Tongeren
Tongeren
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City and municipality | |
Area | |
• Total | 87.81 km2 (33.90 sq mi) |
Population (2020-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 31,142 |
• Density | 350/km2 (920/sq mi) |
Postal codes | 3700 |
NIS code | 73083 |
Area codes | 012 |
Website | www.tongeren.be |
Tongeren (Dutch: , and known as Atuatuca Tungrorum, it was the administrative centre of the Civitas Tungrorum district.
History
Atuatuca Tungrorum
The Romans referred to Tongeren as Aduatuca Tungrorum or Atuatuca Tongrorum, were the largest of these tribes and the one living around Tongeren.
Caesar referred to the fort of the Eburones as
During
The
In 358 the future
Middle Ages
Already in the fourth century, just as the Salian Franks were settling to the north, the city became the center of a Christian diocese under the influence of
Waves of Germanic settlers and invaders changed the area significantly. The
From seventeenth century until contemporary age
In 1677, the city was burned almost entirely by Louis XIV’s troops, a catastrophe from which Tongeren never completely recovered. The rebirth of the city dates from after 1830.
In 1977 the neighbouring municipalities of Berg, Diets-Heur, Henis, 's-Herenelderen, Koninksem, Lauw, Mal, Neerrepen, Nerem, Overrepen, Piringen, Riksingen, Rutten, Sluizen, Vreren and Widooie merged into Tongeren.[7]
Tongeren is currently the judicial capital of the province of Belgian Limburg.
Main sights
- The Its enclosure wall was destroyed in the 19th century: it separated the beguinage from the rest of the city and thus guaranteed peace and quiet for the small religion-inspired community. In the 17th century, the beguinage counted some 300 beguines; it was also able to survive the 1677 fire that destroyed most of the city.
- The Carolingian prayer house existed here in the 9th century. The building of the choir of the present basilica began in 1240. Nave, transepts and side chapels were added between the 13th and 15th century. The original Romanesque tower was replaced by the present, 64-metre-tall (210-foot) Gothic tower from 1442 until 1541. The basilica's interior is home to the statue of Our Lady of Tongeren, erected in 1475. The treasury is housed in the former hall of the Chapter and comprises one of the richest collections of religious art in Belgium. The bell tower was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Belfries of Belgium and France site in 1999.[9]
- Church of St. Catherine, built in Gothic style in 1294, but modified later in different styles. Works of art include the 1711 pulpit by Robrecht Verburgh, the main altarpiece by Gaspar de Crayer (17th century) and a sculpture of the Suffering Christ, donated by the beguine Anna de Floz.
- The Gallo-Romanobject found during excavations
- The original Roman wall, dating from the second century, still visible for more than 1,500 metres (4,900 feet).
- Some of the medieval defensive towers, also still visible today.
- Statue of Ambiorix, erected in 1866.
- Several Tumuli are found around the city.
- The Pliniuspark features the Plinius spring, a natural spring described by Pliny the Elder in 77-79 a.d.
- At the location of a former Roman temple in the Keverstraat, a modern representation of that temple can be found. Because no drawings, apart from the floor plans, of the original temple exist, everything has been rebuilt up to 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) high.
- Partly 3 metres (9.8 ft) below the Basilica of Our Lady and partly inside the Basilica, the Teseum-museum shows the archaeological findings at the location of the Basilica, as well as exhibitions about the history of the church.
- Tongeren houses a youth detention center.
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Tongeren City Hall
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Statue of Our Lady Cause of our Joy
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Statue of Ambiorix on the Grote Markt
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Modern art in Tongeren: Púmpkëskal ("Pump-chat")
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The Dodecahedron
Events
- The Kroningsfeesten (“Coronation Celebrations”) are organized every seven years in commemoration of the crowning of the miraculous statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Bishop Doutreloux in 1890. This religious procession, the largest and one of the most impressive in Belgium, took place for the seventeenth time in 2009. The eighteenth edition took place in July 2016.
- A well-attended antiques fair takes place every Sunday. It is the largest of its kind in the Benelux.
Sports
- Women's volleyball club Datovoc Tongeren plays at the highest level of the Belgian league pyramid.
- Tongeren's best known football club is K.S.K. Tongeren.
Famous inhabitants
Ancient times
- Ambiorix, prince of the Eburones and rebel leader against the Roman invaders. Although his statue stands on the central square of Tongeren, it is unknown where he lived exactly and Julius Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico is the only source to mention him (1st century BC)
- Saint Servatius, bishop of Tongeren, introduced Christianity in the Netherlands(4th century)
- Saint Helier, ascetic hermit and patron saint of Jersey (6th century)
- liturgist(d. 1403)
Modern times
- Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau, French politician (1749–1791)
- beatified priest, also known as "het heilig Paterke van Hasselt" (the holy priest [diminutive] of Hasselt) (1828–1905)
- Philippe Boesmans, composer (b. 1936)
- Robert Cailliau, co-inventor of the World Wide Web, together with Tim Berners-Lee (b. 1947)
- former Minister President of Flanders, and mayor(b. 1955)
- Wilfried Nelissen (1970), Road racing cyclist
- Jef Vliers(1932 – 1994), (football player and coach)
- Zoon van snooK, songwriter/musician (b. 1978)
- Freddy Loix, rally driver (b. 1970)
- Jules Castro, racing driver (b. 2004)
References
- Notes
- ^ "Wettelijke Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2018". Statbel. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
- ^ Gysseling, Maurits (1960), Toponymisch Woordenboek van België, Nederland, Luxemburg, Noord-Frankrijk en West-Duitsland
- ISBN 9789038205786
- ^ Ammianus Marcellinus, Res Gestae, Book XVII.8.3-4
- ^ Zosimus Nova Historia Book III
- ^ Jona Lendering. "Servatius of Tongeren". Livius.org. Retrieved 2014-05-20.
- ^ "Tongeren". Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed (in Dutch). Retrieved 17 October 2020.
- ^ "Flemish Béguinages". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- ^ "Belfries of Belgium and France". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
External links
- Official website - Only available in Dutch
- Official tourism website
- Roman Tongeren
- Gallo-Roman museum
- Tongeren Travel Guide - A comprehensive English language guide to Tongeren; includes history, sightseeing, brewing and beer culture.