Erpe-Mere Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Erpe-Mere

Erpe-Mere town hall

Flag	Coat of arms

Erpe-Mere

Location in Belgium

Country

Flemish Community

Arrondissement

Aalst

Area

• Total

34.03 km² (13.14 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

9420 Aaigem
9420 Bambrugge
9420 Burst
9420 Erondegem
9420 Erpe
9420 Mere
9420 Ottergem
9420 Vlekkem

Area codes

053

Website

www.erpe-mere.be

Erpe-Mere is a town located in Belgium. It is part of the East Flanders province. The town is made up of eight smaller areas. These are Aaigem, Bambrugge, Burst, Erondegem, Erpe, Mere, Ottergem, and Vlekkem. There is also a tiny village called Egem within Bambrugge.

Two small rivers, both named Molenbeek, flow through Erpe-Mere. In 2022, about 20,127 people lived here. The total area of the town is 34.03 square kilometers. The current mayor of Erpe-Mere is Hugo De Waele. He belongs to the CD&V political party.

History of Erpe-Mere
Geography and Nature
Getting Around Erpe-Mere
Important Places and Mills
- Water Mills of Erpe-Mere
Sports in Erpe-Mere
Images for kids
See also

History of Erpe-Mere

The town of Erpe-Mere was officially created in 1975. This happened when eight smaller towns joined together. At first, the towns of Erpe and Mere disagreed on the new name. Erpe was larger in size. However, Mere was more central and had more people. To solve this, they decided on the double name: Erpe-Mere.

Geography and Nature

Map of Erpe-Mere showing the 8 subdivision parts

Erpe-Mere is surrounded by other towns. To the north is Lede. To the east are Aalst and Haaltert. To the south is Herzele, and to the west is Sint-Lievens-Houtem. The town is located in a region called Denderstreek.

The land in Erpe-Mere has different heights. The northern part is between 10 and 30 meters high. The middle part is between 25 and 50 meters high. The southern part has hills that reach up to 80 meters. The most famous hill is the Gotegemberg in Mere. It is 68 meters high. It is well-known for its steep slope of 18%. This makes it a popular challenge for cyclists.

Two brooks, both called Molenbeek, flow through the area. One Molenbeek flows through Burst, Bambrugge, Ottergem, Vlekkem, and Erondegem. It then joins the Scheldt river. The other Molenbeek, called Molenbeek-Ter Erpenbeek, flows into the Dender river.

Long ago, the Romans discovered a special white stone in Bambrugge. This stone was called Vlaamse Arduin. It was good for building foundations for Roman homes. It was also used for columns in Roman temples. People continued to dig for this stone until after World War II. Today, this area is the main administrative center of Erpe-Mere.

There is a large nature reserve nearby. It is called Den Dotter and covers 205 hectares. It is located in Aaigem (part of Erpe-Mere) and Heldergem.

Getting Around Erpe-Mere

Erpe-Mere has good transport links. There is an exit to the A10/E40 highway. The town also has a train station. This station is on the railway line that connects Kortrijk, Oudenaarde, Zottegem, Aalst, and Brussels. Several main roads also cross the town. These include the N9, N442, and N46.

Important Places and Mills

One important landmark is the water tower of the Tussengemeentelijke Maatschappij der Vlaanderen voor Watervoorziening.

Water Mills of Erpe-Mere

Erpe-Mere is famous for its many mills. There are eleven water mills in the area. This is the most water mills in any town in Belgium. Seven of these mills are protected by law. One mill was mostly taken apart, but some parts and the mill house still remain. Another mill was turned into a house.

On Koudenberg hill, there is a windmill. It is also protected by law. This windmill was put back together in 2006 after being fixed up. The Kruiskoutermolen was also restored in 2006 and can still operate. You can visit it by making an appointment with the local tourist office.

Place	Name(s)	Address	Type	Protected	More Information
Aaigem	Engelsmolen Molen te Dalhem Molen te Dalme	Engelsmolen 1	Overshot watermill	Yes	This mill used to grind wheat, make oil, and process flax. Later, it only ground wheat.
Aaigem	Ratmolen Waterrat	Ratmolenstraat 42	Overshot watermill	Yes	It was a mill for wheat and oil. Later, it only ground wheat.
Aaigem	Zwingelmolen	Aaigembergstraat 10	Overshot watermill	No	This mill first processed flax. Then it became a chicory mill. The mill wheel is gone. It has been changed into a house.
Bambrugge	Egemmolen Meuleken Tik Tak	Everdal 21	Overshot watermill	No	This was a wheat mill. The mill wheel has been removed. The mill house is now a country home.
Bambrugge	Molens Van Sande Kasteelmolen Celindermolen	Prinsdaal 33	Overshot watermill	No	It used to grind wheat and was a compulsion mill. Later, it was only a wheat mill. The mill wheel is gone. It is now a large flour mill.
Erpe	Cottemmolen	Molenstraat 36	Overshot watermill	Yes	This mill ground wheat and made oil. Later, it only ground wheat.
Erpe	Van Der Biestmolen	Dorpsstraat 3	Overshot watermill	No	This was a wheat mill.
Mere	De Graevesmolen	Bosstraat 25	Overshot watermill	Yes	This mill ground wheat and made oil.
Mere	Gotegemmolen	Gotegemstraat 1	Overshot watermill	Yes	This was a wheat mill.
Mere	Kruiskoutermolen Jezuïtenmolen Molen Van Der Haegen	Schoolstraat	Post windmill with open foot	Yes	This was a wheat mill.
Mere	Molen te Broeck 't Hof Schuurke	Wilgendries 6	Overshot watermill	Yes	This was a wheat mill.
Ottergem	De Watermeulen	Ruststraat 10-12	Overshot watermill	Yes	This mill ground wheat and made oil. Later, it only ground wheat.

Engelsmolen at Aaigem
Ratmolen at Aaigem
Zwingelmolen at Aaigem
Front view of the Cottemmolen at Erpe
Front view of the De Graevesmolen at Mere
Kruiskoutermolen at Mere

Sports in Erpe-Mere

Erpe-Mere has a strong history in football. It once had seven football clubs. Now, there are four main clubs: KRC Bambrugge, KFC Olympic Burst, FC Mere, and SK Aaigem. Some clubs merged over time. For example, FC Edixvelde joined FC Mere. Also, FC Oranja Erpe and KFC Olympia Erondegem combined to form KVC Erperondegem, which later also joined FC Mere.

Every year, a big bike race called the Steenbergcross takes place. It is the first international cyclo-cross race of the season. It is held at Steenberg in Bambrugge. The national meeting place for the Blue Angels in Belgium is also in Erpe.