Diksmuide

Coordinates: 51°02′00″N 02°51′54″E / 51.03333°N 2.86500°E / 51.03333; 2.86500
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Diksmuide
Diksmude
Dixmude (French)
Diksmuide (Dutch)
Town Hall and St Nicholas Church
Town Hall and St Nicholas Church
Flag of Diksmuide
Coat of arms of Diksmuide
Location of Diksmuide
Map
Diksmuide is located in Belgium
Diksmuide
Diksmuide
Location in Belgium
Location of Diksmuide in West Flanders
Region
Flemish Region
ProvinceWest Flanders
ArrondissementDiksmuide
Government
 • MayorLies Laridon (CD&V)
 • Governing party/iesCD&V, Idee
Area
 • Total150.74 km2 (58.20 sq mi)
Population
 (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total16,739
 • Density110/km2 (290/sq mi)
Postal codes
8600
NIS code
32003
Area codes051
Websitewww.diksmuide.be Edit this at Wikidata

Diksmuide (Dutch pronunciation:

Sint-Jacobs-Kapelle, Stuivekenskerke, Vladslo and Woumen
.

Most of the area west of the city is a polder riddled with drainage trenches. The major economic activity of the region is dairy farming, producing the famous butter of Diksmuide.

History

Medieval origins

The 9th-century

defensive walls
built in 1270. The economy was already then based mainly on agriculture, with dairy products and linen driving the economy.

From the 15th century to the French Revolution, Diksmuide was affected by the wars between the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Austria, with a corresponding decline in activity; it was captured by French forces in the Capitulation of Diksmuide in 1695. The 19th century was more peaceful and prosperous.

World War I

At the outset of

German Army. Despite the heavy Belgian losses, the press, politicians, literary figures and the military itself created propaganda which formed public opinion into making the action appear strategic and heroic.[2]

By the time the fighting ended, the town had been reduced to rubble. It was, however, completely rebuilt in the 1920s.

Gallery

Sights

Yser Tower
in Diksmuide
The town hall and belfry
  • The belfry contains a 30-bell carillon and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on the list Belfries of Belgium and France.[3]
  • The City Hall and neighbouring Saint Nicolas Church were completely rebuilt after World War I in the Gothic style of the 14th and 15th centuries.
  • The "Trench of Death" (Dutch: Dodengang), about 1.5 km (0.93 mi) from the centre of the city, preserves the trench setting where Belgian soldiers fought under the most perilous conditions until the final offensive of 28 September 1918.
  • The
    Yser Tower peace monument was built during the 1920s but demolished in 1946 as it had been the scene of Nazi ceremonies and collaboration during World War II. A new tower was built in the 1950s which houses a World War I museum owned by the United Nations, where it is possible to experience mustard gas odour gas. The Yser Tower is also the scene of the yearly IJzerbedevaart (Dutch for 'Pilgrimage of the Yser'), a celebration of peace and of Flemish political autonomy. However, the tower had become associated with neo-Nazis from all over Europe but eventually the organisers succeeded in banning neo-Nazis. The more radical Flemish faction now organizes the IJzerwake
    (Dutch for 'Yser Vigil').
  • Several military cemeteries are located around Diksmuide, including the Vladslo German war cemetery, which is now the resting place for more than 25,000 German soldiers and has the famous sculpture of the 'Mourning parents' by Käthe Kollwitz.
  • Diksmuide used to have its own weekly magazine called Weekblad van Dixmude.

Notable inhabitants

Excerpt from Weekblad van Diksmuide of the year of 1834. Preserved in the Ghent University Library.[4]

Twin cities

References

  1. ^ "Wettelijke Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2018". Statbel. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  2. OCLC 909782173
    .
  3. ^ "World Heritage List | Belfries of Belgium and France". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 27 July 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  4. ^ "Weekblad van Dixmude". lib.ugent.be. Archived from the original on 22 December 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.

External links