Wemmel (; ) is a
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 ...
located 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 of
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant ( nl, Vlaams-Brabant ; french: Brabant flamand ) is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on (clockwise from the North) the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Haina ...
. The municipality only comprises the town of Wemmel proper. On January 1, 2018, Wemmel had a total population of 16,347. The total area is 8.74 km² which gives a
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
of 1,870 inhabitants per km².
The official language is
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
, as everywhere in
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, ...
. In 1954, however, special
linguistic ''facilities'' were given to local French-speakers. Although outside the
Brussels-Capital Region
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
, Wemmel is sometimes considered part of the suburbs of
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
. The Brussels orbital motorway, known as the ''ring'', cuts through the southern part of the town.
History
The centre of Wemmel initially developed around the Sint-Servaaskerk ( nl, Church of
Saint Servatius
Saint Servatius ( nl, Sint Servaas; french: Saint Servais; li, Sintervaos; hy, Սուրբ Սերվատիոս ''Surb Servatios'') (born in Armenia, died in Maastricht, traditionally on 13 May 384) was bishop of Tongeren —Latin: ''Atuatuca ...
), because the ground there was best suited for building. Around the year 370,
Frankish
Frankish may refer to:
* Franks, a Germanic tribe and their culture
** Frankish language or its modern descendants, Franconian languages
* Francia, a post-Roman state in France and Germany
* East Francia, the successor state to Francia in Germany ...
invaders drove out the ruling
Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
, who had settled the area around the 2nd century AD. Wemmel eventually became part of the
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a State of the Holy Roman Empire established in 1183. It developed from the Landgraviate of Brabant and formed the heart of the historic Low Countries, part of the Burgundian Netherlands from 1430 and of the Habsburg Neth ...
.
[
One of the first lords of Wemmel of which there is a historical record was marshal Goswinus van Wembelne, who lived at the beginning of the 12th century. His descendants would be the lords of Wemmel until the end of the 12th century, when Isabella van Wembelne married Aernout II of ]Kraainem
Kraainem (; sometimes unofficially spelt ''Crainhem'' in French, ) is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. The municipality only comprises the town of Kraainem proper. On January 1, ...
, and Wemmel became part of the already considerable possessions of Kraainem
Kraainem (; sometimes unofficially spelt ''Crainhem'' in French, ) is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. The municipality only comprises the town of Kraainem proper. On January 1, ...
. Many notable men would come from this noble family, including Aernout III, who would die fighting on the French king's side at the Battle of the Golden Spurs
The Battle of the Golden Spurs ( nl, Guldensporenslag; french: Bataille des éperons d'or) was a military confrontation between the royal army of France and rebellious forces of the County of Flanders on 11 July 1302 during the Franco-Flemis ...
. His son Leo was a skillful diplomat, who would sign the 1366 treaty that resolved a dispute between the County of Flanders
The County of Flanders was a historic territory in the Low Countries.
From 862 onwards, the counts of Flanders were among the original twelve peers of the Kingdom of France. For centuries, their estates around the cities of Ghent, Bruges and Ypr ...
and the Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a State of the Holy Roman Empire established in 1183. It developed from the Landgraviate of Brabant and formed the heart of the historic Low Countries, part of the Burgundian Netherlands from 1430 and of the Habsburg Neth ...
over the Lordship of Mechelen
The Lordship of Mechelen was until 1795 a small authonomous Lordship in the Low Countries, consisting of the city of Mechelen and some surrounding villages.
In the early Middle Ages, it was part of the Prince-Bishopric of Liège, which was conf ...
.[
In 1838 all family belongings in Wemmel were sold to count Willem Bernard de ]Limburg-Stirum
The House of Limburg-Stirum (or Limburg-Styrum), which adopted its name in the 12th century from the immediate county of Limburg an der Lenne in what is now Germany, is one of the oldest families in Europe. It is the eldest and only surviving br ...
, who had become the mayor. Two of his daughters inhabited the castle until 1926. Their heirs then donated the castle to the municipality, since then it has served as the town hall. The castle was entirely renovated in 1992–1993.
Marquess of Wemmel
Leo's granddaughter married Gyselbrecht Taye, the lord of Elewijt Elewijt is a village in the municipality of Zemst, Flemish Brabant, Belgium.
History
Roman period
The village was first founded in the 1st century as a Roman vicus on a junction of roads. It kept existing until it was destroyed at the end of ...
, and Wemmel once again came under a different lord, this time belonging to the well known Coudenbergh family from Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
. This family would govern the heerlijkheid
A ''heerlijkheid'' (a Dutch word; pl. ''heerlijkheden''; also called ''heerschap''; Latin: ''Dominium'') was a landed estate that served as the lowest administrative and judicial unit in rural areas in the Dutch-speaking Low Countries before 1800. ...
as it was raised in status first to a barony Barony may refer to:
* Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron
* Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron
* Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...
and later to a margravate
Margrave was originally the medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or of a kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain feudal families in the Emp ...
, only losing power in 1792 as France invaded the Low Countries
The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...
as part of the French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars (french: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802 and resulting from the French Revolution. They pitted French First Republic, France against Ki ...
.[
Through the marriage between ]Marie Josepha Taye
Marie Josepha Taye (1740- 10 November 1820), Countess van der Noot and Marquise of Assche and Wemmel, was a noble lady from Flanders.
She was born as daughter of the Marquess of Wemmel, François Philippe Taye, and Catherine Louise de Cotterea ...
6th Marquess of Assche
Marquess of Assche is a title belonging to the Belgian nobility, Assche is the old writing of the city of Asse. The Margraveships still stands today and belongs to the House ''van der Noot''. Today the current Marquess of Assche still resides in ...
, 3rd Marquess of Wemmel
The Marquess of Wemmel was a Flemish title in use during the Ancien Régime, Wemmel is a city in Flanders.
History
The title was created in 1688 for Philip Taye, 1st Marquess of Wemmel captain in the Spanish army. Until 1688 he was Baron of Wemm ...
and count Jan-Antoon Van der Noot, the House of vander Noot inherited all the power and castles. Members of his family would play an important role in the Brabantian Revolution.[
In 1838, all the ruling family's possessions in Wemmel were sold to William Bernard of ]Limburg-Stirum
The House of Limburg-Stirum (or Limburg-Styrum), which adopted its name in the 12th century from the immediate county of Limburg an der Lenne in what is now Germany, is one of the oldest families in Europe. It is the eldest and only surviving br ...
, who then became mayor. Two of his daughters would continue to live in Wemmel Castle at the centre of the town until 1926. Their heirs donated the chateau to the municipality, and has served as the municipality's town hall ever since.
Language situation
The official language is Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
, as everywhere in 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, ...
. In 1954, however, special linguistic ''facilities'' were given to local French-speakers (according to an official census, they were more than 30% in 1947). They can request official documents from the local administration in French. Since Wemmel is part of the bilingual judicial and electoral district of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde
The area within Belgium known as Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde encompasses the bilingual— French and Dutch—Brussels-Capital Region, which coincides with the arrondissement of Brussels-Capital and the surrounding Dutch-speaking area of Halle-Vilvo ...
, French can be used before the courts. Some primary and maternity schools also teach in French.
Sights
File:Wemmel.JPG, Aerial view
File:Wemmel E1a JPG.jpg, Sint-Servaas Church
File:StServaasWemmel.jpg, The interior of the church
File:Wemmel CH1bJPG.jpg, Wemmel Castle and park, today town hall
See also
*Municipalities with linguistic facilities
There are 27 municipalities with language facilities ( nl, faciliteitengemeenten; french: communes à facilités; german: Fazilitäten-Gemeinden) in Belgium which must offer linguistic services to residents in Dutch, French, or German in additi ...
References
External links
Official website
— Information available in Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
and French
{{Authority control
Municipalities of Flemish Brabant