Herentals

Herentals
Municipality

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Coat of arms
Herentals

Location in Belgium

Coordinates: 51°11′N 04°50′E / 51.183°N 4.833°ECoordinates: 51°11′N 04°50′E / 51.183°N 4.833°E
Country Belgium
Community Flemish Community
Region Flemish Region
Province Antwerp
Arrondissement Turnhout
Government
 • Mayor Jan Peeters (sp.a)
 • Governing party/ies sp.a, CD&V
Area
 • Total 48.56 km2 (18.75 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2013)[1]
 • Total 27,368
 • Density 560/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
Postal codes 2200
Area codes 014
Website www.herentals.be

Herentals (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɦeːrəntɑls]) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the city of Herentals proper and the towns of Morkhoven and Noorderwijk. On January 1, 2006 Herentals had a total population of 26,071. The total area is 48.56 km2 (18.75 sq mi) which gives a population density of 537 inhabitants per km².

Herentals is often referred to as the capital of the Campine region. Herentals has some outstanding historical buildings, including the church, town hall and the old city gates; Bovenpoort, the Northern gate, and Zandpoort, the Western gate. There used to be a Nederpoort and Koeienpoort as well, but those have been torn down a long time ago. The Hidrodoe science museum is located in Herentals. There is also a large chocolate factory located in Herentals.

Herentals is also the centre of commerce in the region, although the cities of Geel and Mol are quite popular as well.

Herentals is twinned with Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire in France, Alpen in Germany and Ijsselstijn in the Netherlands. The inhabitants of the Campine region have common soubriquets that are particular to their towns; people from Herentals are referred to by the colloquialisms "Klokkenververs" (meaning "bell painters") and "Peestekers" (Which comes from the old story about the farmers of the town using carrots (pekes, "pee"-stekers as a lock on the "zandpoort" (one of the great gates in that time)

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ Population per municipality on 1 January 2013 (XLS; 607.5 KB)

External links

 Vorselaar Lille Kasterlee
Grobbendonk
Herenthout		 Olen
   Herentals  
Heist-op-den-Berg
Westerlo