Dendermonde

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Municipal flag Dendermonde
Dendermonde City Hall, Belfry
 
Location on map of Belgium
Coat of arms Location of Dendermonde in East Flanders
Geography
Country Belgium
Region Flag of Flanders Flemish Region
Community Flag of Flanders Flemish Community
Province Flag of East Flanders East Flanders
Arrondissement Dendermonde
Coordinates 51°02′N 04°06′E / 51.033, 4.1Coordinates: 51°02′N 04°06′E / 51.033, 4.1
Area 55.67 km²
Population (Source: NIS)
Population
– Males
– Females
- Density		 43,347 (January 1, 2006)
48.82%
51.18%
779 inhab./km²
Age distribution
0–19 years
20–64 years
65+ years		 (01/01/2006)
21.07%
60.77%
18.16%
Foreigners 1.52% (01/07/2005)
Economy
Unemployment rate 8.24% (January 1, 2006)
Mean annual income 13,324 €/pers. (2003)
Government
Mayor Piet Buyse (CD&V/N-VA)
Governing parties CD&V/N-VA, SP.A-Spirit
Other information
Postal codes 9200
Area codes 052
Web address www.dendermonde.be

Dendermonde (French: Termonde, German: Dendermünde) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Dendermonde proper and the towns of Appels, Baasrode, Grembergen, Mespelare, Oudegem, Schoonaarde, and Sint-Gillis-bij-Dendermonde. As its name implies, Dendermonde is located at the mouth of the river Dender, where it flows into the Scheldt.

The current Mayor of Dendermonde is Piet Buyse (CD&V).

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Origins to the 15th century

Some interesting La-Tène artifacts were found in Appels, proof that this region of the Scheldt was inhabited in prehistory. Grave sites from the 2nd and 6th century also attest to dense settlement in Gallo-Roman and Merovingian times. In 843, the Treaty of Verdun placed Dendermonde in Lotharingia. After the Norman invasions of 883, however, Baldwin II took over the region and incorporated it into the German part of the newly founded County of Flanders.

Brussels Gate
Brussels Gate

Otto II built a fort here in the 10th century, encouraging further settlements in the area. The town received its city charter in 1233 and grew quickly after that thanks to a thriving cloth industry. Several cloisters, chapels and churches, and a fortified defensive wall were built as well. A cloth hall and belfry were erected on the market square in the mid 14th century. The town’s prosperity, however, gave rise to severe competition with cities such as Ghent and to occasional attacks and plunders by neighbours. In 1384, the whole area became part of the Duchy of Burgundy.

[edit] 16th century until today

The 16th century saw a decline in Dendermonde’s fortunes. In 1572, the Spanish troops under Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma, took over the city and mostly destroyed it. A decade later, the Spaniards built their own fortress between the Dender and the Scheldt. In 1667, it was France’s turn to advance on the city, but the allied troops of the Netherlands and England, under the Duke of Marlborough, caused the heaviest damage in 1706. The city was then fortified by the Austrians against further French ambitions. After a last siege by Louis XV, the city could finally breathe to the point that the fortifications were dismantled a few decades later.

The second half of the 18th century was generally prosperous, with the advent of the Industrial Revolution and a local cotton industry. After 1800, the port facilities were modernized and the first railways were laid down, allowing other industries (oil, shoe, leather…) to move in. The onset of World War I in September 1914 was disastrous for the city as more than half of its housing and the city archives were either bombed or burned down. Today, the city is an administrative, commercial, educational, and medical centre for the surrounding region.

[edit] Places of interest

Dendermonde beguinage
Dendermonde beguinage

[edit] Events

Dendermonde likes to be known for its decennial procession, featuring the heroic horse, Ros Beiaard. Legend has this horse saving his master and his three brothers from capture by Charlemagne.

On August 19th 2006, 28 prisoners managed to escape Dendermonde prison. 7 were captured within hours. A few have been found in Italy & Russia. There are some that are still walking around in Belgium. They managed to escape because the lock was old & rusty. They simply walked away, tied all their sheets together, climbed over the wall, jumped on a phone booth and ran away.

[edit] Famous inhabitants

[edit] Twin cities

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Municipalities in the Province of East Flanders, Flanders, Belgium
Aalst
Dendermonde
Berlare · Buggenhout · Dendermonde · Hamme · Laarne · Lebbeke · Waasmunster · Wetteren · Wichelen · Zele
Eeklo
Ghent
Oudenaarde
Sint-Niklaas