Wevelgem

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Wevelgem
Municipality
Wevelgem town hall
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Wevelgem
Wevelgem Location in Belgium Location of Wevelgem in West-Flanders Region		Flemish Region
Province	West Flanders
Arrondissement	Kortrijk
Government
• Mayor	Jan Seynhaeve (CD&V)
• Governing party/ies	CD&V
Area
• Total	39.14 km2 (15.11 sq mi)
Population  (2018-01-01)[1]
• Total	31,412
• Density	800/km2 (2,100/sq mi)
Postal codes	8560
NIS code	34041
Area codes	056
Website	www.wevelgem.be

Wevelgem (Dutch pronunciation:

Wevelgem is known for the annual Gent–Wevelgem bicycle road race which finishes in the town.

History

The earliest known mention dates from 1197.^{[citation needed]} Wevelgem was home to the Cistercian^[2] Guldenberg Abbey in the 13th–14th centuries, which owned grain mills in various locations.^[3] From c. 1278 to 1310, abbess Ida was in charge,^[4] though Marc Brion lists it as an abbey for men.^[2]

In the old days, the river De Leie was important for Wevelgem. The people used the river to soak flax, before they processed it in one of the many flax factories in Wevelgem. That is also the reason De Leie got the nickname The Golden River, referring to the colour of the flax. Because selling flax was lucrative, many people came to Wevelgem and stayed there for many generations. Nowadays, the cultivation of flax is less important, but some factories still process it.

During the

Notable people

• Annelien Coorevits, Miss Belgium 2007
• Justine De Jonckheere, Miss Belgium 2011
• Steak Number Eight
  , rock band founded in 2007, broke through in the same year
• cyclist
  , lived in Gullegem whilst active
• Aagje Vanwalleghem, gymnast, qualified for the finals of the Olympic Games 2004
• Steven Vanackere, (Dutch: [ˈsteːvə(n) vɑnˈɑkərə]), Flemish politician was born in Wevelgem
• Jean-Claude Van Geenberghe, Belgian-Ukrainian equestrian lived in Moorsele
• Camille Dhont, Belgian singer and actress born in Wevelgem

Gallery

• 
  Sint-Theresia's Church near Wevelgem.
• 
  Guldenberg Abbey of Wevelgem in 1641.
• 
  Military cemetery in

  Moorsele

  .

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wevelgem.

• Official website (in Dutch)