Grimbergen

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Grimbergen
Municipality
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Grimbergen
Grimbergen Location in Belgium Location of Grimbergen in Flemish Brabant Halle-Vilvoorde
Government
• Mayor	Bart Laeremans (Vernieuwing)
• Governing party/ies	OpenVLD, N-VA, Vernieuwing
Area
• Total	38.67 km2 (14.93 sq mi)
Population  (2018-01-01)[1]
• Total	37,355
• Density	970/km2 (2,500/sq mi)
Postal codes	1850-1853
NIS code	23025
Area codes	02
Website	www.grimbergen.be

Grimbergen (Dutch pronunciation:

Grimbergen is in the Dutch language area of Belgium. The French-speaking minority is represented by four members on the 30-seat local council. Grimbergen is mostly known for its Norbertine abbey and the beer once brewed there. Grimbergen's proximity to Brussels makes it a residential town for commuting.

History

Roman Empire and Middle Ages

In

In the 12th century, the name of the hamlet was Grentberghis, which came from the

The feudal regime and the power of the lords came to an abrupt end under the French Regime in 1794. The clerical powers of the abbey were abrogated a couple of years later, until a few years after the Belgian Revolution of 1830.

Up until then, the town's character was mostly rural and agricultural. In the middle of the 19th century, the new road linking

• The majestic church of the
  Saint Servatius, patron saint of the city, was rebuilt several times since its foundation in 1128. The current construction dates from 1660 and ranks among the most harmonious Baroque buildings in Belgium. The tower houses a 49-bell carillon. The houses lining the central square in front of the church have also been rebuilt in the original style of the 18th century. In 1999, the church of Grimbergen was given the title of basilica
  .
• The Grimbergen beer museum is located next door and gives its visitors an opportunity to taste the famous local brew.
• The oldest astronomical public observatory in the country [1] is located in the former farm dependencies of the abbey.
• Grimbergen is particularly rich in
  Renaissance-style Guldendal, and the ruins of the lords of Grimbergen's old keep
  now named the Prinsenkasteel. It also counts several farms dating from the 17th century as well as two medieval water mills.
• Volkssterrenwacht Mira. It is the oldest planetarium in Belgium founded in 1967.[2] The original planetarium was located in the Abbey of Grimbergen, however in 2000 an extension was added.^[3]

Demographics

Events and sports

• The main annual event is the Sint-Servaasommegang, loosely translated as procession of Saint Servatius. It dates from 1280 and takes place on the Saint's birthday, May 13, or on the first following Sunday.
• A well-attended kermesse takes place on the first Sunday of September.
• A nativity scene is organized in the abbey church around Christmas.
• The main
  Sint-Jans-Molenbeek
  .
• Since 2015 Grimbergen has its own field hockey club named Merode Hockey Grimbergen. After only three years they got enough funding together to build a state of the art hockey field. Starting from January 2019 the club will be playing their own field at the Populierendallaan 111.

Notable people

• August De Winter (1925–2005), politician
• Hugo Broos (born 1952), former football player and coach
• Alison Van Uytvanck (born 1994), tennis player
• Pieter Timmers, (born, 1988), swimmer

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Grimbergen.

• Official Website (in Dutch, with some tourist information in English)
• Official Website of the Museum for Old Techniques (in Dutch/French/English)
• The Prince's Fort in Grimbergen - Werbeka Netshop (in English)
• Alternate website (in Dutch)
• Carillon (mostly in Dutch)