Sint-Truiden

Sint-Truiden
Saint-Trond  (French)
Municipality

Sint Truiden Grote Markt with eighteenth-century Stadhuis and Lievenvrouwenkerk

Flag
Coat of arms
Sint-Truiden

Location in Belgium

Coordinates: 50°48′N 05°11′E / 50.800°N 5.183°E / 50.800; 5.183Coordinates: 50°48′N 05°11′E / 50.800°N 5.183°E / 50.800; 5.183
Country  Belgium
Community Flanders Flemish Community
Region  Flemish Region
Province  Limburg
Arrondissement Hasselt
Government
 • Mayor Veerle Heeren (CD&V)
 • Governing party/ies CD&V, Open VLD
Area
 • Total 106.90 km2 (41.27 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2016)[1]
 • Total 40,158
 • Density 380/km2 (970/sq mi)
Postal codes 3800, 3803, 3806
Area codes 011
Website www.sint-truiden.be

Sint-Truiden (Dutch pronunciation: [sɪnt ˈtrœy̯də(n)]; French: Saint-Trond [sɛ̃ tʁɔ̃]) is a city and municipality located in the province of Limburg, Flemish Region, Belgium, near the towns of Hasselt and Tongeren. The municipality includes the old communes of Aalst, Brustem, Duras, Engelmanshoven, Gelinden, Gorsem, Groot-Gelmen, Halmaal, Kerkom-bij-Sint-Truiden, Melveren, Ordingen, Runkelen, Velm, Wilderen, and Zepperen.

The city is in the centre of Belgium's fruit producing region, Haspengouw (Hesbaye), and is renowned for its pears, apples (Jonagold), and sweet cherries.

History

Origins and Golden Age

The municipality formed around an abbey founded by St. Trudo, a Frankish nobleman, in the 7th century. Legend has it that as a boy, Trudo was playing while building a small church with some rocks. When a woman scornfully kicked over the rocks she was struck by sudden blindness. Trudo cured her from this blindness after she asked for his forgiveness. He also allegedly was able to spring water and cure other illnesses. After Trudo’s death, the abbey (the later Sint-Truiden Abbey) became the centre of a pilgrimage, which brought wealth to the neighbouring town. The 11th century was particularly prosperous and witnessed an important growth in population. This was the time when abbot Adelardus, reporting to the prince-bishop of Metz, built the abbey’s main church and two additional churches in town: Our Lady (Lievenvrouwenkerk) and Sint-Gangulfus. Under his direction, Sint-Truiden also received an earth wall surmounted by a wooden fence and fortified gates. A proper stone wall, gates and towers, were built in 1129. The economy of this new oppidum city was based on the linen industry and commerce with foreign lands such as England, Champagne, and Germany.

In the 13th century, the fortified town became one of the 23 bonnes villes (main cities) belonging to the Bishopric of Liège. A market hall was built at the site where the current city hall stands, the social life of the city was organized by the various guilds, and a perron was erected on the central square, symbolizing the local government’s authority in political affairs.

15th century until now

Charles the Bold captured the town in 1467, marking the beginning of a slow decline that lasted until the 19th century. The city’s fortifications were dismantled in 1675, and many of the religious congregations were disbanded under the French regime at the end of the 18th century. After 1830, these empty buildings were turned into educational and medical facilities. The city was also the centre of a prosperous agricultural region, which from the end of the 19th century became well known for its fruit production.

It occupied an important strategical position with regard to the N.E. frontier of Belgium, and General Henri Alexis Brialmont recommended its fortification.[2] On August 9, 1914, at the outset of Germany’s invasion of Belgium, 20 civilians were executed and a number of houses destroyed. The reconstruction and building of brand new neighbourhoods accelerated well into the 20th century.

During World War II, its airfield was the base of one of the most famous Luftwaffe Night Fighter squadron, NJG1, with units II/NJG1 and IV/NJG1 operating Junkers Ju88 and Heinkel He219 aircraft from here in 1944. The highest scoring German night fighter pilot, Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (121 air victories, most of them on night) was referred to as "The spook of St. Trond" by British Bomber crews that flew over Germany on night raids. The airport EBST is still in use.

Transport

Air

The airport of Sint-Truiden, Limburg Regional Airport - EBST is PPR. The length of the runway is 1199 meters (3933 ft) and positioned as 06 - 24. Frequency is 119.975. It's a former air force base of the Belgian Air Force

Fuel (Jet A-1 and Avgas) are available. All is located in hangar 41 (turn right at the end of the runway when taxiing heading 06). Opening hours from 09:00 LT until sunset 7/7. There is also a flight school (airplane and helicopter) Fly One.

Rail

The town is served by Sint-Truiden railway station.

Sports

A football club is based in Sint-Truiden: K. Sint-Truidense V.V.

Places of interest

Duras castle

Notable inhabitants

Sister cities

Sint-Truiden is twinned with the following cities:

References

  1. ↑ Population per municipality as of 1 January 2016 (XLS; 397 KB)
  2. ↑  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "St Trond". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  3. ↑ List of the Serial Properties to be examined by the 29th session of the World Heritage Committee, p. 8 : n° 943-021, Stadhuis met Toren, Sint-Truiden, listed in 1999.
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