Wevelgem () 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 g ...
located in the
Belgian province 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 towns of
Gullegem,
Moorsele and Wevelgem proper. On January 1, 2006, Wevelgem had a total population of 31,020. The total area is 38.76 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 RosenberP ...
of 800 inhabitants per km².
You can reach Wevelgem by road (E403 – A19 – R8), by boat (
De Leie), by air (
Kortrijk-Wevelgem International Airport
Flanders International Airport, Flanders Airport or Kortrijk-Wevelgem International Airport is an airport located in the town of Wevelgem, West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium and partly also in the Bissegem section of the city of Kor ...
) or by train at
Wevelgem railway station.
Wevelgem is known for the annual
Gent–Wevelgem bicycle road race which finishes in the town.
History
The earliest known mention dates from 1197. Wevelgem was home to the
Cistercian
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 Sai ...
[ Guldenberg Abbey in the 13th–14th centuries, which owned grain mills in various locations.]flax
Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. Textiles made from flax are known i ...
, before they processed it in one of the many flax factories in Wevelgem. That is also the reason De Leie got the nickname ''The Golden River'', referring to the colour of the flax. Because selling flax was lucrative, many people came to Wevelgem and stayed there for many generations. Nowadays, the cultivation of flax is less important, but some factories still process it.
During the First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, the Germans constructed an airport. The airport still exists and is now used for private purposes. Also remaining is the German Military cemetery, which is also partly situated in Menen
Menen (; french: Menin ; vls, Mêenn or ) is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Menen proper and the towns of Lauwe and Rekkem. The city is situated on the French ...
. There are 47,864 soldiers buried there, who all died during WW1. This makes the cemetery the biggest German cemetery in Belgium. Across the cemetery, there used to be a (fake) airport, with wooden planes to mislead the enemy; there are still remains of the airport consisting of a big bunker and a small bunker near the railway. The bridge that connects Lauwe to Wevelgem was destroyed during the Second World War
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 opposi ...
and was rebuilt later.
Notable people
* Annelien Coorevits, Miss Belgium 2007
* Justine De Jonckheere, Miss Belgium 2011
* Steak Number Eight, rock band founded in 2007, broke through in the same year
* Dag Otto Lauritzen, Norwegian former cyclist
Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from two ...
, lived in Gullegem whilst active
* Aagje Vanwalleghem, gymnast, qualified for the finals of the Olympic Games 2004
* Steven Vanackere, (Dutch: �steːvə(n) vɑnˈɑkərə, Flemish politician was born in Wevelgem
* Jean-Claude Van Geenberghe, Belgian-Ukrainian equestrian lived in Moorsele
Gallery
Image:Wevelgem - Sint-Theresia.jpg, Sint-Theresia's Church near Wevelgem.
File:Abdij van Wevelgem - 1641.jpg, Guldenberg Abbey of Wevelgem in 1641.
File:Moorsele - Military Cemetery 1.jpg, Military cemetery in Moorsele.
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Municipalities of West Flanders