Halle, Belgium

Encyclopedia : H : HA : HAL : Halle, Belgium

Halle is a Flemish city and municipality in the province of Flemish-Brabant (Belgium). On January 1 2006 Halle had a total population of 34,882. The total area is 44.40 km² which gives a population density of 786 inhabitants per km². The city borders to the Pajottenland. The present mayor is Dirk Pieters of the CD&V.

The neighboring towns are: Pepingen, Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Beersel, Braine-l'Alleud, Braine-le-Château and Tubize.

The City has a partnership with the German city Werl and the French municipality Mouvaux.

Halle is a regional services and care center: trade, different educational establishments, general hospital, public services (61% of the active population works in the services sector).

Halle is also a frequent visited Maria pilgrimage place: the Maria devotion is in the present form at least seven centuries old.

Each year, in the middle of the Lent, Carnival is celebrated during 3 days. This is a colorful fuss by which each group makes a float, costumes and dance. The carnival in Halle has been organised since 1905 and has grown to be one of the biggest carnivals in Belgium.

Contents

1 History

1.1 Introduction
1.2 Ancient

2 Flag
3 Geography
4 Demography
5 Notable buildings
6 Notable figures
7 Notable products
8 Twin Town
9 See also
10 External links

History

Introduction

Geographically Halle lies on the border area between the Flemish plains (thick loamlayer) and the Brabant Solidly (thin Loemlayer and undulatingly). Halle is the most southern located city of the Dutch-speaking region on the language boundary between the Germanic and the Romance languages, in a narrow strip between Brussels and the Walloon Region. Borders play a big role in the history of Halle: until the French Revolution The region around Halle was kind of dependend of Hainaut.

Ancient

A tribe of Nervii lived in the region of Halle when the Roman Empire conquered these parts.

Flag

200px

The flag of Halle, was adopted on 1 October 1991 and is quartered per saltire, argent and azure. Its proportions are 2:3.

If you cut the flag in two vertically, and flip both sides you get a blue lozenge, pointing to Bavaria. On the municipal coat of arms, the fourth quarter is formed by the coat of arms of the Wittelsbach family. The coat has also the coat of arms of Hainaut on it - accentuating Halle's position right on the language border.

Geography

Halle (French: Hal) is a municipality in the arrondissement Halle-Vilvoorde of the province of Flemish Brabant, on the Charleroi-Brussels Canal. Flemish Brabant is situated in Flanders, the northern part of Belgium. The municipality Halle comprises the city of Halle proper and the towns of Buizingen and Lembeek. The city is situated on the language border in Belgium that splits Flanders and Wallonia. The (only) official language is therefore Dutch (as everywhere in Flanders).

Demography

The population of Halle is slowly increasing. While in 1991 Halle counted 32 758 inhabitants, the city had on January 1 2006 a total population of 34,882. The total area is 44.40 km² which gives a population density of 786 inhabitants per km².

Notable buildings

The Sint-Martinusbasiliek (Basilica of Martin of Tours), also known as the Gothic Church of Our Lady, is a high gothic basilica (14th-15th century) and is a popular pilgrimage site. The church contains a celebrated miraculous image of the Holy Virgin. [Halle Basilica:[link],[link]]
The (former) city hall. [City Hall:[link]]
The (former) college of the Jesuits.

Notable figures

Jan Boon (1898–1960), one of the pioniers of Belgian television, former chief editor of De Standaard (1929-1939), a Flemish daily newspaper. From 1945 onwards he was the administrator-director-general of the Belgisch Nationaal Instituut voor Radio-Omroep (the Belgian National Institute for Radio Broadcasting, the former NIR, now known as the VRT).
Justus Lipsius (1547-1606) wrote his first historical work about Halle
Philip II, Duke of Burgundy, died in Halle
Adrien-François Servais (1807-1866), Belgian composer and cellist. He has a statue on Halle's main square
Koen Wauters (1967-), singer in the band Clouseau, tv presentator and actor
Kris Wauters, brother of Koen, meber of Clouseau, tv presentator

Notable products

Duivel, a beer.

Twin Town

Kadan, the Czech Republic

External links

[Official website] Only available in Dutch

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