Aalter
{{Infobox Belgium municipality
|name = Aalter
|picture = Stationsstraat - Aalter - België.jpg
|picture-legend =
|map = Aalter East-Flanders Belgium Map.svg
|map-legend = Location of Aalter in East Flanders
|arms = Blason ville be Aalter.svg
|flag = Aalter vlag.svg
|region = {{BE-REG-FLE}}
|community = {{BE-NL}}
|province = {{BE-PROV-OV}}
|arrondissement = Ghent
|nis = 44084
|pyramid-date=
|0-19=
|20-64=
|65=
|foreigners=
|foreigners-date=
|mayor = Pieter De Crem (CD&V)
|postal-codes = 9880, 9881, 9910
|telephone-area = 09
|web = [http://www.aalter.be/ www.aalter.be]
|coordinates = {{coord|51|05|N|03|27|E|region:BE|display=inline,title}}
}}
Aalter ({{IPA|nl|ˈaːltər|-|Nl-Aalter.ogg}}) is a municipality located between Bruges and Ghent in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Aalter, Bellem, {{ill|Lotenhulle|nl}}, Poeke, Knesselare and {{ill|Ursel, Belgium|nl|Ursel|lt=Ursel}}. It is bordered on the north by Maldegem, on the east by Zomergem and Nevele, on the south by Deinze, and on the west by the province of West Flanders. The mayor is Pieter De Crem.{{cite news|url=https://www.hln.be/aalter/pieter-de-crem-grijpt-alle-macht~a1d045aa/ |title=Pieter De Crem grijpt alle macht |website=Het Laatste Nieuws |access-date=7 May 2022 |language=nl}}
Effective 1 January 2019, the municipality of Knesselare was merged into Aalter.{{cite web|url=https://www.communicatiehuis.be/nl/cases/knesselare-en-aalter-bundelen-hun-krachten-de-nieuwe-fusiegemeente-aalter |title=Knesselare én Aalter bundelen hun krachten in de nieuwe fusiegemeente Aalter. |website=Communicatiehuis |access-date=7 May 2022 |language=nl}} Aalter was home to 29,242 people in 2021.{{cite web|url=https://statbel.fgov.be/sites/default/files/files/opendata/bevolking/sectoren/OPENDATA_SECTOREN_2021.xlsx |title=Bevolking per statistische sector - Sector 44084 |website=Statistics Belgium |access-date=7 May 2022 }}
History
Aalter is located on the border of the Meetjesland with the forest of Flanders. The area was inhabited since prehistory. Artefacts have been recovered from 3,000 to 2,000 BC. The village was first mentioned in 974 as "Villa Haleftra". The etymology is unclear. The current name started to emerge around 1700. Aalter was home to several small heerlijkheden (landed estates), some of which had motte-and-bailey castles.{{cite web|url=https://mijnplatteland.com/meetjesland/aalter/nl/ |title=Aalter |website=Mijnplatteland |access-date=7 May 2022 |language=nl}}{{cite web|url=https://inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be/themas/14191 |title=Aalter |website=Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed |date=July 1981 |access-date=7 May 2022 |language=nl}}
Between 1613 and 1623, the {{ill|Ghent-Bruges Canal|nl|Kanaal Gent-Brugge}} was dug, and several fortifications were built by Spanish against the Dutch. In 1838, a railway station opened and Aalter started to develop into a town which nowadays has many commuters.
Gallery
File:Poeke Kasteel R02.jpg|Poeke Castle
File:Duiventoren Bellem (1).JPG|Pigeon-tower in Bellem
Kasteel Mariahove, Bellem (DSCF0109).jpg|Mariahove castle in Bellem
File:Aalter Markt Kiosk - 116780 - onroerenderfgoed.jpg|Bandstand in the square
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline}}
- {{official website|http://www.aalter.be}} - Only available in Dutch
{{Geographic location
|Centre = Aalter
|North = Knesselare
|Northeast = Zomergem
|East = Nevele
|Southeast = Deinze
}}
{{Belgian municipality Aalter}}
{{Municipalities in East Flanders}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Municipalities of East Flanders
{{EastFlanders-geo-stub}}