Hansbeke is a village and ''
deelgemeente
A deelgemeente (, literally ''part-municipality'') or section ( French) is a subdivision of a municipality in Belgium and, until March 2014, in the Netherlands as well.
Belgium
Each municipality in Belgium that existed as a separate entity on 1 J ...
'' (sub-municipality) in the municipality of
Deinze in the
Belgian province of
East Flanders. The village is located about west of
Ghent.
History
The village was first mentioned in 1147 as Hansbeka, and means "brook near
Hamme
Hamme () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Hamme proper, Kastel Moerzeke, and . In 2018, Hamme had a total population of 24,827. The total area is 40.21 km². The cur ...
". The parish was demarcated in 1242, and became part of the
Diocese of Ghent in 1559. In 1838, a railway station opened on the
Ghent to
Bruges railway line. Later the
E40 highway was constructed parallel to the railway line. The improved connection to the outside world resulted in the transformation of an agricultural community into a commuter's town.
Hansbeke was an independent municipality until 1977, when it was merged to
Nevele. In 2019, it was merged in
Deinze. The villagers have established their own village council in December 2019, because they were worried that they were being ignored by the city in the larger municipality.
Buildings
The St Peter and Paul Church was first mentioned in 1147. The old church was damaged by a storm in 1780, and demolished in 1790. In 1793, a three aisled basilica-like church was constructed. The tower was destroyed in 1918, and rebuilt between 1922 and 1923 by
Valentin Vaerwyck in neo-Flemish Renaissance style.
Notable people
*
Erwin Mortier
Erwin Mortier (born 28 November 1965) is a Dutch-language Belgian author. Spending his youth in Hansbeke, he later moved to nearby Ghent, where he became city poet (2005–2006).
He wrote as a columnist for newspapers like ''De Morgen'' and pub ...
(born 1965), author
*
Julius Nieuwland (1899–1985), priest and professor of chemistry and botany
Gallery
File:Kerkhansbeke2 14-08-2009 15-45-13.jpg, St Peter and Paul Church
File:Spoorlijn 50A tussen Hansbeke en Landegem in 2020.jpg, Railway line protection during work on the transmission towers
File:Hansbeke 35227 30-08-2019 9-53-22.jpg, House in Hansbeke
File:De doortocht in Hansbekedorp - richting Zomergem - 2020.jpg, Street view
References
{{Authority control
Deinze
Former municipalities of East Flanders
Populated places in East Flanders