Sint-Agatha-Rode
Encyclopedia
Sint-Agatha-Rode is a Dutch-speaking village in Belgian province of Flemish Brabant
and lies within the district of the town of Huldenberg
. Historically Sint-Agatha-Rode was an independent municipality (Gemeente) until the merger of Belgian municipalities in 1977 when it was joined to the town of Huldenberg.
Sint-Agatha-Rode is located east of town centre of Huldenberg, in the hills between the valleys of the river Dijle
which is the south-eastern boundary of the Huldenberg district and the river Laan which is the south-western boundary. North of the town center of Sint Agatha-Rode the Laan joins the Dyle. The eastern boundary of the district is the language barrier
with the Walloon villages of Nethen and Pecrot. Sint-Agatha-Rode has developed from being an agricultural village to become a rural residential town.
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also completely surrounds the Brussels-Capital Region. Its capital is Leuven...
and lies within the district of the town of Huldenberg
Huldenberg
Huldenberg is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns and villages of Huldenberg proper, Loonbeek, Neerijse, Ottenburg and Sint-Agatha-Rode. On January 1, 2006 Huldenberg had a total population of 9,130. The total area is 39.64 km²...
. Historically Sint-Agatha-Rode was an independent municipality (Gemeente) until the merger of Belgian municipalities in 1977 when it was joined to the town of Huldenberg.
Sint-Agatha-Rode is located east of town centre of Huldenberg, in the hills between the valleys of the river Dijle
Dijle
Dyle or Dijle or historically the River Dyle in English, is a river in central Belgium, left tributary of the Rupel. It is long. It flows through the Belgian provinces of Walloon Brabant, Flemish Brabant and Antwerp...
which is the south-eastern boundary of the Huldenberg district and the river Laan which is the south-western boundary. North of the town center of Sint Agatha-Rode the Laan joins the Dyle. The eastern boundary of the district is the language barrier
Language barrier
Language barrier is a figurative phrase used primarily to indicate the difficulties faced when people who have no language in common attempt to communicate with each other...
with the Walloon villages of Nethen and Pecrot. Sint-Agatha-Rode has developed from being an agricultural village to become a rural residential town.
Attractions
- The village of St. Agatha-Rode was designated a protected village (beschermd dorpsgezicht) in 1979
- The GothicGothic 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 Saint Agatha was originally founded in the 13th century. The present building was rebuilt and restored in the early 17th century and is made from in white Gobertange stone. The church tower is also in early Gothic style with a chiming clock built by the NamurNamur (city)Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
clockmaker Lion in 1738 and which was restored in 1993. The church and the cemetery wall were designated as protected buildings in 1979. - In front of the church there is a plane tree that was planted at the time of the Belgian independence in 1830 is called the liberty tree (vrijheidsboom). The tree was also designated a protected monument in 1979.
- The parsonage (pastorie) dates from the late 18th century and was designated a protected monument in 1993.
- The estates of the Hinnemeure and Celongae farms in Neerijse were designated as protected areas (beschermd dorpsgezicht) in 1996. Part of these estates lie within the territory of Sint-Agatha-Rode.
- There are two châteaus in village. The date of construction of the old château is unknown but Maximilien-Emmanuel d’Overschie Baron of Neerijse owned it in the 18th century. When it was restored in 1788 the château had a classical U-shape a courtyard with French gardens, horse stables and accommodation for staff. The new château of Sint Agatha Rode was built in 1909 on the same estate as the old château. The new château was designed in EclecticEclecticism in artEclecticism is a kind of mixed style in the fine arts: "the borrowing of a variety of styles from different sources and combining them" . Significantly, Eclecticism hardly ever constituted a specific style in art: it is characterized by the fact that it was not a particular style...
style by the Pierard brothers from CharleroiCharleroiCharleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
and the walls were made of reinforced concrete.
Scenery
- The Grootbroek is a low-lying wetlands area in the Dyle valley with marshes and lakes. This was designated a protected area (landschap) in 1978.
- A nature reserve called the Rodebos on is situated on the side of the Laan valley. It has an area of 150 hectares.
History
- Remnants of prehistoric ice-age people (fire bricks, shards and blades) have been found in Sint-Agatha-Rode where the Laan and Dijle rivers merge.
- Sint-Agatha-Rode lies near the former major Roman road between GemblouxGemblouxGembloux is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur, on the axis Brussels-NamurOn 1 January 2006 the municipality had 21,964 inhabitants...
and MechelenMechelenMechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
. A spur from this road ran through Sint-Agatha-Rode along a street now called Oude Waversebaan. The remains of a Gallo-RomanGallo-Roman cultureThe term Gallo-Roman describes the Romanized culture of Gaul under the rule of the Roman Empire. This was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman mores and way of life in a uniquely Gaulish context...
villa and fragments of Roman pottery have been found in the North-East of present-day Rodebos park near the Oude Waversebaan in Sint-Agatha-Rode. This villa was destroyed about 276 when the invading Franks from the East occupied the area. - In the 11th century, the Counts of LeuvenCounts of LeuvenNear the end of the 10th century, the County of Leuven emerged when granted to Lambert I by the German Emperor. Originally limited by the rivers Demer, Dijle and Velp, that is more or less the region known today as Hageland, the County of Leuven rapidly increased in size and power...
cut down the forests in the area and built a chapel to Saint AgathaAgatha of SicilySaint Agatha of Sicily is a Christian saint. Her memorial is on 5 February. Agatha was born at Catania, Sicily, and she was martyred in approximately 251...
, from which the the name of the village is taken. ("Rode" means a clearing in a wood or forest in English). The Counts also built a castle beside the Dijle river which was, for a time, the residence of Sophie of Thuringia, Duchess of BrabantSophie of Thuringia, Duchess of BrabantSophie of Thuringia was the second wife and only Duchess consort of Henry II, Duke of Brabant and Lothier. She was the heiress of Hesse which she passed on to her son, Henry upon her retention of the territory following her partial victory in the War of the Thuringian Succession in which she was...
, widow of of Henry II, Duke of BrabantHenry II, Duke of BrabantHenry II of Brabant was Duke of Brabant and Lothier after the death of his father Henry I in 1235...
, in the 13th century.