Eeklo Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Eeklo

Eeklo city hall, church, and market square

Flag	Coat of arms

Eeklo

Location in Belgium

Country

Flemish Community

Arrondissement

Eeklo

Area

• Total

30.05 km² (11.60 sq mi)

Population

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• Total

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Postal codes

9900

Area codes

Website

www.eeklo.be

Eeklo (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈeːkloː]) is a town in Belgium. It is a municipality located in the Flemish part of the country. Eeklo is in the province of East Flanders.

The name Eeklo has an interesting meaning. It comes from two old German words: eke and lo. Eke means 'oak' and lo means 'sparse woods'. So, Eeklo means 'oak woods'.

History of Eeklo
- Early Times and Middle Ages
- From the 1500s to Today
Things to See in Eeklo
Famous People from Eeklo
Twin Cities
See also

History of Eeklo

Early Times and Middle Ages

Not much is known about the very first people in the Eeklo area. It is thought that oak trees might have caught the eye of travelers. These travelers used a Roman road that ran through the local sandy area among the marshes.

By the year 1240, a town had grown in this spot. It was already important enough to get a special paper called a charter. This charter was given by Jeanne of Constantinople, who was the Countess of Flanders.

Over time, the wet marshlands were drained. This made space for strong farms, some of which you can still see today. Like many other towns in the County of Flanders, Eeklo's economy relied on making cloth. The town traded with bigger, powerful cities nearby, like Ghent and Bruges.

From the 1500s to Today

Eeklo on the Ferraris map (around 1775)

In the second half of the 1500s, Eeklo was in a tough spot. It was right on the border between the Catholic south and the Protestant north. This caused a lot of damage, and many people left the town.

Around this time, a fun legend about "recooking" became popular. This was a story about a way to become young again. It involved drinking a special drink, cutting off one's head, and baking it in an oven. While the head was baking, a green cabbage would take its place on the body. This cabbage was a symbol of an empty head.

The 1700s and 1800s were better for Eeklo. The textile industry, which makes cloth, grew again. Many of the town's schools and beautiful neo-gothic buildings were built during this time.

Today, Eeklo is changing. It used to be a town focused on industry. Now, it is becoming a place that offers services to the towns and communities around it.

Things to See in Eeklo

The town hall and belfry are very special. UNESCO named them a World Heritage Site in 1999. This means they are important to the whole world.
Eeklo has some interesting churches and chapels. These include the St Vincent Church (Sint-Vincentiuskerk). There is also the chapel of the Holy Heart clinic (Heilig Hartkliniek).
A provincial park nearby is called “Het Leen”. It has a special garden with many different kinds of trees, called an arboretum. It also has a museum.
The Heldenpark is a local park. In the summer, you can enjoy concerts there. It also has a playground for kids, bowling areas for older people, and fields for soccer and baseball.

Famous People from Eeklo

Many talented people have come from Eeklo:

Leon L. Van Autreve (1920–2002) was the fourth United States Sergeant Major of the Army.
Edouard Heene (born 1872) was a master builder.
Erik De Vlaeminck (born 1945) is a cyclist. He was a world champion in cyclo-cross seven times.
Roger De Vlaeminck (born 1947) is also a cyclist. He was a world champion in cyclo-cross in 1975. He also won 11 "Monument" classic cycle races.
Paul Van Hyfte (born 1972) is a cyclist.
Rudy Matthijs (born 1959) is a cyclist.
Frederik Willems (born 1979) is a cyclist.
Dirk Braeckman (born 1958) is an artist and photographer.
Olivier De Cock (born 1975) is a soccer player.
Maarten Martens (born 1984) is a soccer player.
Tonny Mols (born 1969) is a soccer player.
Guido van Heulendonk is a writer. His real name is Guido Beelaert.
Karel Lodewijk Ledeganck (born 1805) was a writer.
Peter Van de Veire (born 1971) is a radio personality.
Tom Dice (born 1989) is a singer and songwriter. He represented Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010.