Westmalle is a village which is 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 village itself is part of the municipality

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...

 of Malle

Malle

Malle is a municipality located in the Campine region of the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the towns of Oostmalle and Westmalle. On 1 January 2006 Malle had a total population of 14,083...

.

Tourism

Westmalle is primarily known for the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (O.C.S.O.: Ordo Cisterciensium reformatorum

Trappists

The Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance , or Trappists, is a Roman Catholic religious order of cloistered contemplative monks who follow the Rule of St. Benedict...

), and its brewery

Westmalle Brewery

Westmalle Brewery is a Belgian trappist brewery located in the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle. It produces three beers, which are designated trappist beer because they follow the rules of the International Trappist Association...

. The Trappist monks operate a brewery and make cheese

Cheese

Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....

. In addition, the Monasterium Magnificat

Monasterium Magnificat

The Monasterium Magnificat is a monastery of the Annunciade Order, located in Westmalle, Belgium. It is the only monastery of this order in Belgium. It was created from the merger of three monasteries which existed in 1965: Tienen , Geel , and Merksem . The new monastery was built between 1966 and...

 of Westmalle is the only monastery

Monastery

Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...

 of the Annunciade

Annunciade

Annunciade is a denomination common to several orders, both religious and military, instituted with a view of the Annunciation.-Religious orders:...

 Order in Belgium. Westmalle Castle

Westmalle Castle

Westmalle Castle is located in the village of Westmalle, which is part of the municipality of Malle in the Campine region of Flanders, Belgium.-History:...

 dates back to 1100. The Scherpenberg

Scherpenberg mill

The Scherpenberg mill, located in Westmalle, Belgium, is a tower mill that was built in 1843 to grind grain into flour. It is currently owned and operated by the municipal authorities of Malle, the only hours of operation being Sunday from 1:30 P.M. until 5:00 P.M.-History:The mill was built in...

 windmill

Windmill

A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...

 is still operational and can be visited.

The statue of the Pedaalstompers commemorates the world record of the longest bicycle.

Notable inhabitants

• Martinus Dom
  Martinus Dom
  Martinus Dom, born Frans Daniël Dom, , was the first abbot of the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle in Belgium and founded the Trappist brewery. He was a son of Jan Frans Dom, a cattle merchant, and Elisabeth Van Berckelaer...
  
   (1791-1873), first abbot
  Abbot
  The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
  
   of the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle and founder of the brewery
  Westmalle Brewery
  Westmalle Brewery is a Belgian trappist brewery located in the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle. It produces three beers, which are designated trappist beer because they follow the rules of the International Trappist Association...
  
  .
• Paul Lewi
  Paul Lewi
  Paul J. Lewi is a Belgian scientist, who elaborated Spectral Map Analysis in 1975 and was one of the cofounders of chemometrics in 1983. Paul Lewi is married with Philomena Van Bylen, and together they have 5 children.- Biography :...
  
   (b. Westmalle, 4 January 1938), scientist.
• Francis Severeyns
  Francis Severeyns
  Francis Severeyns , nicknamed Cisse, was a Belgian football striker. He played a.o. for R. Antwerp F.C., Pisa Calcio, KV Mechelen, FC Tirol Innsbruck and K.F.C. Germinal Beerschot. Severeyns was the Jupiler League top scorer in 1988 with 24 goals. He played 7 matches for the Belgium national...
  
  , nicknamed Cisse (b.1968 in Westmalle), football striker

External links

Malle Pictures of Westmalle Land van Playsantiën