See also: Wavre (homonymy)

Wavre (in Dutch Waver , in Walloon Wåve , locally Auve ) is a French-speaking city of Belgium located in Walloon region, Chef-lieu of the Province of the Walloon Brabant.

Established in the valley of the Dyle, it is the capital of the tourist area of the " The Ardennes brabançonnes".

Wavre is also called the city of Maca, in reference to the statue (going back to 1962) of a young boy climbing the low wall of the Town hall. The superstition and the tradition (very recent) want that while cherishing the buttocks to him, that brings one year of chance.

Its inhabitants is Wavriens and Wavriennes. By assimilation, Wavriens are also called Macas.

Geography

Geographical location

The commune is surrounded of the communes of Ottignies-Leuwen-the-New, Rixensart, Overijse, Huldenberg, Grez-Doiceau and Chaumont-Gistoux. The town of Wavre is crossed by the Dyle, a small river, partially covered. The total surface area is of 42,06 km ².

Population

With the 1st July 2004, the total population of this commune is of 31.779 inhabitants (15 238 men and 16.541 women).

Etymology

circa 1050 Wauera , circa 1123 Waure , 1140 Wawera

Wood (will Gaulois uobera or uoberno- “brook hidden” - > “ravine” - > “waste land” - > “wood, forest”) or waste land, waste ground (Wallon wavre , Low Latin vavria ) (?)

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