Gembloux

Gembloux (in Walloon Djiblou , in Dutch Gembloers ) is a French-speaking city of Belgium located in Walloon region in the Province of Namur, on the axis Brussels - Namur.

With the 1st July 2004, the total population of this commune was of 21.487 inhabitants (10 669 men and 10.818 women). The total surface area is of 65,70 km ² what gives one population density of 47,05 inhabitants per km ².

Its burgomaster is, following the communal elections of October 8th, 2006, Mr Benoît Dispa.

Etymology

Towards 300 Geminiacum , Germinicum , 946 Gemblaus

Property of (suffix - avus ) Gemellus, anthroponyme Gallo-Roman (with épenthèse, very rare as a Walloon, of the B ; the former Latin inscriptions are copies badly made with abusive etymology).

History

The Belfry of Gembloux east registered with the World heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2005 (via an addendum with the inscription relating to the Flemish, Walloon belfries and North of France)

During the the Middle Ages, the country of Gembloux was an abbey County attached to the Duché of the Brabant.

It is re-elected for its Coutellerie and especially for its Faculté of agronomy. The buildings sheltering the current Agronomic Faculty of Science of Gembloux were those of the old abbey bénédictine of Gembloux.

With the first Battle of Gembloux, at the beginning of 1578, the Spanish army crushed the army of the Linked Provinces, gathered within the framework of the Pacification of Ghent. The second Battle of Gembloux take place in May 1940 and opposed the French armed forces (made up of home troops and Senegalese and Moroccan riflemen) and allemandes. It showed a French tactical victory (the German troops could not cross the French lines of defense) but, unfortunately, this triumph could not be exploited with its right measurement taking into account the fact of the strategic defeat undergone by the Franco-British forces.

Famous characters

Sigebert of Gembloux (about 1030 - October 5th, 1112), a medieval writer, monk of the abbey of Gembloux.

Twinnings

See too

Place of death of Jean Pirotte.
Birthplace of William Cliff

Random links: