Perwez facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Perwez
Municipality
Perwez: the Town Hall
Flag Coat of arms
Perwez Location in Belgium
Country	Belgium
Community	French Community
Region	Wallonia
Province	Walloon Brabant
Arrondissement	Nivelles
Area
• Total	50.81 km2 (19.62 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	1360
Area codes	081
Website	www.perwez.be

Perwez is a small town, or municipality, in Belgium. It's located in a part of Belgium called Wallonia, specifically in the province of Walloon Brabant. Perwez is a place with a long and interesting history, from Roman times to today.

About Perwez

Where is Perwez?

Perwez is found in the Walloon Brabant province of Wallonia, which is one of the three main regions of Belgium. It's a municipality, which means it's a local area with its own government.

People and Area

As of January 1, 2006, about 7,487 people lived in Perwez. The total area of the municipality is about 50.81 square kilometers (around 19.6 square miles). This means there were about 147 people living in each square kilometer.

The municipality of Perwez includes several smaller areas, or districts. These districts are Malèves-Sainte-Marie-Wastines, Orbais, Thorembais-les-Béguines, and Thorembais-Saint-Trond.

Perwez Through Time

Ancient History

Long ago, during the time of the Roman Empire, Perwez was an important spot. It was located right on a major Roman road that connected two big cities: Bavay and Cologne. Because of this, three ancient burial mounds, called tumuli, were once found here. They are no longer visible today. In 1977, a tomb was discovered near a farm called Long Pont. Inside, archaeologists found several items from Roman times.

Medieval Times

During the Middle Ages, Perwez often faced challenges. It was located close to the border between two powerful areas: the Duchy of Brabant and the Prince-Bishopric of Liège. This meant it was sometimes caught in conflicts between them.

Perwez grew around its church and a castle. The castle was later taken down before the year 1870. The main way people in Perwez made money was through its market. This market was very important for selling farm products.

Destruction caused by the bombardment of May 13, 1940.

Modern Era and Wars

From the 1500s to the 1800s, Perwez continued to develop. It gained a cloth hall, which was a place for trading fabrics. It also had a wheats exchange, where grains were bought and sold. In 1511, Perwez started having an annual market every October.

However, this period also brought difficult times. In 1577, soldiers fighting against the government camped near Perwez. Later, during the Franco-Dutch War and the Nine Years' War, many homes and crops in Perwez were destroyed. These wars were very damaging for the town.

Industrial Growth

In the 1800s, Perwez saw a lot of industrial growth. This growth was mostly linked to farming. By 1870, the town had two watermills and two windmills. There were also two tanneries (places that make leather) and three breweries (places that make beer).

A very important business was a râperie. This factory extracted juice from sugar beets. The juice was then sent through pipelines to a large sugar factory in Wanze. The râperie was a big employer, with 175 people working there. It was located on Avenue de Rosaraie and closed in 1959. Today, some of its old buildings are used by a fancy restaurant.

World War II

During World War II, Perwez suffered from a terrible accident. On May 13, 1940, a French ammunition storage or a mine in the town center was hit. It exploded, causing a lot of damage and leading to 33 people losing their lives. French forces then set off other mines, which caused even more destruction.

Perwez was finally set free on September 6, 1944. This happened when the American 2nd Armored Division arrived.

Cool Places to See

Perwez has several interesting places that are protected because of their historical or natural importance.

Buildings to Visit

• The Saint Roch chapel
• Parts of the farm at Rue Trémouroux No 94 in Orbais
• Du Mont Farm
• La Petite Cense Farm
• Mellemont Farm
• Parts of the inside of the church of Saint Martin and Saint Roch in Thorembais-les-Béguines
• The tower of the church of Saint John
• The church and cemetery of Thorembais-Saint-Trond

Nature Reserves

West of Thorembais-Saint-Trond, there are three beautiful nature reserves. These are special areas where nature is protected.

• The wells of Thorembais
• The woods of Buis
• The swamps of Long-Pont

See also

In Spanish: Perwez para niños