Liezele 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) of the municipality of

Puurs-Sint-Amands Puurs-Sint-Amands () is a municipality in the Belgian province of Antwerp that arose on 1 January 2019 from the merging of the municipalities of Puurs and Sint-Amands. The merged municipality has an area of 48.99 km2 and has a population of ...

in the province of

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

, Belgium. The village is located about south-south-west of the city of

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

. On the night of 4 to 5 September 1914, the entire village was destroyed by the Belgian Army to deny the Germany Army cover.

History

Liezele was originally located in an area of heaths and forests. The village was first mentioned in 1138 or 1139 as Liensella when it became a parish belonging to Affligem Abbey. The area was divided by the Lords of

Grimbergen Grimbergen () is a municipality in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, 10 km north of the capital Brussels. It comprises the towns of Beigem, Grimbergen, Humbeek, and Strombeek-Bever. In 2017, it had a population of 37,030 and an area ...

and the Duchy of Brabant. In 1662, the '' heerlijkheden'' (landed estates) of Liezele,

Lippelo Lippelo is a village in the Belgian province of Antwerp. It is a part of the municipality of Puurs-Sint-Amands Puurs-Sint-Amands () is a municipality in the Belgian province of Antwerp that arose on 1 January 2019 from the merging of the munici ...

and became the property of J.F. de la Pierre. In 1795, Liezele became an independent municipality. Liezele used to be an agricultural area. In 1908, construction started on the Fort van Liezele as part of the National Redoubt. The first soldiers were stationed in the fortress in March 1913. On 4 August 1914, Germany invaded Belgium. Due to the speed of their advance, commander Fiévez asked permission to destroy the village of Liezele to deny the German Army cover. On the night of 4 to 5 September, the village, church, castle, and manor houses were burnt and the walls of the buildings were torn down. Antwerp capitulated on 10 October 1914, and the fortress was handed over undamaged. Liezele contains no historic buildings, because all the buildings were constructed after 1914. Liezele remained an independent municipality until 1977, when it was merged into

Puurs Puurs () is a former municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. It is located in the Flemish Region. The municipality comprised the towns of Breendonk, Liezele, , Ruisbroek (old spelling: ''Ruysbroeck'') and Puurs proper. There ...

. In 2019, Puurs was merged into the municipality of

Gallery

File:Sint-Jozefskerk Liezele.jpg, St Josef Church File:Fort Liezele - panoramio.jpg, Fort van Liezele File:Panorama Liezele 01.jpg, View on Liezele File:LandhuisLiezele.jpg, Villa in Liezele

References

External links

*
Official site
(in Dutch) {{Authority control Populated places in Antwerp Province Puurs-Sint-Amands