Veurne (; french: Furnes, italic=no, ) is a
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
and
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
in the
Belgian
Belgian may refer to:
* Something of, or related to, Belgium
* Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent
* Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German
*Ancient Belgian language, an extinct languag ...
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of
West Flanders
)
, settlement_type = Province of Belgium
, image_flag = Flag of West Flanders.svg
, flag_size =
, image_shield = Wapen van West-Vlaanderen.svg
, shield_size =
, image_map ...
. The municipality comprises the town of Veurne proper and the settlements of , , , , ,
Houtem
Houtem is a village in the municipality of Veurne in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The village is located near the French border. Until 1977, Houtem was an independent municipality. During World War I, it was home to the Headquarters of t ...
, , ,
Wulveringem
{{Infobox settlement
, name =Wulveringem
, official_name =
, settlement_type = Deelgemeente (part-municipality)
, image_skyline = Dogs in Wulveringem.JPG
, imagesize =
, image_alt =
, image_caption = Dogs in Wulveringem (2015)
, image_m ...
, and .
History
Origins up to the 15th century
Veurne, in Latin ''
Furna
Furna (Highest Alemannic: ''Furnä'') is a Swiss village in the Prättigau and a municipality in the political district Prättigau/Davos Region in the canton of Graubünden.
History
Furna is first mentioned in 1479 as ''Furnen''.
Demographics ...
'', is first found in 877 as a possession of the
Saint Bertin
Bertin ( la, Bertinus; 615 – ''c''. 709 AD), also known as Saint Bertin the Great, was the Frankish abbot of a monastery in Saint-Omer later named the Abbey of Saint Bertin after him. He is venerated as a saint by the Catholic and Orthodox Ch ...
Abbey in
Saint-Omer
Saint-Omer (; vls, Sint-Omaars) is a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department in France.
It is west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais, and is located in the Artois province. The town is named after Saint Audomar, ...
. Around 890 AD, it was noted as a successful fortification against the
Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
raids. It soon was placed at the head of the
castellan
A castellan is the title used in Medieval Europe for an appointed official, a governor of a castle and its surrounding territory referred to as the castellany. The title of ''governor'' is retained in the English prison system, as a remnant o ...
y of Veurne, a large territory counting 42 parishes and some 8 half-independent parishes, owing allegiance to the
Count of Flanders
The count of Flanders was the ruler or sub-ruler of the county of Flanders, beginning in the 9th century. Later, the title would be held for a time, by the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire and Spain. During the French Revolution, in 1790, the co ...
. Veurne became a city in the 12th century. During the following century, trade with England flourished. In 1270, however, the relations with England came to a standstill and the city's economy went into a long decline; hence the nickname of the Veurne Sleepers. On August 20, 1297, the
Battle of Veurne was fought in the ongoing struggle between the Flemish cities and the French king.
The beautiful gothic church of Saint Walburga and the tower of the church of Saint Nicolas, date from that period.
Saint Walburga housed a chapter of
canons. Saint Nicholas and Saint Denis (gone 18th century) were the two other parish churches and possessions of the Norbertine abbey of Saint Nicholas.
15th century until the French Revolution
![Veurne, Belgium ; Ferraris Map](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Veurne%2C_Belgium_%3B_Ferraris_Map.jpg)
The 15th century saw the construction of a new city hall, which is known today as the Pavilion of the
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
officers, from its use in the 17th century as military headquarters. As most of the "Westhoek" (the Western part of the county of
Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...
), the city and the neighbourghood strongly recessed during the economic and religious problems around 1566–1583. But when the town and the
castellany
A castellan is the title used in Medieval Europe for an appointed official, a governor of a castle and its surrounding territory referred to as the castellany. The title of ''governor'' is retained in the English prison system, as a remnant of ...
officially got together, the town flourished, thanks to the expanding agriculture of the agrarian region.
Most of the other historic buildings date from this time, the prosperous reign of the Archdukes
Albert
Albert may refer to:
Companies
* Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic
* Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands
* Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia
* Albert Productions, a record label
* Alber ...
and
Isabella
Isabella may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Isabella (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Isabella (surname), including a list of people
Places
United States
* Isabella, Alabama, an unincorpor ...
around 1600.
In 1644 the
Capucines
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (; postnominal abbr. O.F.M. Cap.) is a religious order of Franciscan friars within the Catholic Church, one of Three " First Orders" that reformed from the Franciscan Friars Minor Observant (OFM Obs., now OFM ...
organised a procession. Since 1646, this procession was organised by the "Sodales", a religious confraternity, that organised a crossway during Advent time, under the leadership of the
Norbertine
The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré (), also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines and, in Britain and Ireland, as the White Canons (from the colour of their habit), is a religious order of canons regular of the Catholic Church ...
monk Jacob Clou. The hooded "Sodales" took a cross for penitence. This procession was expanded at the end of the 17th century with scenes from the Bible, and is the only one of his kind, remaining up to now in Flanders.
The second half of the 17th century was marked by the miseries brought to the region by
Louis XIV
, house = Bourbon
, father = Louis XIII
, mother = Anne of Austria
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
, death_date =
, death_place = Palace of Vers ...
’s wars.
Vauban built heavy fortifications around the city, the outlines of which are still noticeable from the air today.
Joseph II of Austria
Joseph II (German: Josef Benedikt Anton Michael Adam; English: ''Joseph Benedict Anthony Michael Adam''; 13 March 1741 – 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from August 1765 and sole ruler of the Habsburg lands from November 29, 1780 un ...
put them down and closed some of the religious institutions, putting a temporary end to the penitents’ procession, until
Leopold II of Austria allowed it again in 1790. Those few cloisters that were still operating were closed at the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...
.
19th and 20th century
From the
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armie ...
until
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, Veurne could enjoy a century of quiet and prosperity. In 1831, Veurne was the first city to welcome Belgium's new king,
Leopold I, in his new country.
During World War I, Veurne was located within the
Yser
The Yser ( , ; nl, IJzer ) is a river that rises in French Flanders (the north of France), enters the Belgian province of West Flanders and flows through the '' Ganzepoot'' and into the North Sea at the town of Nieuwpoort.
The source of the Ys ...
pocket of Belgian resistance against the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
troops. During the
Battle of the Yser
The Battle of the Yser (french: Bataille de l'Yser, nl, Slag om de IJzer) was a battle of the First World War that took place in October 1914 between the towns of Nieuwpoort and Diksmuide, along a stretch of the Yser River and the Yperlee C ...
, the Veurne city hall became the headquarters for the Belgian troops under
King Albert I
Albert I (8 April 1875 – 17 February 1934) was King of the Belgians from 23 December 1909 until his death in 1934.
Born in Brussels as the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders and Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-S ...
and a military hospital was set up in the city. In 1920, the French President,
Raymond Poincaré
Raymond Nicolas Landry Poincaré (, ; 20 August 1860 – 15 October 1934) was a French statesman who served as President of France from 1913 to 1920, and three times as Prime Minister of France.
Trained in law, Poincaré was elected deputy in 1 ...
, came to Veurne to award the city the
Croix de guerre
The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...
with palm.
Veurne suffered some damage during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, mainly from allied bombing but also from the strategic flooding that engulfed the whole area. Today, the city is a regional centre, which gives commercial, medical, and educational services to the surrounding communities while enjoying increasing tourist attention.
Sights
![Veurne Rathaus](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Veurne_Rathaus.jpg)
*Several
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
-style buildings, mostly built using the local light-coloured brick, adorn Veurne's central market square. Among these are the city hall (''Landhuis'') and
belfry, which was recognized by
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
as part of the
Belfries of Belgium and France
The Belfries of Belgium and France are a group of 56 historical buildings designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, in recognition of the civic (rather than church) belfries serving as an architectural manifestation of emerging civic indep ...
World Heritage Site in 1999 to highlight its historical importance in civic functions, use as a status symbol of the influence of the town, and architecture.
*The nearby church of Saint
Walburga
Walpurga or Walburga ( ang, Wealdburg, la, Valpurga, Walpurga, Walpurgis, sv, Valborg; c. AD 71025 February 777 or 779), also spelled Valderburg or Guibor, was an Anglo-Saxon missionary to the Frankish Empire. She was canonized on 1 May c. 870 ...
is an example of the earlier
Gothic
Gothic or Gothics may refer to:
People and languages
*Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes
**Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths
**Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
style.
*Other buildings of interest include the church of Saint Nicolas, the Spanish Pavilion, and the old meat market.
*The castle of Beauvoorde on the outskirts of town, an old manor with a collection of 17th-century furniture.
*NATO-Tower – tall, used for meteorological research and radio relay links.
Folklore
The annual ''Boeteprocessie'' (procession of the penitents) takes place every year on the last Sunday of July. This unique event includes cross-carrying, hooded penitents and other groups of participants who recreate the
Passion of
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
.
Towns
The municipality of Veurne comprises 11 "
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 ...
s". Veurne proper is the largest centre and has the largest population. The others are small rural villages:
Avekapelle,
Booitshoeke
Veurne (; french: Furnes, italic=no, ) is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Veurne proper and the settlements of , , , , , Houtem, , , Wulveringem, and .
History
Origins up ...
,
Bulskamp,
De Moeren
Veurne (; french: Furnes, italic=no, ) is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Veurne proper and the settlements of , , , , , Houtem, , , Wulveringem, and .
History
Origins up ...
,
Eggewaartskapelle
Veurne (; french: Furnes, italic=no, ) is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Veurne proper and the settlements of , , , , , Houtem, , , Wulveringem, and .
History
Origins ...
,
Houtem
Houtem is a village in the municipality of Veurne in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The village is located near the French border. Until 1977, Houtem was an independent municipality. During World War I, it was home to the Headquarters of t ...
,
Steenkerke,
Vinkem
Veurne (; french: Furnes, italic=no, ) is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Veurne proper and the settlements of , , , , , Houtem, , , Wulveringem, and .
History
Origins ...
,
Wulveringem
{{Infobox settlement
, name =Wulveringem
, official_name =
, settlement_type = Deelgemeente (part-municipality)
, image_skyline = Dogs in Wulveringem.JPG
, imagesize =
, image_alt =
, image_caption = Dogs in Wulveringem (2015)
, image_m ...
and
Zoutenaaie
Veurne (; french: Furnes, italic=no, ) is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Veurne proper and the settlements of , , , , , Houtem, , , Wulveringem, and .
History
Origins ...
. The municipality of Veurne has a total resident population of 11.701 (18/08/2015).
:
Source
official website city of Veurne
/small>
Veurne borders the following villages and municipalities:
*a. Adinkerke
Adinkerke (French: ''Adinkerque'') is a village in the municipality of De Panne in western Belgium close to the French border. It forms a conurbation with the coastal town of De Panne, which in turn is part of the west Belgian coastal conurbation. ...
(De Panne)
*b. Koksijde
Koksijde (; french: Coxyde ; vls, Koksyde) is a town and a municipality in Belgium. It is located on the North Sea coast in the southwest of the Flemish province of West Flanders.
The municipality comprises apart from Koksijde, the villages of O ...
(Koksijde)
*c. (Koksijde)
*d. ( Nieuwpoort)
*e. Pervijze
Pervijze (french: Pervyse, English ''Pervyse'') is a small rural village in the Belgian province of West Flanders, and a part ("Deelgemeente") of the municipality of Diksmuide. Pervijze has an area of 12.23 km² and almost 900 inhabitants.
Be ...
(Diksmuide)
*f. Lampernisse
Lampernisse is a small village in Diksmuide, a part of Belgium. The village hosts a Russian Orthodox Church
, native_name_lang = ru
, image = Moscow July 2011-7a.jpg
, imagewidth =
, alt =
, captio ...
(Diksmuide)
*g. Alveringem
Alveringem (; vls, Oalveringem) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Alveringem proper, Beveren-aan-de-IJzer, Gijverinkhove, Hoogstade, Izenberge, Leisele, Oeren, Sint-Rijke ...
(Alveringem)
*h. Oeren
Alveringem (; vls, Oalveringem) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Alveringem proper, Beveren-aan-de-IJzer, Gijverinkhove, Hoogstade, Izenberge, Leisele, Oeren, Sint-Rijke ...
(Alveringem)
*i. Izenberge (Alveringem)
*j. Leisele (Alveringem)
*k. Hondschoote
Hondschoote (; from Dutch; ''Hondschote'' in the modern Dutch spelling) is a commune of the Nord ''département'', in northern France.
Heraldry
Geography
Hondschoote borders Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. It lies 12 km fr ...
(France)
*l. Les Moëres (France)
*m. Ghyvelde (France)
Notable people from Veurne
*
Victor Boucquet
Vigor Boucquet or Victor Boucquet (Veurne, 1619 – Veurne, 1677) was a Flemish painting, Flemish painter known for his portraits and paintings of biblical subjects. (1619–1677), painter
* ( -1922), hero of the
Battle of the Yser
The Battle of the Yser (french: Bataille de l'Yser, nl, Slag om de IJzer) was a battle of the First World War that took place in October 1914 between the towns of Nieuwpoort and Diksmuide, along a stretch of the Yser River and the Yperlee C ...
in World War I
*
Paul Delvaux
Paul Delvaux (; 23 September 1897 – 20 July 1994) was a Belgian painter noted for his dream-like scenes of women, classical architecture, trains and train stations, and skeletons, often in combination. He is often considered a surrealist, alt ...
,
surrealist
Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to l ...
painter, lived in Veurne for more than 20 years and died there.
*
Edmond Hanssens
Edmond-Winnie-Victor Hanssens (25 July 1843 – 28 December 1884) was a Belgian soldier and colonial administrator. He did much to establish the Belgian presence on the Upper Congo River in the last two years of his life.
Early years (1843–1881) ...
(1843 –
Vivi (Congo) 1884, explorer of
Congo.
*
Teresa of Portugal, Countess of Flanders around 1200, also died in Veurne.
*
Will Tura
Arthur Achiel Albert, Knight Blanckaert (born 2 August 1940 in Veurne), known by his stage name Will Tura, is a Belgian artist famous in Flanders and the Netherlands. Tura is a singer, musician (he plays the piano, guitar, drums, accordion and ha ...
, singer, musician, composer, and songwriter, was born in Veurne.
Honorary citizens
*
King Albert I
Albert I (8 April 1875 – 17 February 1934) was King of the Belgians from 23 December 1909 until his death in 1934.
Born in Brussels as the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders and Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-S ...
(1875–1934)
*
Paul Delvaux
Paul Delvaux (; 23 September 1897 – 20 July 1994) was a Belgian painter noted for his dream-like scenes of women, classical architecture, trains and train stations, and skeletons, often in combination. He is often considered a surrealist, alt ...
(1897–1994)
*
Frans Brouw (1929)
*
Walter Plaetinck
Walter may refer to:
People
* Walter (name), both a surname and a given name
* Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968)
* Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 19 ...
(1931)
*
Will Tura
Arthur Achiel Albert, Knight Blanckaert (born 2 August 1940 in Veurne), known by his stage name Will Tura, is a Belgian artist famous in Flanders and the Netherlands. Tura is a singer, musician (he plays the piano, guitar, drums, accordion and ha ...
(1940)
*
Willem Vermandere
Willem Vermandere (born February 9, 1940 in Lauwe, Belgium) is a Belgian singer, Flemish cabaret artist, writer, sculptor, guitarist and painter. His songs are written and sung in the dialect of the South of West-Flanders in Belgium. His most fa ...
(1940)
Twin city
* :
Rösrath
Rösrath (; ) is a town in the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis (district) in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The earliest known documents mentioning the settlement ''Rösrath'' can be found in documents dated to 1356. There have been findings of Paleo ...
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
World Heritage Sites in Belgium