Whale grove

Whale grove
Whale grove
State :	Belgium
Region :	Wallonia
Province :	Walloon Brabant
District :	Nivelles
Coordinates :	50 ° 38 ′  N , 4 ° 42 ′  E Coordinates: 50 ° 38 ′  N , 4 ° 42 ′  E
Area :	37.92 km²
Residents:	7187 (Jan 1, 2019)
Population density:	190 inhabitants per km²
Post Code:	1457
Prefix:	010
Mayor:	Laurence Smets ( PS )
Local government address :	Place Communale, 1 1457 Walhain
Website:	www.walhain.be

Walhain ( Walloon Walin ) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant and the geographical center of Belgium . It consists of the three districts Nil-Saint-Vincent-Saint-Martin , Tourinnes-Saint-Lambert and Walhain-Saint-Paul . Walhain borders the municipalities of Chastre , Mont-Saint-Guibert , Chaumont-Gistoux , Incourt and Perwez in Walloon Brabant and Gembloux in the province of Namur .

Castle tower (XII century).

Geographical location

Geographical center of Belgium

The geographical center of Belgium is located in Walhain in the valley of the Nile stream near Nil-Saint-Vincent ( 50 ° 38 ′ 28 ″  N , 4 ° 40 ′ 5 ″  E ). In order to represent this visually, a monument designed by the local architect Bernard Defrenne was erected. It stands on a base that is supposed to represent the earth's crust and in which 12 lamps are embedded, which stand for the twelve EC states. Three pillars, which symbolize the three regions of Belgium, carry a pyramid with a steel tube attached in the middle, which shows the center of Belgium. In front of it, three panels provide information in German, French and Dutch about the meaning of the individual parts of the monument. The inauguration took place on August 22, 1998.

politics

The council ( Conseil Communal ) has 17 members; from it the college with the mayor and four aldermen ( Echevins ) is formed.

Web links

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

Wikisource: Walhain in the Topographia Circuli Burgundici (Mathäus Merian)  - sources and full texts

• Official website of Walhain (French)