Limburg (Belgium)

Coordinates: 50°36′N 5°56′E / 50.600°N 5.933°E / 50.600; 5.933
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the Dutch region, see Limburg (Netherlands).
Limburg
Province of Belgium
Flag of Limburg
Flag
Coat of arms of Limburg
Coat of arms
Anthem: "Limburg mijn Vaderland"
"Limburg My Fatherland"
Location of Limburg
Coordinates: 50°36′N 5°56′E / 50.600°N 5.933°E / 50.600; 5.933
Country Belgium
Region Flanders
Capital
(and largest city)		Hasselt
Government
 • GovernorJos Lantmeeters
Area
[1]
 • Total2,427 km2 (937 sq mi)
Population
 (1 January 2019 [2])
 • Total874,048
 • Density360/km2 (930/sq mi)
GDP
[3]
 • Total€31.766 billion (2021)
ISO 3166 codeBE-VLI
HDI (2019)0.925[4]
very high · 7th of 11
Websitewww.limburg.be
View of the Great Market place in Limburg's capital Hasselt

Limburg (

political and cultural sub-divisions of modern-day Belgium
.

Limburg is located west of the

Antwerp to the west, and the Dutch province of North Brabant
to the north.

The province of Limburg has an area of 2,427 km2 (937 sq mi) which comprises three arrondissements (arrondissementen in Dutch) containing 44 municipalities. Among these municipalities are the current capital Hasselt, Sint-Truiden, Genk, and Tongeren, which is the only Roman city in the province, and regarded as the oldest city of Belgium. As of January 2019, Limburg has a population of 874,048.[5]

The municipality of Voeren is geographically detached from Limburg and the rest of Flanders, with the Netherlands to the north and the Walloon province of Liège to the south. This municipality was established by the municipal reform of 1977 and on 1 January 2008 with its six villages had a total population of 4,207. Its total area is 50.63 km2 (19.55 sq mi).

Name

The name Limburg was not applied to the territory of Belgian Limburg until the 19th century. Instead, the territory broadly coincides with that of the medieval

Prince-bishopric of Liège. In the late-18th century, following the French Revolution and the Campaign in the Low Countries, the region became part of the newly created Lower Meuse Department of the French First Republic (later the First French Empire
), along with a significant part of what would become Dutch Limburg.

After the defeat of the French empire and the

Limbourg-sur-Vesdre, now in the French-speaking Belgian province of Liège. The new Dutch monarchy chose this name because it desired to recreate the prestigious old title in a new Duchy of Limburg
.

Because of the

Belgian revolution in 1830, this province of Limburg was divided in 1839 by the Treaty of London; the western portion being recognised as a province of the newly-formed Kingdom of Belgium, while the eastern portion remained part of the Netherlands as the modern Dutch Province of Limburg
. Both parts retained the name they had been given by the Dutch monarchy after the defeat of France.

History

Main article: History of Belgian Limburg
Statue of Ambiorix in the main square of Tongeren.

The first wave of people who brought farming and pottery technology from the Middle East to northern Europe was the

Michelsburg culture, arrived from central Europe about 3500 BC and shared a similar fate. Pottery technology had however apparently been taken up by local tribes of the Swifterbant culture
, who remained present throughout.

The area became permanently agricultural only in the

Indo-European languages are thought to have arrived. Although these new technologies and languages once again arrived from the direction of Germany, they can partly be traced back to peoples who arrived in Europe, not from the Middle East, but from the direction of Ukraine
and southern Russia around 2000 BC. This migration had a similar impact across the continent.

Teutones
who had migrated around Europe some generations before Caesar.

Under Roman imperial rule, the area was known as the "city" (

Germanic language, but modern historians disagree over the extent to which they descend from new immigrants who came from over the Rhine after Caesar. Notably, the Tungri participated on the Roman side in the revolt of the Batavi against Roman rule, which was a major event in this region.[7] In the north of Limburg during Roman times lived the Texandri
.

Still in use: the Roman paved road between Tongeren and Tienen

The site of the fort where Caesar's soldiers encamped was called

Germania Secunda.[8]

In late Roman and early medieval times, the northern or "Kempen" part of Belgian Limburg became depopulated and uncultivated. This area, still known then by its Roman name as Texandria, was settled by incoming Salian Franks from the north, who were under pressure from Saxons. The southern or "Haspengouw" part of Belgian Limburg was an important agricultural region and remained more heavily Romanised, and eventually became a core land of the Frankish empires.

Middle Ages

See also: Lotharingia and County of Loon

By the 9th century, the Frankish

St Servatius, and later, Lambert of Maastricht
.

Limburg was part of the central

Ottonians the archbishops became responsible for a very large territory stretching up to the delta of the river Maas. Another early saint in the south of Limburg was St Trudo
, whose name survives in one of the major towns in southern Limburg.

Belgian Limburg corresponds closely to the medieval territory of the

Louis IV in 1336, the bishops began to take direct control, and the last claimant to that inheritance, Arnold of Rumigny, count of Chiny
gave up his claim.

Modern history

Map showing the two contemporary provinces called Limburg, (the red one in Belgium, and the brown one in the Netherlands), as well as the medieval Duchy they are both named after. Only the villages of Teuven and Remersdaal in Voeren, part of modern Belgian Limburg only since 1977, were in both modern and medieval Limburg.
See also:
Department of Lower Meuse and Province of Limburg (1815–1839)

Loon, and the rest of the Prince-Bishopric of Liège, were not joined politically with the rest of what would become Belgium until the French Revolution. Nevertheless, in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries the population of Loon was constantly and badly affected by the large-scale international wars of the neighbouring Spanish Netherlands and Dutch Republic, including the Eighty Years' War, the Nine Years' War, the War of the Spanish Succession, the War of the Austrian Succession, the Seven Years' War, and even the Brabant Revolution. During this period the region's episcopal government was often unable to maintain law and order, and the economy of the area was often desperately bad, affected by plundering soldiers and gangs of thieves such as the "Bokkenrijders". Nevertheless, the population contained strongly conservative Catholic elements, and not only supported the conservative Brabant revolution, but also rebelled unsuccessfully against the revolutionary French regime in the Peasants' War of 1798.

The modern Limburg region, containing the Belgian and Dutch provinces of that name, were first united within one province while under the power of

Napoleonic empire, but then under the name of the French department of the Lower Meuse (Maas). After Napoleon's defeat, a united Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed, containing modern Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. While it kept many of the French provincial boundaries, the first king, William I, insisted that the name be changed to the "Province of Limburg", based on the name of the medieval Duchy of Limburg. The only part of Belgian or Dutch Limburg which was really in the Duchy of Limburg is the extreme east of Voeren
, the villages of Teuven and Remersdaal, and these only became part of Belgian Limburg in 1977.

After the

Ten days campaign
", 2–12 August 1831, Dutch armies entered Belgium and took control of several Belgian cities in order to negotiate from a stronger position. Several Belgian militias and armies were easily defeated including the Belgian Army of the Meuse near Hasselt, on 8 August. The French and British intervened, leading to a ceasefire. After a Conference in London, they signed a treaty in 1839 and established after that both Limburg and Luxemburg would be split between the two states. That happened; Limburg was split into so-called Dutch Limburg and Belgian Limburg.

Twentieth century

Belgian Limburg became officially

language areas in 1962. In the case of Voeren
, surrounded by French speaking parts of Belgium, and having a significant population of French speakers, this was not without controversy.

Only in 1967, the Catholic Church created a diocese of Hasselt, separate from the diocese of Liège.

Geography

See also: Campine and Hesbaye

The centre of Belgian Limburg is crossed east to west by the river Demer and the Albert Canal, which run similar paths. The Demer's drainage basin covers most of the central and southern part of the province, except for the southeastern corner, where the Jeker (in French: (le) Geer) runs past Tongeren and into the river Maas (in French: (la) Meuse) at Maastricht.

The eastern border of the province corresponds to the western bank of the Maas, which originates in France. Its drainage basin includes not only the Jeker but most of the northern part of Belgian Limburg.

The south of the province is the northern part of the Hesbaye region (in Dutch: Haspengouw), with fertile soils, farming and fruit-growing, and historically the higher population density. The hilliness increases in the southeast, including the detached Voeren part of Limburg.

North of the river Demer and the Albert Canal is part of the Campine (in Dutch: (de) Kempen) region, with sandy soils, heathlands, and forests. This area was relatively less populated, until coal-mining started in the 19th century, attracting immigration from other areas, including Mediterranean countries.

Language

Main article:
Limburgish language

As in all Flemish provinces, the official language is Dutch, but two municipalities, Herstappe and Voeren, are to a certain extent allowed to use French to communicate with their citizens. They are two of the municipalities with language facilities in Belgium.

Several variations of

Ruhr valley region of Germany. And there are also related dialects around Aachen
in Germany as well as in the extreme northeast of the mainly French-speaking province of Liège.

As in the rest of Flanders a high level of

multi-lingualism
is found in the population.

Limburg is close to Germany and Wallonia, and because of the natural political, cultural and economics links, French and German have long been important second languages in the area.

English has also now become a language which is widely understood and used in business and cultural activities, and is supplanting French in this regard.

Veldeke, the medieval property of the family of

Hendrik van Veldeke
, was near Hasselt, along the river Demer, to the west of Kuringen.

Economy

Cherries, an important product of Limburgian fruit growing business.

The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the province was 28.7 billion € in 2018. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 29,000 € or 96% of the EU27 average in the same year.[9]

In the economic field tourism is being actively promoted with publicized attractions including Limburg's claim to be a "Bicycle Paradise" (Fietsparadijs). There's also the possibility to walk in nature reserves, such as the "High Kempen National Park".[10][11]

In the south, the Haspengouw (Hesbaye), predominantly situated in Limburg, is now Belgium's major area for fruit growing. In Limburg more than 50% of Belgium's fruit production is grown.

Coal mining has been an important industry in the 20th century,

secondary sector, attracting Ford, who had a major production centre in Genk that closed in December 2014, and the electronics company Philips, who had a major operation in Kiewit
.

Many areas such as Genk continue to have a lot of heavy and chemical industry, but emphasis has moved towards encouraging innovation. The old Philips plant is now the site of a Research Campus,

UHasselt
.

The region today promotes itself as a centre for trade in the heart of industrialised Europe. It is part of the

Meuse-Rhine Euroregion
, which represents a partnership between this province and neighbouring provinces in Germany, the Netherlands and Wallonia.

Culture

Essential elements in Limburgian culture are:

  • Bicycle racing
    Bicycle racing
  • Pukkelpop music festival
    Pukkelpop music festival
  • Religion and folklore: Processions
    Religion and folklore: Processions
  • Motocross
    Motocross
  • Biking road alongside Meuse river
    Biking road alongside Meuse river

Sports

Like the rest of Belgium, association football (

cyclocross, are dominant sports, and tennis has gained a high prominence. Limburg is also home to Limburg United
, one of the country's top professional basketball teams. The team plays its home games in the Sporthal Alverberg.

Sights
  • The Abbey of Hocht at Lanaken
    The Abbey of Hocht at Lanaken
  • Royal Atheneum Hasselt
    Royal Atheneum Hasselt
  • Altembrouck castle at Gravenvoeren
    Altembrouck castle at Gravenvoeren
  • Duras castle Sint-Truiden
    Duras castle Sint-Truiden
  • Site at Tongeren near the "Perroen"
    Site at Tongeren near the "Perroen"

Administrative divisions

Arrondissements

Arrondissement of Hasselt
Arrondissement of Maaseik
Arrondissement of Tongeren

Municipalities

Judicial cantons

  • Hasselt
    Hasselt
  • Tongeren
    Tongeren

Governors since the Second World War

Main article:
List of governors of Limburg, Belgium

The first governor of united Limburg (including the province of Limburg in the Netherlands) was Charles de Brouckère, from 1815, after the Battle of Waterloo until 1828. He was followed by Maximilien de Beeckman who governed the united province until 1830, when the Belgian revolution began and division of Limburg began, first with the separation of Maastricht. The splitting of Dutch and Belgian Limburg was completed by 1839.

There were also breaks in the sequence of governors in the First World War and at the end of the Second World War. The following list contains all governors of the province of Limburg since the Second World War.[18]

  • Herman Reynders, governor of Limburg from 5 October 2009 until present (°1958)
  • Steve Stevaert, governor of Limburg from 1 June 2005 until 15 June 2009 (°1954 – +2015)
  • Hilde Houben-Bertrand, governor of Limburg from 1995 until 2005 (° 1940)
  • Harry Vandermeulen, governor of the king from 1978 until 1995 (°1928)
  • Louis Roppe, governor of the king from 1950 until 1978 (°1914 – +1982)

Towns in Limburg

Main Market Square of Sint-Truiden with Town Hall and Church.

Notable Limburgians

Sports & Entertainment

See also

References

  1. ^ "Be.STAT".
  2. ^ "Structuur van de bevolking | Statbel".
  3. ^ "EU regions by GDP, Eurostat". Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Sub-national HDI – Area Database – Global Data Lab".
  5. ^ "Structuur van de bevolking | Statbel".
  6. ^ Athenaeus, Deipnosophists, Book 4 reports the description of Poseidonius.
  7. ^ Wightman (1985:104)
  8. ^ Wightman (1985:202)
  9. ^ "Regional GDP per capita ranged from 30% to 263% of the EU average in 2018". Eurostat.
  10. ^ Tourism Limburg website
  11. ^ National Park "Hoge Kempen" website
  12. ^ in 1901, black coal was discovered in the Kempens steenkoolbekken; six mines closed between 1987 and 1992
  13. ^ www.cordacampus.com
  14. ^ PDF on official site Province saying on page 3 that Catholicism is the biggest relion in limburg
  15. ^ Site showing list of typical so called "fair couses" held 2015 in Limburg Belgium
  16. ^ Page on official site Province about this kind of subjects
  17. ^ "List of castles in Limburg" on NlWp
  18. ^ (Dutch) Gouverneurs van 1815 tot nu, limburg.be

Works cited

General references

External links

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