Aarschot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aarschot
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Begijnhof and the tower of the Church of Our Lady
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 Aarschot
Location in Belgium
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| Country | Belgium | ||
| Community | Flemish Community | ||
| Region | Flemish Region | ||
| Province | Flemish Brabant | ||
| Arrondissement | Leuven | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 62.52 km2 (24.14 sq mi) | ||
| Population
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| • Total | Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1,575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | ||
| Postal codes |
3200, 3201, 3202
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| Area codes | 013 - 016 - 014 | ||
| Website | www.aarschot.be | ||
Aarschot is a city and a local area (called a municipality) in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, Belgium. The municipality includes the city of Aarschot itself and the smaller towns of Gelrode, Langdorp, and Rillaar.
As of January 1, 2019, Aarschot had a total population of 30,106 people. The total area of the municipality is about 62.52 square kilometers. This means there are about 446 people living in each square kilometer, which is called the population density.
Aarschot is located in a part of Flemish Brabant known as Hageland, which is east of Leuven. It is a unique town with a very long history. Some stories say it dates back to the time of the Roman emperors!
The Church of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk) is a very important building in Aarschot. It is built with a special brown stone. This stone comes from the hills around the city. Long ago, these hills were famous for their vineyards. Today, these hills are mostly covered with woods and fruit farms.
The city is also defined by the Demer river, which flows through it. Aarschot is located in the valley of this brown-colored river.
Contents
The Duke of Aarschot
The title of Duke of Aarschot was created in 1533. This is the oldest ducal title in Belgium that is not for a king or queen. A "duke" is a very high-ranking noble.
The title was first given to the House of Croÿ. Later, it was passed down to the House of Arenberg, and they still hold it today.
Aarschot in World War I
Aarschot faced very difficult times during World War I. On August 19, 1914, German troops took over the city. A German commander, Colonel Stenger, was shot and killed. It was later found out that one of his own soldiers accidentally fired the shot.
However, the German army reacted very harshly. Many houses were set on fire. A total of 156 people were executed, including the mayor, Mr. Tielemans, and his 15-year-old son. The next day, everyone in the city was told to leave. Because of this sad event, Aarschot is known as one of the seven "Martyr cities" of Belgium.
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Hertogensmolens downstream side
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Tower of the Church of Our Lady (from the south)
Economy in Aarschot
Aarschot is known in its region as a place for schools and shopping. It has many shops in the city center, especially on the streets leading to the main square, called the Grote Markt. There are also several large stores outside the city center.
The city is working to encourage new shops to open. For example, they have rules to help "pop-up stores" open for a short time. This helps to fill empty shop spaces. Aarschot also has an industrial area with different businesses.
Some garden centers are located along the road to Rillaar. Nearby, there is a large shopping area called the Gouden Kruispunt (Golden Crossroads) in Tielt-Winge, which has over 60 stores. In 2015, work began on a new business zone for small and medium-sized companies called De Witte Molen.
Famous People from Aarschot
- Front 242, an electronic music group
- Scala & Kolacny Brothers, a famous choir
- Dany Verlinden, a soccer player
See also
In Spanish: Aarschot para niños
