Puurs

Puurs (Dutch pronunciation: [pyːrs]) is a former municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. It is located in the Flemish Region. The municipality comprises the towns of Breendonk, Liezele, Kalfort, Ruisbroek (old spelling: Ruysbroeck) and Puurs proper. There is also the hamlet of Kalfort. On January 1, 2006, Puurs had a total population of 16,029. The total area is 33.41 km2 (13 sq mi) which gives a population density of 480 inhabitants per km².

Puurs
Municipality
Puurs train station
Flag
Coat of arms
Puurs
Location in Belgium
Location of Puurs in the province of Antwerp
Coordinates: 51°05′N 04°17′E
CountryBelgium
CommunityFlemish Community
RegionFlemish Region
ProvinceAntwerp
ArrondissementMechelen
Government
 • MayorKoen Van den Heuvel (CD&V)
 • Governing party/iesCD&V
Area
 • Total33.41 km2 (12.90 sq mi)
Population
 (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total17,452
 • Density520/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Postal codes
2870
Area codes03, 052
Websitewww.puurs.be

Puurs sits about 5 meters above mean sea level. Its geography shows only minor elevation differences (so it's basically flat).

Puurs is mainly rural, with some low intensity industry development in the North alongside the N16 motorway. However, because of its proximity to the cities of Antwerp and Brussels (both within a 25 km (16 mi) radius) and its excellent accessibility, Puurs is developing increasingly into a residential town.

Effective 1 January 2019, Puurs and Sint-Amands were merged into the new municipality of Puurs-Sint-Amands.

History

Signs of habitation dating back to the Iron Age, as well as early Roman and Merovingian times, have been found in Puurs.

Arguably, the Benedictine abbeys of Saint-Cornelimunster of Aachen were the lords of Puurs in the 10th century A.D. In 1278 the municipality was acquired by the Abbey of Sint-Bernard's upon Scheldt, whose property it would remain until the end of the 18th century.

Points of interest

Saint-Peter Church

Puurs' Saint-Peter Church is quite large and is hence sometimes referred to as the region's "cathedral". It was built in the 15th century, on the remains of a roman-style church. The baroque-style bell tower was added in the late 17th century. The classical center piece was completed in 1744.

Asparagus

The lands of Kalfort are widely renowned for producing the most delicious asparagus, and at the beginning of summer a festival is held in honour of this "white gold".

Beer

The internationally sold Duvel beer is brewed in Breendonk, by the Duvel-Moortgat brewery. Each year in August, a 100 km (62 mi) long foot march called the Dodentocht (Death March) passes by the brewery, and participants and spectators can enjoy Duvel beer for free.

Nazi Prison Camp

Fort Breendonk was used by the Nazis as a political prison camp. It is kept in its World War II state and is open for visiting. Fort Breendonk and its twin sister Fort Liezele (which now serves as a municipal recreational area) were initially built by the Belgian military just before World War I, as part of a string of fortresses (the Réduit national) designed to protect the approaches to Antwerp. Since 1976, the site of the fort has been part of the municipality of Willebroek.

Heritage railway

The Dendermonde-Puurs Steam Railway is a heritage railroad that links up Puurs and Dendermonde. The maintenance road that runs alongside serves as a bicycle track. Bikers can leave the track in Sint-Amands and follow the scenic route up North on the banks of the river Scheldt.

International relations
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Belgium

Twin towns - sister cities

Puurs is twinned with:

Notable people
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See also

References
  1. "Wettelijke Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2018". Statbel. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
  2. "Partnerstwo Samorządów Siłą Europy". Europa Miast (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2016-08-09. Retrieved 2013-08-13.
  3. "Dębica -Miasta Partnerskie" [Dębica - Partnership Cities]. Rząd Miejski w Dębicy - Współpraca - Europa Miast [Dębica town council in cooperation with Europa Miast] (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2011-10-11. Retrieved 2013-08-13.
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