Kaprijke Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Kaprijke

Kaprijke town hall

Flag	Coat of arms

Kaprijke

Location in Belgium

Country

Flemish Community

Arrondissement

Eeklo

Area

• Total

33.71 km² (13.02 sq mi)

Population

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• Total

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Postal codes

9970, 9971

Area codes

Website

www.kaprijke.be

Kaprijke on an old map from around 1775

Kaprijke is a small town, also called a municipality, located in the country of Belgium. It's found in the province of East Flanders. The municipality of Kaprijke includes two main areas: Kaprijke itself and a nearby town called Lembeke [nl]. In 2021, about 6,508 people lived in Kaprijke.

Kaprijke's History
Famous People from Kaprijke
Gallery
See also

Kaprijke's History

The name Kaprijke comes from an old Gallo-Roman name, "Capricum." This name means "Land of Caprius." Long ago, it was a place where Roman soldiers had a base. You can still see signs of this history in the town square today.

In 1240, Kaprijke was given special "city rights" by Joan, Countess of Flanders. This meant it had more freedom and could govern itself more.

Growth and Decline

During the 1300s and 1400s, Kaprijke was famous for its cloth industry. Many merchants and cloth makers lived and worked there. However, in the 1500s, there were many religious conflicts. Because of this, the merchants and cloth makers moved to safer places.

Even after the problems ended, they did not return. This caused Kaprijke to become a quiet, rural village in the 1600s and 1700s.

Hof ter Kruisen Castle

Kaprijke is known for its beautiful castle, Hof ter Kruisen. This castle was started in 1550 by a person named Andries of Baviere. It was finally finished in 1628.

Merging with Lembeke

In 1976, Kaprijke joined with another town called Lembeke. This merger brought their total population to about 6,200 people at that time. Lembeke is also home to Lotus Bakeries, which makes famous cookies. The Bardelaere Museum is also located in Lembeke.

Famous People from Kaprijke

Kaprijke has been home to some well-known people:

Roger De Vlaeminck is a famous cyclist. He won the difficult Paris–Roubaix race four times.
Hippoliet Van Peene (1811–1864) was a poet and writer. He is best known for writing the poem "De Vlaamse Leeuw" (The Flemish Lion). This poem later became the official anthem for the Flemish region of Belgium.