Roeselare

Coordinates: 50°56′N 03°07′E / 50.933°N 3.117°E / 50.933; 3.117
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Roeselare
Roulers (French)
Town hall with belfry
Town hall with belfry
Flag of Roeselare
Coat of arms of Roeselare
Location of Roeselare
Map
Roeselare is located in Belgium
Roeselare
Roeselare
Location in Belgium
Location of Roeselare in West Flanders
CD&V)
 • Governing party/iesCD&V-sp.a & de vernieuwers
Area
 • Total60.4 km2 (23.3 sq mi)
Population
 (2022-01-01)[1]
 • Total64,495
 • Density1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi)
Postal codes
8800
NIS code
36015
Area codes051
Websitewww.roeselare.be

Roeselare (Dutch pronunciation:

Oekene and Rumbeke
.

The name of the city is derived from two Germanic words meaning "reed" and "open space", i.e., a marsh in a forest glade. Roeselare's minor seminary is famous for having hosted the famous Flemish poets Guido Gezelle, Albrecht Rodenbach and missionary Jesuit Constant Lievens. The city is also home to the Rodenbach brewery.

History

Origins and Middle Ages

Traces of early dwellings have been found in the area, including prehistoric flint tools,

Senlis and brought her to a fortress that used to be where the present Rumbeke Castle stands. The Roeselare area soon became part of the County of Flanders. The rights to build fortifications and to hold a public market date from 957, during the lordship of Baldwin III
.

The city received its

Saint Michael
church were rebuilt in the year 1500.

16th century to Waterloo

The center of Roeselare belonged throughout history to the Fiefdom of Wijnendale and therefore fell under the responsibility of the House of Cleves in the 15th and 16th century and under the Dukes of Palatinate-Neuburg in the 17th and 18th century.

The 16th century proved to be disastrous for the city as the Spanish rulers ruthlessly repressed any desire for autonomy in the

Treaty of Nijmegen
in 1678 made Roeselare a border city, a situation that encouraged smuggling rather than regular economic development.

The 18th century was a generally prosperous period that saw the construction of the current city hall. In 1794, the area was the scene of a French victory over the

Concordat of 1802 between Napoleon and Pope Pius VII
.

Excerpt of a newspaper called after Albrecht Rodenbach, the Rodenbachsblad from 1909. Preserved in the Ghent University Library.[2]

Modern era

Several members of the Rodenbach family of Roeselare took part in the events leading to Belgian Independence in 1830. Other members of the family became soldiers or diplomats. Pedro and Alexander founded the brewery which is still in operation today. The general economy, however, did not fare very well as mechanization displaced many small artisans. The advent of the railway and the digging of a canal linking the city to the river Lys in the 1860s were beneficial. World War I stopped the economic boom in its tracks as the city became a large camp ground for the German troops fighting on the front lines in neighbouring Diksmuide. By the end of the war, two thirds of the city was destroyed due to British bombing.[3] The Transport Office of the Devastated Territories of West Flanders was set-up in Spanjestraat 56 after the war.

On 27 and 28 May 1940, the Belgian army lost its last stand here against the advancing Wehrmacht. This was followed by four years of German occupation, although without too much destruction. The city today is a regional center that provides commercial and media services, as well as a variety of occupations in the food industry, to the surrounding area.

Geography

The municipality comprises the city of Roeselare and the

hamlets
in the municipality of Roeselare. In Rumbeke along the N32 lies the village of Zilverberg. The village of Beitem is about three kilometres further south along the same road.

The city itself consists of a few catholic

Saint Godelieve and Saint Mary (in the Krottegem quarter). There's also a protestant
church.

Roeselare shares borders with the following villages and towns:

Shopping

The Ooststraat is the most popular shopping street in the city. Annual events that are important for the shopping business are the Winkelnacht (Shopping night), the kermesse fairs, and Christmas shopping. Many festivities such as a carnival and the Groote Stooringe [nl; vls] festival set the whole city in motion and go beyond the purely commercial aspect.

A tradition in Roeselare is the weekly morning market on Tuesdays at the main square, the Botermarkt and the Polenplein. These three sites are connected by traffic-calmed zones. On 1 May Labour Day is celebrated at the Stationsplein.

Sights

  • The rococo city hall on the central market square dates from the 18th century. The city hall, market hall, and belfry are classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site (part of Belfries of Belgium and France).[4]
  • A German communications bunker
  • The Rodenbach brewery was founded in 1821. The tour of the facilities includes an explanation of the process used to make this one-of-a-kind beer style.
  • The Renaissance-style Rumbeke Castle dates from 1538 and is located within the Sterrebos forest. Now, it houses the company Busworld. The nearby Kazandmolen is the only one of the area's thirteen windmills to have survived until today.
  • A unique bicycle museum can also be visited in Roeselare.
  • The
    Canal Roeselare-Leie
    that was completed in 1872, provides not only an economic advantage but creates great cycling and walking opportunities also.
  • The Roeselare railway station is an important place in the city with a car-free square and a bus station.
  • The Eaststreet [nl] is an important shopping-street.
  • Rumbeke Castle near Roeselare
    Rumbeke Castle near Roeselare
  • Sint-Amand church
    Sint-Amand church

Folklore

Roeselare houses a whole family of giant puppets. The head of the family, Rolarius – who is also the alleged founder of the city – his wife Carlotta and son Opsinjoorke, as well as several other relatives, appear at festivities and carnivals, dancing to the beat of the giants' song.

Roeselare also houses some kind of folklore around the character named Peegie, he's a slick merchant, and is in a way based on the real character of the town as a merchant town in his early days.

Sports

Roeselare was the hometown of soccer team

Knack Randstad Roeselare who plays the CEV Champions League. Formula E driver Stoffel Vandoorne
also lives in Roeselare.

Twin cities

Roeselare is twinned with the town of Clonmel in County Tipperary, Ireland.

Famous inhabitants

Albrecht Rodenbach, by Jules Lagae

References

  1. ^ "Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2022". Statbel.
  2. ^ "Rodenbachsblad". lib.ugent.be. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  3. ^ Zealand, National Library of New. "Papers Past – BRITISH AIR RAID AT ROULERS. (Colonist, 1917-12-29)". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz.
  4. ^ "Belfries of Belgium and France". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  5. ^ Sporza.be (11 September 2020). "Einde van stamnummer 134: KSV Roeselare moet de boeken neerleggen". Sporza.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 27 July 2021.

External links