Westmalle is a village 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

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,

which is part of the

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 ...

Malle Malle () is a municipality located in the Campine region of the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the villages of Oostmalle and Westmalle. In 2021, Malle had a total population of 15,620. The total area is 51.99 km2. H ...

History

See history of

Tourism

Westmalle is primarily known for the

Trappist Abbey of Westmalle Westmalle Abbey, otherwise the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle ( nl, Abdij van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van het Heilig Hart or the "Abbey of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart"), is a monastery of the Cistercians of Strict Observance in Westmalle in the Belgian p ...

of the Order of

Cistercians The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...

of the Strict Observance (O.C.S.O.: Ordo Cisterciensium reformatorum), and its

brewery A brewery or brewing company is a business that makes and sells beer. The place at which beer is commercially made is either called a brewery or a beerhouse, where distinct sets of brewing equipment are called plant. The commercial brewing of be ...

. The Trappist monks operate a brewery and also make

cheese Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...

. In addition, the

Monasterium Magnificat The Monasterium Magnificat is a monastery of the Annunciade Order, located in Westmalle, Belgium. It is the only monastery of this order in Belgium. It was created from the merger of three monasteries which existed in 1965: Tienen (1629), Geel (18 ...

of Westmalle is the only

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

of the

Annunciade Annunciade (English: Annunciation), and various alternate spellings, may refer to: Religious orders * Servites, also known as the ''Servants'' or ''Annunziata'', first religious order of its kind was instituted in 1232 by seven Florentine merch ...

Order in Belgium.

Westmalle Castle Westmalle Castle ( nl, Kasteel Westmalle) is located in the village of Westmalle, which is part of the municipality of Malle in the Campine region of Flanders, Belgium. Westmalle Castle is situated at an elevation of 29 meters. History The origi ...

dates back to 1100. The Scherpenberg

windmill A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy using vanes called windmill sail, sails or blades, specifically to mill (grinding), mill grain (gristmills), but the term is also extended to windpumps, wind turbines, and ...

is still operational and is open to visitors. The statue of the "Pedaalstompers" commemorates the world record of the longest bicycle.

Notable inhabitants

Martinus Dom Dom Martinus Dom, O.C.R., (24 December 1791 – 9 December 1873) was a Belgian Trappist monk. He served as the first abbot of the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle, where he founded the Westmalle Brewery. Early life He was born Frans Daniël Dom ...

(1791-1873), first

abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. The fem ...

of the

and founder of the

. *

Paul Lewi Paul J. Lewi (4 January 1938 – 28 August 2012) was a Belgian scientist, who elaborated Spectral Map Analysis in 1975 and was one of the cofounders of chemometrics in 1983. Paul Lewi was married with Godelieve Debruyne and they have together 3 chi ...

(b. 4 January 1938 in Westmalle), scientist. *

Francis Severeyns Francis Severeyns (born 8 January 1968 in Westmalle), nicknamed Cisse, is a Belgian former professional footballer who played as a striker for Royal Antwerp, Pisa S.C., KV Mechelen, FC Tirol Innsbruck and K.F.C. Germinal Beerschot. He wa ...

, nicknamed ''Cisse'' (b. 1968 in Westmalle), football striker *

Seppe Smits Sebastien "Seppe" Smits (born 13 July 1991) is a Belgian professional snowboarder and World Championship medalist. Smits was born in Westmalle and started snowboarding at a serious level in the winter of 2006–2007, competing in the Europa Cu ...

(b. 13 July 1991 in Westmalle), professional snowboarder

Gallery

Image:Malle_Pedaalstompers_WorldRecord.jpg, Pedaalstompers World Record of longest bicycle File:Westmalle (B) - Antwerpsesteenweg 246 Gemeentehuis.jpg, Former town hall File:Kapel Leopold III-laan - Schapenstraat Westmalle.JPG, Chapel in Westmalle File:Villa Wildzang Westmalle.JPG, Villa Wildzang

References

External links