found on paleontological sites dating back to 3000 to 2000 BC. Are to be dated. Archaeologists also found the remains of a bronze hatchet that, according to research, was probably found between 1200 and 1000 BC. Was made.

The name Aalter appeared for the first time in 974 when part of the Villa Halef (e) tra estate was donated by Count Diederik von Westfriesland to Ghent's Saint Peters Abbey . This name is possibly derived from the Germanic halahdrja , which means juniper bush . Villa Haleftra is said to have been on today's market, near today's church. The estate was surrounded by fields (campis) , arable fields (agris) , meadows (pratis) , pastures and forests. The name Haltra occurs in 840 and 1112 .

Until 1800, the administrative organization consisted of manors, which often extended over a number of parishes, including the most important, the Land van de Woestijne , which was a count's domain around the Woestijnengut. This extended over both Aalter and Knesselare and had some enclaves in Bellem.

Aalter played an important role in the Ghent uprising against the count. In 1379 the white blankets (Witte Kaproenen) struck the Bruges canal graves in the Aalter area.

De overzetboot on the canal in Aalter

The excavation of the Südleie Canal from 1613 to 1623 in the river basin of the Durme was an extremely important matter for the place. A number of fortresses were built along the canal to defend against the Dutch. A ferry service was also introduced, which was only abolished in late June 2008. It was the only one on the entire canal. In 1187 there was a water mill in Oostmolen in which the residents of Aalter had to have their grain ground. Before the canal was dug in the riverbed of the Südleie and the Durme, there were three bridges over the waters: the Geetbrug, the Woestijnebrug over the Südleie and the Oostmolenbrug over the Hoge Kale. When the Südleie Canal was finally dug, the bridges had to give way. From 1617 the north and south sides were connected by a transfer boat. The first bridge in Aalter dates from 1775.

The first railway connection was created in 1838, so that Aalter was now also connected to the larger cities by rail. The Aalter train station was opened on August 12, 1838.

The main occupation was agriculture, the house trade (home industry) provided additional income. The first real factory was in what is now Bellem. From around 1800, during its heyday, the manufactory provided work and income for 500 people.

In 1918, the uppermost part of the spire of St. Cornelius Church was blown up by German troops, which also caused some damage to the roof. The church had been renovated and greatly enlarged 15 years earlier. The damage was repaired between 1921 and 1923 according to the neo-Gothic plans from 1902 by the architect Camille Goethals . The oldest parts of the church (now completely new) date back to the twelfth or thirteenth century.

Aalter was liberated in 1944 by soldiers from the first Polish armored division. General Maczek erected a monument to this division in Ter Walle . In 1962 an industrial area with a size of more than 125 hectares was created, so that Aalter grew into a medium-sized center with around 19,000 inhabitants.

coat of arms

Sint-Corneliuskerk

Before the integration of the other parts of the community on January 1, 1977, Aalter used a coat of arms with a red St. Andrew's cross on a silver background. After the incorporation, heraldic elements of the sub-communities were also incorporated into the new shield. Today's coat of arms shows, on the one hand, a silver anchor cross on a red background - taken from the original coat of arms of the Lords of Woestine - and, on the other hand, a golden shield head with a black, red-armored and tongued walking lion, like the one from the seal of the Lords of Poeke.

Attractions

The late Gothic St. Cornelius Church and Nobelstede Castle from the 16th century are well worth seeing. Otherwise, Aalter has a beautiful natural landscape.

Geography and city structure

Aalter consists of the former municipalities of Aalter, Bellem, Lotenhulle and Poeke, which form the new municipality of Aalter since the municipal reform of January 1, 1977. On January 1, 2019, the municipality of Knesselare with the district of Ursel was added. In addition to its actual core, Aalter has always included two other villages, Aalter-Brug and Maria-Aalter. These were never independent and are therefore not viewed as a sub-community, but as directly connected parts.

Surname	Area (km²)	Population (01/01/2006)
Aalter -Aalter -Aalter-Brug -Maria-Aalter	46.35	13,771
Bellem	12.08	2,265
Knesselars	16.55	?
Plumb bob	17.66	2,314
Poeke	5.82	535
Ursel	20.77	?

Source: Aalter municipality

The municipality is located in Flanders halfway between Ghent and Bruges , in the middle of the triangle Eeklo - Deinze - Tielt .

Aalter-Brug

Church of Aalter-Brug

The spot was created halfway between Ghent and Bruges as a stopover option. As early as 1624 there was a market ship between Aalter and Gent. This led to the establishment of hostels and the creation of a residential village. In 1775 the first bridge was laid over the canal, from which the name of the residential core is derived. In 1938 its own church was built, since 1950 the church of St. Godeliev Parish. Finds here go back to prehistory. Among other things, an Iron Age cult site and numerous traces of medieval inhabitants have been found. The so-called Woestijnegoed was also located here, the residence of the Lords van de Woestijne, who were Lords of Aalster and Knesselare during the Ancien Regime . The surviving buildings in Aalter-Brug date back to 1895 at most.

Church of Maria Aalter

Maria-Aalter

Maria-Aalter, also called Sint-Maria-Aalter, is located on the border with West Flanders. Although some hooves already existed here in the Middle Ages, the area became deserted and deserted during the Geusen uprising in 1578 . The present core of the settlement did not develop until the beginning of the 19th century and culminated in the construction of the new church. The population of Maria-Aalter was looked down on until the second half of the 20th century. Many residents earned their livelihood through seasonal work in France. From this area there was also a real mass emigration to the United States.

Bellem

The center of the village of Bellem lies south of the Ghent - Bruges Canal. The village is known for its old agricultural land in the northern part of the area. The area lies in the western foothills of the flat landscape of the Flemish Vallei.

The Grammen House, the birthplace of Flor Grammen (1899–1985), is well worth a visit. The original historical museum of the Flemish dispute ("Historisch Museum van de Vlaamse Strijd") was integrated into the IJzerbedevaartmuseum in Diksmuide in 1995 because there was not enough local interest. Today the house where he was born therefore still houses a biographical exhibition about Flor Grammen and his work.

The Liebfrauenkirche with its oldest parts dates from the 16th century. The church was built on the area where the Bethlehem parish existed in the 13th century. For a long time the church consisted only of a central nave and a northern nave. In the course of time, a chapel nave was added to the south side. Major changes were made in 1847 when the five-bay south aisle was added and the north aisle was extended by one yoke. The previously isolated west tower became part of the church. In 1872 the church was renovated and expanded. In 1944 the church was set on fire by members of the German armed forces on their retreat. After the war it was restored and enlarged again.

During the restoration work on the church, the Bellem chapel was partially adapted to temporarily accommodate Bellem's ecclesiastical life. Today this chapel, which was profaned a long time ago, has been converted into a family apartment.

The Bellem pigeon tower is also a historically important monument. It is one of three typical and rare pigeon towers.

Plumb bob

Village center, with the Holy Cross Church

The name has a Franconian origin. Lo comes from Lauha, which means "small wooded area", and hulle comes from hulja, which means sandy bottom or slope / slipway. To distinguish it from Lochristi, which was originally called Lo, ten Hulle was added to the name. Lue is still spoken of locally. Ten hulle or Ta Hulja (on the hill) refers to the ridge of vegetation that remained after the last ice age. The Romans built an army road on it. Today's "Heirstraat" is reminiscent of the Roman military road, which partly follows its course. The Heirstraat is a remnant of the old route between Bruges and Oudenaarde.

The Holy Cross Church in Lotenhulle is worth seeing.

Poeke

Poeke is mentioned as Poca in 1139. According to various sources, Poeke describes too much like beek (Bach), according to another source, Poca could be derived from a Celtic word for "pleasant", "beautiful".

The Poekebeek runs north of the village center. The coat of arms of the formerly independent municipality shows a split shield, with a golden, red-armored and tongued eagle looking to the right on a blue background in the right field, standing for the de Preud'homme d'Hailly de Nieuport family, burgraves of Nieuwpoort and lords of Poeke . In the left field is the coat of arms of the "here van Pooc" from the 14th century, a black lion with red reinforcement and bezings on a gold background. The coat of arms was awarded by decree of the Dutch government of December 3, 1817.

The poem Guido Gezelles about Poeke

• 

  Village square with St. Lambert Church

• 

  Hendrik Van Doorne.

• 

  The former church from 1896.

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  The castle of Poeke

• 

  Coat of arms of Poeke

Worth seeing in Poeke are:

• The moated castle of Poeke and its associated domains, the Natuureducatief Centrum (NEC), the Poekepark and the Hondenkennel.
• The Artemeersmühlen were built in 1810 in what is now the Artemeersstraat on the border between Poeke and Kanegem as grain and oil mills.
• St. Lambert's Church was built in 1842 on the site of an older Gothic church. Above the main altar hangs a well-known portrait of St. Lambertus from 1662. The portrait of St. Hubertus above the altar of John the Baptist. The main altar itself contains an antependium from the magnificent arduine grave of Jan III. von Poeke stone, he was the last descendant of the original Lords of Poeke. Beautiful grave monuments of descendants of the Preudhomme d'Hailly family are located in the back of the church and on the outside on the choir walls. The organ from 1831 was created by the organ builder Leo Lovaert (1802–1872) from Nevel .
• Het Kasteelke on the Knokstraat was built by Alfred and Isabelle Preudhomme in 1872 when the Familia sold the Poeke moated castle to the Pycke de Peteghem family.
• The former Rusthuis or Godshuis was built between 1894 and 1896. It partly serves as a community library, partly it is sublet.

The well-known West Flemish poet Guido Gezelle came to visit Poeke regularly. He then stayed in the monastery, where he wrote poetry. Poeke is also described in a poem of the same name. For this he was honored with a street name. His faithful student, Pastor Hendrik Van Doorne, was born there as the son of a notary in 1841 and died there in 1914.

Population development

• Sources: NIS, www.meetjesland.be and Aalter municipality - Note: 1806 to 1991 = censuses; 1977, 2002 and 2007 = population on January 1st
• 1977: Incorporation of Bellem, Lotenhulle and Poeke

traffic

Tunnel work on the N44

Aalter parish hall

Aalter is connected to the A10 (E40), the Ghent - Bruges canal and the 50A railway line ( Ostend - Brussels ). The IC Ostend - Antwerp stops in Aalter, as does the RB Bruges - Gent. At the height of Aalter, the N44, which connects the A10 with the N49, joins the A10. From 2007 to 2008 a tunnel was built under the N44 near Aalter.

Personalities

• Robert de Kerchove (1847–1942), Benedictine abbot of Maredsous
• Pieter De Crem (* 1962), politician
• Jan De Crem , politician
• Flor Grammen , politician and language activist
• August Meiresonne , brewer and mayor
• Jef Tavernier , politician
• Wendy Van Wanten , singer
• Gertjan De Mets (* 1987), football player with KV Kortrijk (since 2010/11 season)
• Kenny Belaey , multiple world champion in bike racing

Trivia

• In 1974 Aalter celebrated its millennium.
• The town hall is nicknamed the "Cremlin" after the builder and mayor Pieter De Crem .
• Aalter has Carlos Sastre's only fan club : The Amigos Carlos Sastre.

Partnerships

Aalter maintains partnerships with the cities of Rotenburg (Wümme) in Lower Saxony in Germany (since 1974) and with La Creuse in France (since 1979).

Web links

Commons : Aalter  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Official website of the municipality (Dutch)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Aalter. The towns of our Meetjesland in Flanders, Belgium. (No longer available online.) At: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com . January 28, 2014, archived from the original on April 13, 2012 ; Retrieved on May 7, 2014 : "Archaeological finds of the last 40 years prove that humans lived here already in prehistory." 
2. ↑ Plaatsnamen verklaard
3. ↑ Luc Stockman: Historical geographical ontwikkeling van de Villa Haleftra. Aalter 1968, blz. 8th.
4. ↑ {{Web archive | url = http: //aalter.cdenv.be/Nieuwsbericht.802.0.html? & No_cache = 1 & tx_ttnews% 5Btt_news% 5D = 12879 & tx_ttnews% 5BbackPid% 5D = 815 | wayback = 20120112172944 | text = - | archive = 2018-08-23 18:17:19 InternetArchiveBot}} (link not available)
5. ↑ Wapenschilden en vlag. Before 1977 (fusie van gemeenten). (No longer available online.) In: www.aalter.be. Archived from the original on September 18, 2014 ; Retrieved July 20, 2013 (Dutch).