Lokeren

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Lokeren
Municipality of Belgium
City Hall in Lokeren

Flag
Coat of arms
Lokeren
Location in Belgium
Coordinates: 51°06′N 03°59′E / 51.100°N 3.983°E / 51.100; 3.983Coordinates: 51°06′N 03°59′E / 51.100°N 3.983°E / 51.100; 3.983
Country Belgium
Community Flemish Community
Region Flemish Region
Province East Flanders
Arrondissement Sint-Niklaas
Government
 • Mayor Filip Anthuenis (VLD)
 • Governing party/ies VLD, SAMEN
Area
 • Total 67.50 km2 (26.06 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2012)[1]
 • Total 39,882
 • Density 590/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
Postal codes 9160
Area codes 09
Website www.lokeren.be

Lokeren (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈloːkərə(n)]) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Lokeren proper and the towns of Daknam and Eksaarde. It is located on the Durme, a tributary of the Scheldt, and is the second most important city of the Waasland after Sint-Niklaas. Mayor Filip Anthuenis (VLD) was elected for a third mandate during the elections on October 14, 2012. Horse sausages are officially recognized as a regional specialty of Lokeren.

History

Origins

Archaeological finds on the Lokeren territory prove that this area was populated in Neolithic times. A Roman road ran along the Durme river. The name Waas was given to this area by the Romans from the Germanic root Wasu meaning “marshy land”. The first mention of the name Lokeren, however, dates from 1114. Unlike the older settlements, the new village came to be built on the right bank of the Durme. By the middle of the 12th century, it had become an independent parish, with agriculture and flax as the two main drivers of the economy. The textile industry would remain important until well into the 20th century.

16th century until now

In 1555, Charles V gave Lokeren the right to hold a market. In the 16th and 17th century, the whole Waasland was in the line of fire between Protestant Netherlands and Catholic Spain, often with terrible consequences for the local population. After the French Revolution, the area was made part of the new Département de l’Escaut, with Lokeren at the head of a canton. This did not last long as the department was split in 1800 and Lokeren made part of the arrondissement of Dendermonde. Napoleon Bonaparte promoted the town to the status of city in 1804.

Until the 1970s, haircutting (an industrial practice of cutting hair from rabbit skins to make felt, a basic material for hat makers) and slaughterhouses were among Lokeren’s main industries. Today, the city enjoys a more varied economical and cultural infra-structure.

Sights

  • Lokeren counts a number of art galleries and a museum, which covers local history from prehistoric archaeology to the mid-20th century.
  • Sint-Laurentius church, built in 1725.
  • Since June 10, 1956, the city has been endowed with a 49-bell carillon.
  • The Molsbroek nature preservation area is on Lokeren’s territory.
  • The façade of the Sint-Lodewijks college, High-School.

  • The Durme river

  • Lokeren Station

  • Lokeren23.JPG

Famous inhabitants

  • Frans Rens, writer (1805–1874)
  • Aimé Anthuenis, former football player and coach (b. 1943)
  • Gabriel of Comane, archbishop of Western Europe of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Eastern Orthodox church (b. 1946)
  • François Van Der Elst, former international football player (b. 1954)
  • Jelle Van Damme, football player (b. 1983)
  • Miet Smet: Politician (b. 1943)

Sports and events

Twin towns

Lokeren is twinned with

Church of Saint Laurence

External links

References

  1. ↑ Population per municipality on 1 January 2012 (XLS; 214 KB)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lokeren.
Aalst
Dendermonde
Eeklo
Ghent
Oudenaarde
Sint-Niklaas
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