Alken, Belgium facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alken
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Brewery of Alken (left) and St-Aldegondis Church (right)
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 Alken
Location in Belgium
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| Country | Belgium | ||
| Community | Flemish Community | ||
| Region | Flemish Region | ||
| Province | Limburg | ||
| Arrondissement | Tongeren | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 28.14 km2 (10.86 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 |
3570
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| Area codes | 011 | ||
| Website | www.alken.be | ||
Alken is a small town, also called a municipality, located in the Limburg province of Belgium. It's found just south of Hasselt, which is the capital city of the province. Alken is part of a region called Hesbaye.
About 11,300 people live in Alken. This makes it a bit bigger than some nearby small cities like Borgloon and Herk-de-Stad.
Contents
Alken Through Time
Alken first appeared in history books in the year 1066. Back then, it was known by the name Alleche. By 1180, its official name became Alken. However, many local people still use the older name 'Alleke' today.
Long ago, Alken was a special area. It was like an island belonging to the Bishopric of Liège. This was a powerful church territory, and Alken was surrounded by another area called the County of Loon. Many important church leaders, known as Prince-Bishops, used Alken as a place to stay during the summer.
Main Parts of Alken
Alken doesn't have separate districts, but it does have three main village centers or neighborhoods. These are Alken-Centre, Sint-Joris (which means Saint George), and Terkoest.
Alken-Centre
Alken-Centre is in the eastern part of the town. It borders the cities of Hasselt and Wellen. This area has the oldest church in Alken, dedicated to Saint Aldegondis. You'll find the town hall, most shops, and important services here.
Sint-Joris
Sint-Joris is located in the southern part of Alken. It's next to Sint-Truiden and Nieuwerkerken. This neighborhood's church is named after Saint George. He is famous for the story of Saint George and the dragon.
Terkoest
Terkoest is in the northwest of Alken. It's close to Hasselt and Nieuwerkerken. The name Terkoest comes from an old Dutch word. It means a place that used to be wet and marshy.
There's also a fourth area that grew around the local train station. Even though it has a station, this area hasn't become a full village center. The station was closed for a while, and the local school there also closed.
What to See in Alken
Alken is well-known for its brewery. This is where the famous Cristal Alken beer is made. But there's more to see than just the brewery!
The town has many old castles, churches, and chapels. You can also find interesting water mills. For fun, you can visit "De Alk" leisure park. It's located between two rivers, the large and small Herk.
Alken is also a great place for walking and biking. It has a good network of bicycle paths. The area is famous for growing lots of fruit. In spring, the fruit trees blossom, making the landscape very beautiful.
Getting Around
You can travel to Alken by train. The town has its own train stop, called Alken railway station.
Gallery
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An aerial view of Alken from above.
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The Herk river flowing through the blossoming fruit trees.
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The Alken-Maes Brewery, where Cristal Alken beer is made.
See Also
In Spanish: Alken (Bélgica) para niños
