Auderghem
Encyclopedia : A : AU : AUD : Auderghem
Auderghem (Dutch: Oudergem) is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium.
On 1 January 2005, the municipality had a total population of 29,265. The total area is 9.03 km² which gives a population density of 3,239.64 inhabitants per km². Its postal code is 1160.
Located to the southeast of the capital, along the Woluwe valley and at the entrance to the Forêt de Soignes, Auderghem is an environmentally advantaged municipality. Despite large through-roads that slice through it (Boulevard du Souverain, Chaussée de Wavre, Viaduc Hermann-Debroux) and increasing road traffic, Auderghem has been able to preserve a relatively important part of its natural and historic legacy: the creeks, the Abbey of Rouge-Cloître and its art center, the Castle of Solitude, the Priory of Val Duchesse, the Château de Trois Fontaines, and the remarkable Chapel of Saint Anne.
Auderghem is adjacent to the municipalities of Etterbeek, Ixelles, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, and Watermael-Boitsfort.
The municipality is governed by its 16th magistrate, Didier Gosuin.
History
Three forest villages (Auderghem, Watermael, and Boitsfort), were one for centuries. In 1794, the soldiers of the French Revolution decided to separate Auderghem, Watermael, and Boitsfort into three separate municipalities. In 1811, Napoleon decided to reunite the three villages, by imperial decree, into a single administrative entity. But Auderghem was withdrawn from this union by royal act, leaving Watermael-Boitsfort on its own. Thus, Auderghem became an independent municipality in 1863, with only 1,600 inhabitants!
With the construction of the rail line linking Brussels and Tervuren as well as, in 1910, the construction of the Boulevard du Souverain, modernization came to the municipality and the population grew quickly.
Sights
The Priory and Château of Val Duchesse, a gift of the king, is unfortunately rarely open to the public. At one time Belgium's cabinet ministers met here.
In contrast, the Chapel of Saint Anne, whose origins go back to the 12th century, is open to the public. Decommissioned in 1843, it was sold several times. Its splendid sculptures from the Middle Ages and notable period furniture are still there to admire. The Chapel of Saint Anne is without question Auderghem's oldest monument.
The Municipality of Auderghem offers many green spaces.
External links
- [Official site of the Municipality of Auderghem (in French)]
- [Official site of the Municipality of Oudergem (in Dutch)]
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.