Schoten
Encyclopedia
Schoten is a municipality located in the Belgian
province
of Antwerp
. The municipality only comprises the town of Schoten proper. On January 1, 2006 Schoten had a total population of 33,160. The total area is 29.55 km² (11.41 sq mi) which gives a population density
of 1,122 inhabitants per km². Schoten abuts the Antwerp districts Merksem
to the west and Deurne to the south west. Neighboring municipalities include Brasschaat
to the north, Brecht to the north east, Schilde
to the east, and Wijnegem
to the south.
) that were driven in the ground to separate private property. The Christianization
of the area dates from the end of the 7th century, under the influence of Abbot Ursmarus, of Lobbes Abbey
, which owned property here.
In the 12th century, the territory was under the political authority of the lords of Breda
, then of the lords of Bergen-op-Zoom. Religiously, it was administered by the Villers Abbey.
character until well into the 19th century. Industry first developed on the border with Merksem
, later along the Albert Canal
. Much of the rest of the town’s territory was kept green and was again used by neighboring Antwerp residents for building extensive villas such as Koningshof and Schotenhof. Today about 30% of Schoten’s territory still consists of forested areas, a great achievement given its location only 10 km (6 mi) away from the center of Antwerp.
Tarnów
, Poland Voorschoten
, Netherlands
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
Provinces of Belgium
Belgium is divided into three regions, two of them are subdivided into five provinces each.The division into provinces is fixed by Article 5 of the Belgian Constitution...
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 Schoten proper. On January 1, 2006 Schoten had a total population of 33,160. The total area is 29.55 km² (11.41 sq mi) 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 1,122 inhabitants per km². Schoten abuts the Antwerp districts Merksem
Merksem
Merksem is a district of the municipality and city of Antwerp in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It has almost 41,000 inhabitants.-History:The history of Merksem goes back to Gallo-Roman times. During that period the region was mentioned as Merk and Heim being part of the diocese Kamerijk...
to the west and Deurne to the south west. Neighboring municipalities include Brasschaat
Brasschaat
Brasschaat is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of Antwerp. The municipality only comprises the town of Brasschaat proper. In November 2006, Brasschaat won the LivCom-Award 2006 for the most liveable municipality in the world....
to the north, Brecht to the north east, Schilde
Schilde
Schilde is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the towns of Schilde proper and 's Gravenwezel. On January 1, 2006 Schilde had a total population of 19,575. The total area is 35.99 km² which gives a population density of 544 inhabitants per km². It...
to the east, and Wijnegem
Wijnegem
Wijnegem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality only comprises the town of Wijnegem proper. WIjnegem is one of the most expensive municipality of the Flanders. On January 1, 2006 Wijnegem had a total population of 8,816. The total area is 7.86 km² which gives...
to the south.
Early Middle Ages
The history and usage of the name Schoten may have come from the name given to the wooden dividing walls (schot in DutchDutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
) that were driven in the ground to separate private property. The Christianization
Christianization
The historical phenomenon of Christianization is the conversion of individuals to Christianity or the conversion of entire peoples at once...
of the area dates from the end of the 7th century, under the influence of Abbot Ursmarus, of Lobbes Abbey
Lobbes Abbey
Lobbes Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Lobbes in Hainaut, Belgium. The abbey played an important role in the religious, political and religious life of the Prince-Bishopric of Liège, especially around the year 1000.-Foundation:...
, which owned property here.
In the 12th century, the territory was under the political authority of the lords of Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
, then of the lords of Bergen-op-Zoom. Religiously, it was administered by the Villers Abbey.
16th century until today
Already by the beginning of the 16th century, well-off burghers and merchants from neighboring Antwerp built castles in Schoten as secondary residences. The local community succeeded, however, in maintaining its rural CampineCampine
The Campine is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-western Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands...
character until well into the 19th century. Industry first developed on the border with Merksem
Merksem
Merksem is a district of the municipality and city of Antwerp in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It has almost 41,000 inhabitants.-History:The history of Merksem goes back to Gallo-Roman times. During that period the region was mentioned as Merk and Heim being part of the diocese Kamerijk...
, later along the Albert Canal
Albert Canal
The Albert Canal is a canal located in northeastern Belgium, named after King Albert I of Belgium. It connects the major cities Antwerp and Liège and the Meuse and Scheldt rivers. It has a depth of , a free height of and a total length of...
. Much of the rest of the town’s territory was kept green and was again used by neighboring Antwerp residents for building extensive villas such as Koningshof and Schotenhof. Today about 30% of Schoten’s territory still consists of forested areas, a great achievement given its location only 10 km (6 mi) away from the center of Antwerp.
Main sights
- The water-encircled Schoten castle started as a farm in the 13th century, and is now converted into a local cultural centre.
- The main square is lined with a Gothic RevivalGothic Revival architectureThe Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
city hall and adorned with a Till EulenspiegelTill EulenspiegelTill Eulenspiegel was an impudent trickster figure originating in Middle Low German folklore. His tales were disseminated in popular printed editions narrating a string of lightly connected episodes that outlined his picaresque career, primarily in Germany, the Low Countries and France...
fountain. - The Villers castle also dates from the 13th century, while the Gothic-styleGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
church of St-Cordula dates from the 15th century. - Schoten also has a number of nature reservations and wooded areas.
Events and Sports
- The World Festival of Folklore Schoten, a folk danceFolk danceThe term folk dance describes dances that share some or all of the following attributes:*They are dances performed at social functions by people with little or no professional training, often to traditional music or music based on traditional music....
festivity founded in 1959, takes place annually in the summer. - The Grote ScheldeprijsGrote ScheldeprijsThe Scheldeprijs is a Flanders Classics cycling race which starts in Antwerp and finishes in Schoten. The event, ranked at 1.HC on the UCI European calendar, is seen as a race for sprinters, held on flat roads over roughly 200 kilometres. The race is one circuit of 155 kilometres into the...
, an annual cyclingCyclingCycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
race taking place in April, starts in Antwerp and finishes in Schoten. - The local football club is the KFC Schoten SK.
Economy
- Schoten was the place where the BelgianBelgiumBelgium , 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...
fast-food restaurant QuickQuick (restaurant chain)Quick is a Belgian chain of hamburger fast food restaurants. It is one of Europe's largest restaurants chains. In recent years, its worldwide expansion has accelerated.Quick is similar in theme to McDonald's...
established its first outlet in 1971.
Notable citizens
- Bob MendesBob MendesDavid Mendes pseudonym Bob Mendes is a Belgian accountant and writer of detective stories. He graduated in accountancy, fiscal duties and business administration and started his professional career as an accountant....
, writer of thrillers and detective stories (b. 1928) - Michel A. J. GeorgesMichel A. J. GeorgesMichel A. J. Georges is a Belgian biologist and a professor at the University of Liège.- Birth and education :Michel A. J. Georges was born in 1959 in Schoten, Belgium. He received his Doctor in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Liège in 1983, and his M.Sc. in Molecular Biology from the...
, biologistBiologistA biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
and professor at the University of LiègeUniversity of LiègeThe University of Liège , in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium, is a major public university in the French Community of Belgium. Its official language is French.-History:...
(b.1959) - Marie-Rose Morel, politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
(b. 1972 d. 2011) - Véronique De KockVéronique De KockVéronique De Kock was Miss Belgium 1995 and a contestant at Miss Universe 1996.-Biography:...
, Miss BelgiumMiss BelgiumMiss Belgium is the largest national beauty pageant in Belgium, responsible for selecting the country's representatives to Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss International pageants.-Winners since 1969:-2008 controversy:...
1995 (b. 1977) - Geert SteursGeert SteursGeert Steurs is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer who rides for .- Palmares :20042006* Cepa Tour - 1 stage & Overall2010- External links :**...
, professional road bicycle racer (b. 1981) - Thor SaldenThor SaldenThor Salden from Schoten was the winning contestant in the Belgian pre-selections of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2006 and he represented Belgium in the international final on 2 December 2006 in Bucharest, Romania where he reached seventh place in a field of fifteen...
, also known as Thor!, singer (b. 1997)
Twin towns — sister cities
Schoten is twinned with:Tarnów
Tarnów
Tarnów is a city in southeastern Poland with 115,341 inhabitants as of June 2009. The city has been situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999, but from 1975 to 1998 it was the capital of the Tarnów Voivodeship. It is a major rail junction, located on the strategic east-west connection...
, Poland Voorschoten
Voorschoten
Voorschoten is a village and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. It is a smaller town in the Randstad, enclosed by the cities of Leiden and The Hague. The municipality covers an area of 11.59 km²...
, Netherlands
External links
- Official website, in DutchDutch languageDutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
- Official festival website