Grimbergen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Grimbergen
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 Grimbergen
Location in Belgium
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| Country | Belgium | ||
| Community | Flemish Community | ||
| Region | Flemish Region | ||
| Province | Flemish Brabant | ||
| Arrondissement | Halle-Vilvoorde | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 38.59 km2 (14.90 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 |
1850-1853
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| Area codes | 02 | ||
| Website | www.grimbergen.be | ||
Grimbergen is a town in Belgium, located in the Flemish Brabant province. It's about 10 kilometers (6 miles) north of Brussels, the capital city. Grimbergen includes the smaller towns of Beigem, Humbeek, and Strombeek-Bever. In 2017, about 37,030 people lived here.
Grimbergen is in the part of Belgium where people speak Dutch. It's famous for its old abbey and the special beer that was once made there. Many people who work in Brussels choose to live in Grimbergen because it's close by.
Contents
History
Ancient Times and the Middle Ages
Long ago, during the time of the Romans, important roads passed near where Grimbergen is today. Around the 8th century, a fort was built where a road crossed the Zenne river. This was a very important spot! The local lord soon controlled a large area of land.
In the 12th century, the area was called Grentberghis. This name came from an old Dutch word meaning "mounds of coarse sand." Around this time, a group of monks called Norbertines built the Grimbergen Abbey in 1128. They even started brewing beer there!
Later, there were fights between the powerful Grimbergen family and their ruler, Godfrey III of Leuven. These fights led to the "Wars of Grimbergen." The local castle was destroyed, and the Grimbergen family moved away. The town's special coat of arms comes from this time.
In the 14th century, half of Grimbergen's land became part of the House of Nassau family's property. Like many places in Europe, Grimbergen saw a lot of destruction during the Wars of Religion in the late 1500s.
After the French Revolution
The old system where lords ruled the land ended suddenly in 1794, when the French took control. The abbey's power also ended a few years later, but it was restored after the Belgian Revolution in 1830.
For a long time, Grimbergen was mostly a farming town. But in the mid-1800s, new roads and a canal connecting Brussels to the Scheldt river brought new industries. A local tram system started in 1887, and an airfield (a place for planes to land) was built after World War I.
Sights
Grimbergen has many interesting places to visit:
- The amazing church of the Grimbergen Abbey is dedicated to Saint Servatius, who is the town's special saint. The church has been rebuilt many times since 1128. The building you see today was finished in 1660 and is a beautiful example of Baroque style (a fancy, detailed style of architecture). Its tower has a carillon, which is a musical instrument with 49 bells! In 1999, the church was given the special title of basilica.
- Right next to the abbey is the Grimbergen beer museum. Here, visitors can learn about the famous local beer and even taste it.
- The oldest public astronomical observatory in Belgium, called Mira, is located in the old farm buildings of the abbey. An observatory is a place where people study stars and planets.
- Grimbergen is home to four castles! One is the beautiful 17th-century Guldendal, built in the Renaissance-style. Another is the Prinsenkasteel, which are the ruins of the old keep (the strongest part of a castle) that belonged to the lords of Grimbergen. You can also find several old farms from the 1600s and two medieval water mills.
- Volkssterrenwacht Mira is the oldest planetarium in Belgium. It was started in 1967. A planetarium is a theater that shows projections of stars and planets. The original planetarium was in the Abbey of Grimbergen, and a new part was added in 2000.
Events and Sports
- The main yearly event is the Sint-Servaasommegang. This is a procession (a parade) in honor of Saint Servatius. It started in 1280 and happens on May 13th (the saint's birthday) or the first Sunday after that.
- A popular kermesse (a type of festival or fair) takes place on the first Sunday of September.
- Around Christmas, a nativity scene (a display of the birth of Jesus) is set up in the abbey church.
- Grimbergen has its own field hockey club called Merode Hockey Grimbergen. They built a modern hockey field and started playing there in January 2019.
Notable People
- August De Winter (1925–2005), a politician.
- Hugo Broos (born 1952), a former football player and coach.
- Alison Van Uytvanck (born 1994), a tennis player.
- Pieter Timmers, (born 1988), a swimmer.
See also
In Spanish: Grimbergen para niños
