Naast () is a village of

Wallonia Wallonia ( ; ; or ), officially the Walloon Region ( ; ), is one of the three communities, regions and language areas of Belgium, regions of Belgium—along with Flemish Region, Flanders and Brussels. Covering the southern portion of the c ...

and a district of the municipality of

Soignies Soignies (; , ; ; ) is a municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. It consists of the following districts: Casteau, Chaussée-Notre-Dame-Louvignies, Horrues, Naast, Neufvilles, Soignies and Thieusies. Casteau is k ...

, located in the province of Hainaut,

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

, known by the wellspring of the river

Zenne The ( French, ) or ( Dutch, ) is a small river that flows through Brussels, Belgium. Its source is in the village of Naast near the municipality of Soignies. It is an indirect tributary of the Scheldt, through the Dyle and the Rupel. It jo ...

. Its population continued to increase throughout the nineteenth century. In 1972 a city was built to address the housing crisis but also to maintain a young population in Naast who tended to emigrate. Since 1977, Naast and the villages

Casteau Casteau () originated as a village in the Hainaut Province, Hainaut province of Wallonia, in the French language, French speaking south of Belgium. Casteau has become a district of the municipality of Soignies, centred around Soignies (town), and ...

Horrues Horrues (; ) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Soignies, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal low ...

Chaussée-Notre-Dame-Louvignies Chaussée-Notre-Dame-Louvignies (; ) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Soignies, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. With the other villages Casteau, Horrues, Naast, Neufvilles, Soignies (town), and Thi ...

Neufvilles Neufvilles () is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Soignies, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. Since 1977, Neufvilles has been part of the municipality of Soignies, which also comprises the villages Casteau, H ...

, Soignies (town) (Zinnik), and

Thieusies Thieusies (; ) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Soignies, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. Since 1977, Thieusies formed part of the municipality of Soignies, also comprising the villages of Casteau Cas ...

compose the municipality of

Etymology

Naast was mentioned for the first time in 1119 or 1225. For some it would come from the Germanic "Knasque" which means soft, wet or swampy ground. For others, this name would come from a Germanic word meaning "nearest".

History

In the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, the lordship of Naast was very important. It passed to count du Hainaut in 1339. In 1830 the industry itself did not exist in Naast, but rather crafts. There was a tuilery, a distillery, two flour mills, three iron marshals, a charron, a cooper, a wooden turret, etc. At the end of the 19th century agriculture occupied an important place in economic life. The trade in these products had developed mainly thanks to the railway that passed through the village. There was a mustard factory and two quarries for the extraction of blue stone, probably opened in 1897.

Gallery

Image: Naast JPG000.jpg, Naast, The church.

References

Former municipalities of Hainaut (province) {{Hainaut-geo-stub