Sint-Truiden

Sint-Truiden
Geography
Country	Belgium
Region	Flemish Region
Community	Flemish Community
Province	Limburg
Arrondissement	Hasselt
Coordinates	50°48′N 05°11′E / 50.8, 5.183Coordinates: 50°48′N 05°11′E / 50.8, 5.183
Area	106.90 km²
Population (Source: NIS)
Population – Males – Females - Density	38,247 (January 1, 2006) 49.32% 50.68% 358 inhab./km²
Age distribution 0–19 years 20–64 years 65+ years	(01/01/2006) 19.28% 62.79% 17.93%
Foreigners	3.16% (01/07/2005)
Economy
Unemployment rate	9.15% (January 1, 2006)
Mean annual income	13,265 €/pers. (2003)
Government
Mayor	Ludwig Vandenhove (SP.A)
Governing parties	SP.A, VLD
Other information
Postal codes	3800, 3803, 3806
Area codes	011
Web address	www.sint-truiden.be

Sint-Truiden (French: Saint-Trond) is a city and municipality located in the province of Limburg, Flemish Region, Belgium, near the towns of Hasselt and Tongeren. The municipality includes the old communes of Aalst, Brustem, Duras, Engelmanshoven, Gelinden, Gorsem, Groot-Gelmen, Halmaal, Kerkom-bij-Sint-Truiden, Ordingen, Runkelen, Sint-Truiden proper, Velm, Wilderen, and Zepperen. The city is in the centre of Belgium's fruit producing region, Haspengouw (Hesbaye), and is renowned for its pears, apples (Jonagold), and sweet cherries.

History

Origins and Golden Age

The municipality formed around an abbey founded by St. Trudo, a Frankish nobleman, in the 7th century. After Trudo’s death, the abbey became the centre of a pilgrimage, which brought wealth to the neighbouring town. The 11th century was particularly prosperous and witnessed an important growth in population. This was the time when abbot Adelardus, reporting to the Bishop of Metz, built the abbey’s main church and two additional churches in town: Notre-Dame (Lievenvrouwenkerk) and Sint-Gangulfus. Under his direction, Sint-Truiden also received an earth wall surmounted by a wooden fence and fortified gates. A proper stone wall, gates and towers, were built in 1129. The economy of this new oppidum city was based on the linen industry and commerce with foreign lands such as England, Champagne, and Germany. In the 13th century, the fortified town became one of the 23 bonnes villes (main cities) belonging to the Bishopric of Liège. A market hall was build at the site where the current city hall stands, the social life of the city was organized by the various guilds, and a perron was erected on the central square, symbolizing the local government’s authority in political affairs.

15th century until now

Charles the Bold captured the town in 1467, marking the beginning of a slow decline that lasted until the 19th century. The city’s fortifications were dismantled in 1675, and many of the religious congregations were disbanded under the French regime at the end of the 18th century. After 1830, these empty buildings were turned into educational and medical facilities. The city was also the centre of a prosperous agricultural region, which from the end of the 19th century became well-known for its fruit production. On August 9, 1914, at the outset of Germany’s invasion of Belgium, 20 civilians were executed and a number of houses destroyed. The reconstruction and building of brand new neighbourhoods accelerated well into the 20th century. During World War II, its airfield was the base of one of the most famous Luftwaffe Nigth Fighter squadron, NJG1, with units II/NJG1 and IV/NJG1 operating Junkers Ju88 and Heinkel He219 aircraft from here in 1944. Even more, the most highest scoreing German night fighter pilot, Heinz Wolgang Schnaufer (121 air victories, most of them on night) was referred to as "The ghost of St. Trond" by British Bomber crews that flew over Germany on night attacks raids.

Places of interest

Sint-Truiden city hall

• Sint-Truiden’s historical centre includes the town hall (Stadhuis), with a 17th-century tower classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1999. The oldest parts of the building date from the 13th century.
• The 15th-century Church of Notre Dame (Lievenvrouwenkerk) stands just beside the town hall.
• The béguinage of Sint-Agnes, with its 13th-century church, was also classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
• An 11th-century Romanesque tower and crypt are all that remain of the old abbey of St Trudo. Several other Romanesque buildings can also be visited in town: Sint-Pieterskerk, Sint-Gangulfuskerk, and the Guvelingen chapel.
• On the abbey square stands the statue of St Trudo which, together with a meridian line traced on the ground, also functions as a sundial.
• Sint-Truiden offers several good examples of Baroque architecture, including the gable of the town hall and the Minderbroederkerk.

Famous inhabitants

• Christina the Astonishing (1150-1224)
• Denis the Carthusian, theologian and mystic (1402-1471)
• Barthélémy de Theux de Meylandt, politician and former Belgian Prime Minister, born in Sint-Truiden (1794-1874)
• Aldous Huxley, English author (1894-1963), married Maria Nys from Sint-Truiden and briefly resided on the town's central square
• Frank De Winne, astronaut, born in Ghent in 1961, but residing in Sint-Truiden
• Danny Boffin, football player (b. 1965)

Sports

A Belgian premier league football club is based in Sint-Truiden: K. Sint-Truidense V.V.

External links

• Official website, only available in Dutch