Evergem

Evergem
	Evergem
	Evergem
State :	Belgium
Region :	Flanders
Province :	East Flanders
District :	Ghent
Coordinates :	51 ° 6 ′ N , 3 ° 42 ′ E Coordinates: 51 ° 6 ′ N , 3 ° 42 ′ E
Area :	75.04 km²
Residents:	35,447 (Jan 1, 2019)
Population density:	472 inhabitants per km²
Post Code:	9940
Prefix:	09
Mayor:	Joeri De Maertelaere ( NV-A )
Website:	www.evergem.be

Evergem is a municipality in the province of East Flanders in Belgium . It has 35,447 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2019). It is located 8 km north of Ghent on the left (western) bank of the canal that runs from the Dutch city of Terneuzen to the port of Ghent and, in addition to the eponymous capital, consists of the other districts of Ertvelde , Kluizen and Sleidinge .

The next motorway exits are in Ghent on the A10 / E 40 . The municipality has two regional train stations in the districts of Evergem and Sleidinge on the Ghent - Eeklo railway line .

history

Prehistory

There have been first signs of settlement since the Epipalaeolithic (approx. 11,000–8,000 BC) and the Mesolithic (approx . 8,000–4,000 BC) . Grave monuments and traces of prehistoric and Roman settlements have been found. There are also large circular structures, probably flattened burial mounds or tumuli from the Bronze Age. A Gallo-Roman settlement was only recently excavated.

Early Middle Ages

Evergem was part of the Merovingian crown domain , the fiscus Marca. In the 7th century, King Dagobert I gave the fiscus Marca to the St. Bavo Abbey, which had just been founded . The name Evergem appears for the first time in 966 as 'Evergehem' in the deed of ownership of King Lothar of France, in which he confirms their rights at the request of St. Bavo Abbey and lists the possessions in his kingdom. The name of the community has subsequently changed from "Everingahaim" to "Evergehem". After the invasions of the Normans, the Lords of Dendermonde are employed as Evergem's bailiffs. In the middle of the 12th century they shared their power as Lords of Evergem with the Lords of Gavere.

Late Middle Ages

In the first centuries of its existence, Evergem consisted of nothing more than a few farms in the Kalevallei: Westbeke, Overdam, the city center and Langerbrugge. Perhaps the large fields of the Asschoutkouter were already used for agriculture, but there is no corroborating evidence for this. The same applies to the grounds on both sides of the Burggrave where, for example, Wippelgem and Kerkbrugge were created. Ertvelde with Kluizen was part of the 'Ambacht (Amt) Assenede'. The western part of Belzele was a sub-part of the Vinderhouter-Merendreer rule, while Doornzele, the eastern side, belonged to the Freedom of Desteldonk.

In the late Middle Ages, people spoke of the "County Evergem". This consisted almost entirely of the former sub-municipality Evergem, Wondelgem and significant parts of Sleidinge. In 1282 the county is sold to the St. Bavo Abbey. The first evergems fort was built in the 12th century and served as the country residence of the abbots. When the diocese of Ghent was established in 1560, the bishops became the owners of the castle; after the French Revolution, it became private property.

Being only 10 km away from Ghent meant that many wealthy citizens from Ghent chose Evergem as their country residence.

Modern times

Until the first half of the 18th century Evergem was regularly haunted by vandalism during sieges of Ghent and also by the Geusen . Fortunately, the place got through the Eighty Years' War without catastrophic events , as the Sas van Gent and the Bruges-Gent Canal formed clear lines of defense.

Industrial revolution

After many years of terror by the French at the end of the 17th century, a period of peace and welfare followed. This also led to a large increase in population and less space between the courtyards and settlement areas. As a side effect, large leases were often split up, reducing their profitability. The industrial revolution arrived in 1825 with linen processing, a brewery, a genever distillery and a bleach factory . Evergem became heavily dependent on the textile industry and the crisis of 1830 resulted in famine, terrible poverty and misery.

The turning point for Evergem came with the large-scale industrialization of Ghent. The roads were expanded, the railway network was built and large factories were built. Nevertheless, Evergem has not become an industrial city, not even because of the connection of the economically interesting areas around the widened Ghent – Terneuzen canal in 1927. In fact, the southern part has been lost after the “Ringvaart” that surrounds Ghent was built much of the remaining fertile land was parceled out for residential areas, while the north-eastern part was largely able to retain its rural character.