Beveren facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Beveren
Municipality
Doel
Flag Coat of arms
Beveren Location in Belgium
Country	Belgium
Community	Flemish Community
Region	Flemish Region
Province	East Flanders
Arrondissement	Sint-Niklaas
Area
• Total	150.18 km2 (57.98 sq mi)
Population  (2018-01-01)Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
• Total	Lua error in Module:Wd at line 1,575: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
Postal codes	9120, 9130
Area codes	03
Website	www.beveren.be

Beveren (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈbeːvərə(n)]) is a town in Belgium. It is a municipality (which is like a group of towns) in the East Flanders province. Beveren includes several smaller towns. These are Doel, Haasdonk, Kallo, Kieldrecht, Melsele, Verrebroek, and Vrasene.

A big part of the Waasland port is located in Beveren. This port is on the left side of the Schelde river. On the other side of the river is the important port of Antwerp.

History of Beveren

How old is Beveren?

Long ago, in Roman times, the area where Beveren is now was very close to the sea. The sea's tides had a big effect on the land. The first people living here built simple walls to hold back the water. Later, religious groups made these walls stronger and taller.

In the 800s, invaders called the Normans attacked. This made the rulers of Flanders and their local leaders want to protect their land even more. The lords of Beveren were among these local leaders. Their land was given to Louis I of Flanders in 1334. This made Beveren the oldest political center of the Waasland region. It was an important place for over 200 years, connected to Flanders and Burgundy.

What happened after 1570?

In 1570, a huge tide caused a terrible flood in the area. To help protect the city of Antwerp, local leaders decided to break down the remaining walls that held back the sea. Five years later, the rights to the land were sold. An Antwerp merchant bought the part closest to the Scheldt river. The rest went to the Duke of Aarschot.

This situation lasted until the French Revolution (around 1789). After that, the land was divided into smaller towns. From the 1600s onwards, people slowly started taking the land back from the sea. By 1846, all the land was protected by new walls.

Beveren was hit hard by a big flood in 1953. The protective walls broke, and hundreds of homes were damaged. In the 1960s and 1970s, the port of Antwerp grew a lot. This expansion happened in the area of Kallo. The village of Doel became much smaller because of the port's growth. Its population dropped from 900 people to about 250.

Many factories and businesses came to the area. A nuclear power plant was built in Doel. Because of this, Beveren can offer low local taxes to its residents. In 1991, the Liefkenshoek car tunnel opened under the Scheldt river. This made it even easier to get to the left bank of the river. Even with all this development, Beveren has kept many green spaces. It still has beautiful views for visitors to enjoy.

Places to See in Beveren

Doel windmill and nuclear power plant

• Castles: Two old castles from the feudal times are still standing. The Castle of Cortewalle is from the 1400s. The Castle Hof Ter Saksen is from the 1700s. It started as an inn on the road between Ghent and Antwerp.
• Haasdonk Fort: This fort was built just before World War I to protect Antwerp. You can still see old bunkers nearby.
• Old Buildings: Beveren has many old houses, large homes, small chapels, and churches that are centuries old.
• Doel Windmill: In the village of Doel, there is a windmill from the 1600s. It is one of the oldest in Flanders.
• Polders: The flat, low-lying lands (called polders) north of Beveren offer a special landscape. They look a lot like parts of the southern Netherlands.
• The Freethiel: This is a well-known place in Beveren.

Fun Facts and Traditions

Like many towns in Belgium, Beveren has a collection of giant puppets. These puppets take part in most of the local parties and celebrations. The two oldest puppets were "baptized" (given a special welcome) in 1954.

At Katoen Natie in Kallo, you can see and hear the Organ collection Ghysels. This collection of organs was given to the Museum Vleeshuis in Antwerp. The collection has been open to the public since 2010. It is waiting to be moved to the museum once the Vleeshuis is renovated.

Weather in Beveren

Beveren has an oceanic climate. This means it has mild weather all year round. Summers are warm, but sometimes they can be hot. Winters usually stay above freezing temperatures.

Famous People From Beveren

• Valère Gille
• Wilfried Van Moer: A famous football player (born 1945).
• Kathleen Smet: A triathlon athlete (born 1970).
• Dominique Cornu: A road and track cyclist (born 1985).
• Julie Gould: A British swimmer (born 1989).

Images for kids

• 

  Castle of Cortewalle, a historic residence in Beveren.

See also

In Spanish: Beveren para niños