Lovendegem Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Lovendegem

Village and former municipality

Lovendegem, seen across the Ghent-Bruges Canal

Flag

Seal

Lovendegem

Location in Belgium

Country

Belgium

Region

Flemish Region

Province

East Flanders

Arrondissement

Ghent

Municipality

Lievegem

Area

• Total

19.55 km² (7.55 sq mi)

Population

(2021)

• Total

9,703

• Density

496.32/km² (1,285.5/sq mi)

Time zone

CET

Postal code

9920, 9921

Dialing code

Website

www.lievegem.be

Lovendegem is a town in Flanders, which is one of the three main regions in Belgium. It's located in the province of East Flanders. Until 2019, Lovendegem was its own separate municipality, which is like a local government area. It included the towns of Lovendegem itself and Vinderhoute. In 2018, about 9,574 people lived there. The total area of Lovendegem was about 19.48 square kilometers.

A Look Back at Lovendegem's History
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A Look Back at Lovendegem's History

The name Lovendegem was first written down in 1150 as Lovendenghiem. However, people lived in this area much earlier, with signs of human settlements dating back to the Iron Age. The name itself means "settlement of the people of Lubantos," referring to a person named Lubantos.

For a long time, Lovendegem was a mix of many different heerlijkheden. These were like large landed estates or lordships. There was even one barony, which is a very important type of estate.

During the late 1500s, there were religious wars in the area. A powerful leader, sometimes called the "Iron Duke," caused a lot of trouble. This led to almost everyone leaving Lovendegem for a while.

For most of its history, Lovendegem was a farming community. People grew crops and raised animals. But starting in the 1960s, the town began to change. It grew into a place where many people lived and built homes. Because of this, the number of people living in Lovendegem steadily increased.

The Ghent-Bruges Canal runs through the area where Lovendegem is located. The main town of Lovendegem is found north of this canal, while the town of Vinderhoute is to the south.

On January 1, 2019, something big happened. Lovendegem, along with two other towns called Waarschoot and Zomergem, joined together. They formed a brand new, larger municipality called Lievegem.