Gistel () is a
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
and
municipality located in the
Belgian province of
West Flanders.
Following local government boundary reforms in 1971 and 1977, the municipality has comprised not only Gistel, but also the towns of
Moere
Moere is a small village located within the municipality of Gistel in West Flanders, Belgium. The village gained some fame when American singer Marvin Gaye moved there for several months in the early 1980s. During his stay, the singer composed h ...
,
Snaaskerke and
Zevekote.
On January 1, 2006 the Gistel municipality had a total registered population of 11,125, of whom more than 8,000 were in Gistel itself. The total area is 42.25 km² which gives a
population density of 263 inhabitants per km². The
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
town of
Büdingen is its
twin town
A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there are early examples of inter ...
.
Celebrity connections
The most famous inhabitant of Gistel was
Sylvère Maes
Sylvère Maes (; 27 August 1909 – 5 December 1966) was a Belgian cyclist, who is most famous for winning the Tour de France in 1936 and 1939. In 1937, Maes left the 1937 Tour de France together with his Belgian team while he was leading the gene ...
, winner of the
Tour de France in 1936 and 1939.
Another former resident of Gistel is
Johan Museeuw, also famous cyclist, but now retired. He won
Paris–Roubaix three times.
In 2011, a museum opened in Gistel, in honor of Maes and Museeuw.
A former mayor, Bart Halewyck, was the first hacker ever convicted in Belgium after the '
Bistel Trial' in 1990. He was already alderman and had to resign after his conviction.
[ Joëlle Meskens,]
Les pirates du Bistel s'en tirent bien: la farce n'était pas très méchante...
, '' Le Soir'', 9 November 1990
Images
File:Gistel Administration Center.jpg, Administration Centre
File:Church of Gistel.jpg, Church of Our Lady (Onze Lieve Vrouw)
File:Strangulation of Godelieve.jpg, Gistel is the origin of the veneration of Saint Godelieve
In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Ort ...
File:Gistel - Oostmolen met vier volle zeilen.jpg, Oostmolen windmill in full sail
References
External links
*
Official website - Available only in
Dutch
Municipalities of West Flanders
{{WestFlanders-geo-stub