Harelbeke
Harelbeke
Oarlbeke (West Flemish) | |
|---|---|
City and municipality | |
|
Flag Coat of arms | |
Location of Harelbeke | |
Harelbeke Location in Belgium
Location of Harelbeke in West-Flanders | |
| Coordinates: 50°51′N 03°18′E / 50.850°N 3.300°E | |
| Country | Belgium |
| Community | Flemish Community |
| Region | Flemish Region |
| Province | West Flanders |
| Arrondissement | Kortrijk |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Alain Top (Vooruit-Groen) |
| • Governing party/ies | Vooruit-Groen, CD&V |
| Area | |
• Total | 29.4 km2 (11.4 sq mi) |
| Population (2018-01-01)[1] | |
• Total | 27,886 |
| • Density | 950/km2 (2,500/sq mi) |
| Postal codes | 8530, 8531 |
| NIS code | 34013 |
| Area codes | 056 |
| Website | www.harelbeke.be |
Harelbeke (Dutch: [ˈɦaːrəlˌbeːkə]; West Flemish: Oarlbeke) is a municipality and city[2] located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Harelbeke proper and the towns of Bavikhove and Hulste. On January 1, 2019, Harelbeke had a total population of 28,447. The total area is 29.14 km² which gives a population density of 898 inhabitants per km². Inhabitants consider their hometown to be a "Weireldstad" (metropolis), which also led to a monthly "Harelbekedag" amongst the students of Harelbeke studying in Ghent.
In Harelbeke a museum remembers the life and work of musician and composer Peter Benoit, called the Peter Benoit Huis.[3]
Famous natives
- Andreas Pevernage (1542/1543 – 1591), composer of the late Renaissance
- Jacobus Vaet (1529-1567), Renaissance composer, possibly born in Harelbeke
- Armand Coeck (1941 - 2024), avant-garde composer
- Jan Bucquoy (1945 - ), anarchist and film-maker (Camping Cosmos)
- Peter Benoit, composer
- Wim Opbrouck, actor and singer
Harelbeke New British Cemetery
This cemetery is located just outside the downtown of Harelbeke and was designed by Willian Harrison Cowlishaw[4] and contains the graves of 1126 Commonwealth soldiers who died during WWI (1055 from the UK, 26 from Canada, 7 from Australia, 4 from South Africa and 3 from Newfoundland). In addition 10 British soldiers who died during WWII are buried here.
Events
Harelbeke has, since 1958, been the start and finish place of the E3 Harelbeke, a semi classic cycling race held the week before the Tour of Flanders.
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Harelbeke, church: the Sint-Salvatorkerk
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Roundabout in Bavikhove decorated with artwork referring to (and sponsored by) the local Bavik Brewery
Twin towns
- Kinheim, Germany (1997)
- Eenhana, Namibia (2007)
- Frýdek-Místek, Czech Republic
References
- ^ "Wettelijke Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2018". Statbel. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
- ^ "Wet tot toekenning van de titel van stad aan de gemeenten Beringen, Bilzen, Blankenberge, Borgloon, Ciney, Couvin, Damme, Geel, Genepiën, Gistel, Halen, Hamont-Achel, Hannuit, Harelbeke, Herk-de-Stad, Lo-Reninge, Mesen, Oudenburg, Peer, Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, Vilvoorde en Walcourt". www.ejustice.just.fgov.be (in Dutch). Belgian Official Gazette. 19 July 1985. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
- ^ Openbaar Kunstbezit Vlaanderen, Stedelijk Museum Peter Benoît (in Dutch)
- ^ "Web page describing the cemetery with special remarks on some Australian soldiers who have been buried here (in Dutch)". Archived from the original on 2014-04-06. Retrieved 2014-01-21.
External links
- Official website - Available only in Dutch
- all about the town of Hulste - Available only in Dutch