Edegem
Encyclopedia
Edegem is a municipality
located in the Belgian
province of Antwerp
. The municipality only comprises the town of Edegem proper. On January 1, 2006 Edegem had a total population of 21,668. The total area is 8.65 km² which gives a population density
of 2,504 inhabitants per km². The old Sint-Antoniuskerk (church of Saint Anthony) is no longer open to the public. It is not sure when it was first built (some sources go back as far as the 16th century).
The absence of heavy industry makes Edegem a typical commuter town
. Despite its location next to the metropolis of the city of Antwerp, Edegem is not fully urbanized.
The Sint-Antoniuskerk is a gothic church that was built between the 16th and 17th century.
In 1884 a cave was built, after the cave present at the site of Our Lady of Lourdes, as a pilgrimage site. It became a very popular place of worship when truckloads of Christians came to visit the site.
When the population of Edegem grew in the beginning of the 20th century the Sint-Antonuiskerk in the center of town became too small. Thus plans were made to build an expansion. But when World War I broke out in 1914, the expansion was delayed. Afterwards the city council and the local religious institutions decided to build a new place of worship near the site of the Cave of Our Lady of Lourdes due to the large amount of pilgrims visiting the site. The church was designed by architect Louis De Vooght to be a neo-Byzantine basilique. Construction began in September 1931 and ended in the first half of 1933.
In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI gave the Basilica of Edegem the official status of basilica minor.
Kasteel Hof Ter Linden is a classical castle in Edegem.
First sources go back as far as the beginning of the 15th century. In 1587–88 it was destroyed by Irish soldiers, reconstruction began in 1607. In 1725 it became a Hof van Plaisantie (Court of Pleasures) and in 1770–1773 the current classical facade was built. An impressive alley of Lindentrees, planted in 1756, connects the castle with the Sint-Anoniuskerk.
In the 20th century the castle was inhabited by Baron and Baroness de Roest d'Alkmade.
It is a compound of the Brialmontgordel or the National Redoubt
, a series of forts built around the city of Antwerp as a defence against foreign armies. During the Franco–Prussian war of 1870 it became clear that, due to innovations in the weaponsindustry, German artillery was able to bombard the city of Paris from a distance as close as 7 km. So only four years after the construction of Fort V it became almost useless in the plan for the defence of Antwerp. In in the 19th century the Brialmontgordel functioned as a prototype for the defense of large European cities. Today Fort V is open to the public and it functions as a recreational domain. It also houses all sorts of local organisations.
The local authorities have made a recreational playground. In the playground there is a forest, a large skatepark, a basketball
field and three bowls areas. There is also a restaurant with a terrace where they serve simple meals, and a bar. The old building was completely restored. All the toys in the playground were renewed. Now there is also a water playground and an adventure playground.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
located in the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
province of Antwerp
Antwerp (province)
Antwerp is the northernmost province both of the Flemish Region, also called Flanders, and of Belgium. It borders on the Netherlands and the Belgian provinces of Limburg, Flemish Brabant and East Flanders. Its capital is Antwerp which comprises the Port of Antwerp...
. The municipality only comprises the town of Edegem proper. On January 1, 2006 Edegem had a total population of 21,668. The total area is 8.65 km² which gives a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 2,504 inhabitants per km². The old Sint-Antoniuskerk (church of Saint Anthony) is no longer open to the public. It is not sure when it was first built (some sources go back as far as the 16th century).
The absence of heavy industry makes Edegem a typical commuter town
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
. Despite its location next to the metropolis of the city of Antwerp, Edegem is not fully urbanized.
Notable buildings and landmarks
- Sint-Antoniuskerk (Church of Saint Anthony)
The Sint-Antoniuskerk is a gothic church that was built between the 16th and 17th century.
- The Basilica of Our Lady of Lourdes
In 1884 a cave was built, after the cave present at the site of Our Lady of Lourdes, as a pilgrimage site. It became a very popular place of worship when truckloads of Christians came to visit the site.
When the population of Edegem grew in the beginning of the 20th century the Sint-Antonuiskerk in the center of town became too small. Thus plans were made to build an expansion. But when World War I broke out in 1914, the expansion was delayed. Afterwards the city council and the local religious institutions decided to build a new place of worship near the site of the Cave of Our Lady of Lourdes due to the large amount of pilgrims visiting the site. The church was designed by architect Louis De Vooght to be a neo-Byzantine basilique. Construction began in September 1931 and ended in the first half of 1933.
In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI gave the Basilica of Edegem the official status of basilica minor.
- Kasteel Hof Ter Linden
Kasteel Hof Ter Linden is a classical castle in Edegem.
First sources go back as far as the beginning of the 15th century. In 1587–88 it was destroyed by Irish soldiers, reconstruction began in 1607. In 1725 it became a Hof van Plaisantie (Court of Pleasures) and in 1770–1773 the current classical facade was built. An impressive alley of Lindentrees, planted in 1756, connects the castle with the Sint-Anoniuskerk.
In the 20th century the castle was inhabited by Baron and Baroness de Roest d'Alkmade.
Notable people
- Marie GeversMarie GeversMarie Gevers was a Belgian novelist.She was born in Edegem, near Antwerp. Educated by her mother, she had a special interest in literature. Very early in life, she composed bucolic poetry, encouraged by Verhaeren. Married in 1908 to Jan Frans Willems and mother of Paul Willems, she dedicated her...
, novelist, born at Edegem, on 30 December 1883. - Leo Tindemans, former prime minister of Belgium, diplomat, professor and chairman of the European People's Party (EPP).
- Willy VandersteenWilly VandersteenWilly Vandersteen was a Belgian creator of comic books. In a career spanning 50 years, he created a large studio and published more than 1,000 comic albums in over 25 series, selling more than 200 million copies worldwide....
, world renowned creator of comic books (Spike and SuzySpike and SuzySpike and Suzy, the British title for Suske en Wiske in Dutch, is a comics series created by the Belgian comics author Willy Vandersteen. The strip is known as Bob et Bobette in French and Willy and Wanda in the U.S. It was first published in De Nieuwe Standaard in 1945 and soon became popular...
, Willy and Wanda,...), died August 28, 1990. - François-Xavier de DonneaFrançois-Xavier de DonnéaFrançois Xavier Gustave Marie Joseph Corneille Hubert, Knight de Donnea de Hamoir is a Belgian politician and a former mayor of the City of Brussels and Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region....
, former Belgian defence minister, mayor of the City of Brussels, born at Edegem, on 29 April 1941. - Christine Van BroeckhovenChristine Van BroeckhovenChristine Van Broeckhoven is a Belgian molecular biologist and professor in Molecular genetics at the University of Antwerp . She is also leading the VIB Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Antwerp of the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology...
, molecular biologist and professor in Molecular genetics. - Ilse HeylenIlse HeylenIlse Heylen is a Belgian judoka. She won the bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.Heylen also became the 2005 European Champion and won a silver medal in 2004 and a bronze medal at the 2007 European Championships in Belgrade.- References :...
, judoka and bronze medal winner at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. - Boris Daenen (Netsky), world renowned Drum and Bass DJ
Recreation facilities
- Fort V is a fort in the community of Edegem. It was built between 1859–1864.
It is a compound of the Brialmontgordel or the National Redoubt
National Redoubt
A national redoubt is a general term for an area to which the forces of a nation can be withdrawn if the main battle has been lost—or even beforehand if defeat is considered inevitable...
, a series of forts built around the city of Antwerp as a defence against foreign armies. During the Franco–Prussian war of 1870 it became clear that, due to innovations in the weaponsindustry, German artillery was able to bombard the city of Paris from a distance as close as 7 km. So only four years after the construction of Fort V it became almost useless in the plan for the defence of Antwerp. In in the 19th century the Brialmontgordel functioned as a prototype for the defense of large European cities. Today Fort V is open to the public and it functions as a recreational domain. It also houses all sorts of local organisations.
- Het Meihof is a playgroundPlaygroundA playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
in the community of Edegem.
The local authorities have made a recreational playground. In the playground there is a forest, a large skatepark, a basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
field and three bowls areas. There is also a restaurant with a terrace where they serve simple meals, and a bar. The old building was completely restored. All the toys in the playground were renewed. Now there is also a water playground and an adventure playground.
External links
- Edegem Municipality website
- Edegems HarmonieOrkest Director: Yves Segers