Wortegem is a village and seat of the municipality of

Wortegem-Petegem Wortegem-Petegem () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders. In 2021, Wortegem-Petegem had a total population of 6,445. The total area is 41.96 km2. Villages , Moregem, , Petegem-aan-de-Schelde Petegem-aan-de-Sche ...

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

East Flanders , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = Province of Belgium , image_flag = Flag of Oost-Vlaanderen.svg , flag_size = , image_shield = Wapen van O ...

. It is located about east of

Kortrijk Kortrijk ( , ; vls, Kortryk or ''Kortrik''; french: Courtrai ; la, Cortoriacum), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Regio ...

Geography

Wortegem is located in a hilly part of Flanders and varies in height from to . The village is located on the western edge of the

Flemish Ardennes The Flemish Ardennes (Dutch: ''Vlaamse Ardennen'') is an informal name given to a hilly region in the south of the province of East Flanders, Belgium. Highest summit is the Hotondberg (145 m). Main characteristics of the region are rural hilly lan ...

History

The village was first mentioned as Uurattingem in 964, and means "settlement of the people of Wardo (person)". Wortegem was a ''

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. ...

'', but used to be overshadowed by neighbouring

Petegem-aan-de-Schelde Petegem-aan-de-Schelde is a village and former municipality in the Wortegem-Petegem municipality in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The village officially changed its name from Petegem into Petegem-aan-de-Schelde in order to distinguish itse ...

. The village developed on the road from

Oudenaarde Oudenaarde (; french: Audenarde ; in English sometimes ''Oudenarde'') is a Belgian municipality in the Flemish province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Oudenaarde proper and the towns of Bevere, Edelare, Eine, Ename, Heu ...

. Wortegem industrialised in the early 19th century, but started to decline in the late 19th century. In the 20th century, it developed into a commuter's settlement. Wortegem was an independent municipality. In 1970, it was merged into

Sights

The Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Geboorte and Sint-Rochus Church is a three-aisled church. The choir and lower part of the tower contain 13th century elements. The tower was enlarged during the 15th century, and the church was enlarged between 1827 and 1828. The church was redesigned in

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

style between 1905 and 1909. In 2019, it was decided to decommission the church, and convert it into a multi-functional community centre. A part of the church will retain its religious function and a silent room will be added. The former

grist Grist is grain that has been separated from its chaff in preparation for grinding. It can also mean grain that has been ground at a gristmill. Its etymology derives from the verb ''grind.'' Grist can be ground into meal or flour, depending on ho ...

and

oil mill An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...

Boonzakmolen was built in 1785 as a replacement of a wooden mill which dated before 1410. In 1904, a steam engine was installed, but it remained wind powered as well. In 1946, a sail broke and inner workings were dismantled the next year. In 1992, it was restored and converted into a 5 story building. It is nowadays used as a holiday home. Wortegem was known for , a lemon

jenever Jenever (, ), also known as Hollands, genever, genièvre, peket, or sometimes as Dutch gin (archaic: Holland gin or Geneva gin), is the juniper-flavored traditional liquor in the Netherlands, Belgium and adjoining areas in northern France an ...

with sugar, however the distillery was sold to Filliers in 2009, and the production moved to

Deinze Deinze () is a city and a municipality in the Belgian province of East Flanders. It comprises the city of Deinze, and the towns of Astene, Bachte-Maria-Leerne, Gottem, Grammene, Hansbeke, Landegem, Meigem, Merendree, Nevele, Petegem-aan-de-Leie, ...

Gallery

File:Wortegem (Wortegem-Petegem) - België.jpg, Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Geboorte and Sint-Rochus Church File:Wortegem-Petegem Waregemseweg 35-35A - 383582 - onroerenderfgoed.jpg, New town hall File:Wortegemsen - Waregem - Deinze - Belgium.jpg, Wortegemsen and its former competitor Filliers File:Geboorteplaats Hector Plancquaert.jpg, Birth house of

References

External links

* {{Commons category-inline Wortegem-Petegem Former municipalities of East Flanders Populated places in East Flanders