Belœil (; pcd, Baileul; wa, Beleul) 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 ...

Wallonia Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—alo ...

located in the

province of Hainaut Hainaut (, also , , ; nl, Henegouwen ; wa, Hinnot; pcd, Hénau), historically also known as Heynowes in English, is a province of Wallonia and Belgium. To its south lies the French department of Nord, while within Belgium it borders (clock ...

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

. It is around 10 km south of

Ath Ath (; nl, Aat, ; pcd, Ât; wa, Ate) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. The municipality consists of the following districts: Arbre, Ath, Bouvignies, Ghislenghien, Gibecq, Houtaing, Irc ...

. On 1 January 2006 the municipality had 13,347 inhabitants. The total area is 61.55 km², giving 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 217 inhabitants per km². The municipality consists of the following districts:

Aubechies Aubechies ( pcd, Obechî) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Belœil, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. Aubechies is a member of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de Wallonie ("The Most Beautiful Villages of Wall ...

, Basècles, Belœil, Ellignies-Sainte-Anne, Grandglise, Quevaucamps, Ramegnies, Stambruges, Thumaide, and Wadelincourt. The municipality is named after the

château of Belœil A château (; plural: châteaux) is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking regions. Nowaday ...

, once the seat of Charles-Joseph, 7th Prince of Ligne, a military officer and man of letters who corresponded with

Jean-Jacques Rousseau Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects of the French Revolu ...

and

Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his ''Pen name, nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his ...

History

The history of the chateau is nebulous but the original construction of a fort or castle at the site is generally thought to date to the 14th century. This site was the seat of the barons of the Ligne family originating from Ligne in Hainault, a place about 8 kilometres from Beloeil. The earliest recorded baron of the House of Ligne was Fastré de Ligne, signatory to a charter dated 1047 and others of the name mentioned in a charter of Baudouin IV, count of Hainaut, dated to 1123.

Postal history

Post-offices opening dates before 1910: - Beloeil on 28 June 1858. It used a Distribution postal code 8 with bars (before 1864), and 35 with points before 1874. - Basècles on 21 April 1862. It used a Distribution postal code 126 with bars (before 1864), and 30 with points before 1874. - Quevaucamps on 13 March 1876. - Stambruges on 12 November 1888. - Ramegnies-Chin on 27 June 1896. Postal codes in 1969: - Aubechies 7672 - Basècles 7660 - Beloeil 7970 - Ellignies-Sainte-Anne 7671 - Quevaucamps 7670 - Ramegnies 7663 - Ramegnies-Chin 7721 - Stambruges 7980 - Thumaide 7662 - Wadelincourt 7661 Since at least October 1990:Les numéros postaux belges en vigueur à partir du 1/10/1990, La Poste. - 7520 Ramegnies-Chin - 7970 Beloeil - 7971 Basècles, Ramegnies, Thumaide, Wadelincourt - 7972 Aubechies, Ellignies-Sainte-Anne, Quevaucamps - 7973 Grandglise, Stambruges

Famous inhabitants

Apart from many members of the House of Ligne, living in the castle, other famous people to have lived here include: *

Émilie Dequenne Émilie Dequenne (, born 29 August 1981) is a Belgian actress. She first gained attention for playing the title character in the film ''Rosetta'' (1999), which earned her the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress. She then went on to star ...

, actress *

Pierre Descamps Pierre Paul Louis Albert César Descamps (; 15 October 1916 – 19 April 1992) was a Belgian politician and burgomaster for the PLP. Descamps was born in Ath; he was a licentiate in philosophy and literature and an industrialist. He was burgoma ...

, politician *

Baron Empain Baron Empain is a title of nobility of the Kingdom of Belgium. The title was created in 1907 by Leopold II of Belgium for Édouard Empain, a wealthy Belgian engineer, entrepreneur, financier and industrialist, as well as an amateur Egyptologist. ...

, entrepreneur and Egyptologist

Twin towns

* Crosne,

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

* Maybole,

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, UK * Schotten,

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

References

External links

*
Official site of the château
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beloil Municipalities of Hainaut (province)