Audenarde

Audenarde (in Dutch Oudenaarde , i.e. the “old man-field”) is a common city and Dutch-speaking of Belgium, chief town of district in Province of Flanders-Eastern.

The city is in the south of Ghent, on banks of the the Scheldt. Of a population of approximately 28 000 inhabitants, it is since centuries a small industrial city (textile, breweries), formerly celebrates for its tapestries, and called the pearl of the Flemish Ardennes. The holy owner of Audenarde is holy Walburge. Among its many monuments, Audenarde has in particular a beautiful town hall of the beginning of XVIe century, of Gothic Style blazing, built by the architect of Brussels Hendrik van Pede. It is universally known for the Verdures , tapestries of Audenarde. On the Web site of the city a presentation of the techniques of restoration is provided. This activity played a great part in the history of the city.

History

D' Ename with Audenarde

In the years 1920 one put at the day with Ename, a suburb of Audenarde, the archaeological vestiges of fortifications set up on Right Bank of the Scheldt by the Germanic emperor Otton Ier, and which, just as in Antwerp, made a rampart against France. Ename shaven in 1054 and was annexed to the Flanders: it was a chance for the village close to Audenarde, which benefitted exclusively from economic development thereafter. With the site of Ename one set up, to pacify the area, a cloister. The ruins of the fortifications, the city and the cloister prove to be higher interest according to the discoveries made since. The astonishing discovered ones were also made at the time of work of restoration of the close church, in particular the princely cabin from where the emperor attended the mass.

In 1030 the count Baudouin IV of Flanders, proclaimed downtown this the Truce of God and made forge a key. The city saw its fortifications dismantled after the defeat of Bouvines in 1214, was taken by the Gantois in 1383 then conquered by Alexandre Farnèse in 1582.

A stake enters France and Austria

Audenarde accepted the visit of the emperor Charles Quint, who made there a child with a girl of Tisserand, Johanna van der Gheynst, giving rise to future the Marguerite of Parma, princess of the Spanish Netherlands, half-sister of Philippe II. The French coveted Audenarde and seized it in 1658 (Vauban), 1667 and 1745. The city is defended victoriously by Vauban in 1674.

The fountain in front of the Town hall is a vestige of the French occupation (1667-1708); this one had been built in homage to Louis XIV, and to make it possible to the soldiers to water the horses. This fountain always functions.

During the War of succession of Spain, on July 11th, 1708, the French Armies of the duke of Vendôme were beaten there by the imperial and English armies of the Prince Eugene, the marshal Henri de Nassau and of the duke of Marlborough.

Under government of the Austria at the end of the XVIIIe century, Audenarde was bombarded since the heights of Edelareberg. People was convinced that one could flee since the place of the Large Market by Strong Edelare, which ramifies in bowels under Edelareberg, with several exits around the Liedts park; they was certainly false, and many bowels located as well under the municipal park as under Edelareberg, than one had dug like muches in time of war, are inhabited more today only by nests of bats.

Monuments and curiosities

The city, built around the the Scheldt, is joined together by four bridges, including one Pont-levis close to the downtown area, a footbridge and cyclists, and the bridge of the Ohio, built with the expenses of the state of Ohio to replace an old bridge destroyed during the First World War. On each side of this bridge the statue of a bison is. Among the other memories of the war a memorial of the American infantrymen is who crossed the Scheldt with height of Audenarde during the First World War, as well as the monument of Tacambaro on the of the same place name, which commemorates ten Audenardais which, during the Guerre of independence of Mexico, forced a stopping to help a disabled person to join Mexico City.

Recently, a fountain of the time of Napoleon was again moved, after almost thirty years, on the place Gentiel Antheunis, close to the arts center.

Largest attractions of Audenarde are the town hall and the Holy-Walburge church , which are both on the place of the market. Very close to the large market a small market was held from time immemorial, behind the Maison of Parma (the hotel of Marguerite of Parma remained intact), and the open passage between the two places seemed a long time an aberration with the eyes of the inhabitants. By derision they call it perforated markets , although it since was narrowed by the construction of the museum of cycling.

Opposite the Holy-Walburge church is also the public library, called by the inhabitants the market with the meats because the butchers gathered there at one time. It is a traditional building of style which dates from the XVIIIe century.

The oldest building of Audenarde is the Wine market which dates from IXe century; it is contiguous to the Hotel of Parma. There are also the Liedts castle, and the old station of Audenarde, which is in fact on the commune of Bevere, and which dates from the Belle time.

Museums

the town hall lodges the Musée of the tapestry , a collection of works audenardaises and European, and a collection belonging to the city.
Natural history museum devoted to the Turn of Flandres and the Cycling in general.
the old station is used as hall of exposure for the young artists or the folklore.
the municipal files are in the Abbey of Maagdendale.
the provincial museum of Ename, close to the church the St. Lawrence

Events

the beer festival Adriaan Brouwer (last weekend of June)
the Festivals of the Park , an annual festival of pop music which takes place each summer (since 1996)
the agricultural fair (last Thursday of February)
Every ten years holds a great festival of horticulture during which the market, which counts among largest of Flanders, is completely covered with flowers. The last session was taken place in 2005.

Gastronomy and sporting events

Audenarde is famous for its Bière and the Turn of Flanders. The beers brewed locally are the Ename bier , the Felix , the Liefmans and the Roman . Although the breweries were repurchased by industry groups, one continues to brew beer with Audenarde.

The Turn of Flandres share of Audenarde each year, because the majority of the spectators can go up on the monticules. The winter one often installs a track of ice-skating on the place of the small market.

Jurisdiction and police force

In the legal and prison plan, Audenarde forms an autonomous entity; the city has a court and a prison, and the Parquet floor of Audenarde is one of the official jurisdictions.

Dialect

The speech of Audenarde is Flemish of typical, crossbred south-west of many French words and some words west-Flemish. Frequent diminutives in the plural in - ies is characteristic of Audenarde, such as for example bientsjies (instead of beentjes), kiekskies (with the kippetjes place), potsies (potjes), etc

Policy

The former burgomasters were Edouard Liefmans-Bonné (liberal), Henri Liefmans (liberal) (1844-1850), Victor Liefmans (liberal), Paul Raepsaet (1890-), Robert Doutreligne (left catholic) (1918-1921), Thienpont, Lieven Santens (Christen-Democratisch in Vlaams|CVP) (- 2000), Marnic de Meulemeester (VLD) (2001-)

They were born in Audenarde

Arnoult de Soissons (1040-1087), bishop of Soissons
Adriaen Brouwer (1605 or 1606 - 1638), painter originating in Audenarde. The annual beer festival bears its name: Adriaan Brouwer-bierfeesten (because brouwer wants to say brewer, Word game).
Marguerite of Parma (1522 - 1586), governor-deputy by Philippe II for the Netherlands of 1559 to 1567
Jotie You Hooft (1956 - 1977), cursed poet and author-worship
Brigitta Callens (1980), Belgian mannequin
Bart Gijselinck alias Bart Kaëll (8/2/1960), Belgian singer
Frank De Bleeckere (7/1/66), referee
Mario De Clercq (3/5/66), ex-champion of cyclo-cross
Wim Vanhuffel (5/25/79), racing cyclist
Jean-Joseph Raepsaet (1750-1832), lawyer and Belgian historian

Celebrity

Robert Herberigs (Ghent, 1886 - Audenarde, 1974), type-setter

See too

External bonds

official Web site of the urban community
the Festival of the Park. Annual festival on the banks of the ponds.
the pilgrimage of Kerselare

Sources

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