Hasselt

Lblelslh

Hasselt is the capital of the Belgian province of Limburg, which emerged from the county of Loon.

Geography

Hasselt is situated on the Albert Canal and the river Demer, halfway from Aachen to lions on the highway.

History

Hasselt was created by the trade routes between Bruges about Diest and Maastricht to Cologne and received in 1232 by Count Arnold IV of Loon town rights. Hasselt became the administrative center of the county, which in 1361 the Prince-Bishopric of Liège devolved. 1830 Hasselt became the capital of Limburg, although the city never previously belonged to a territory that name. The diocese of Hasselt was built in 1967, the ecclesial connection was terminated to Liege.

Every seven years, is celebrated in Hasselt Virga Jesse festival.

Limburg Universitair Centrum in 1971 was the founded in the neighboring Diepenbeek, which was renamed the University of Hasselt in 2005.

Economy

The foundations for Hasselt's famous gin industry were laid in the 18th century. This had its golden age in the 19th century.

The construction of the Albert Canal (1930-1939) gave a new industrial impetus. Currently, Hasselt is primarily a commercial and administrative center. But also interesting small and medium-sized manufacturing companies in various industries have found in Hasselt a home.

Traffic

Free bus

Transport project: The popular mayor of the city and later Minister and party leader of the sp.a, Steve Stevaert, one of Europe's acclaimed urban transport project was started. Through savings in otherwise made ​​necessary investments for the construction of more roads in 1997 it was possible to set up a free bus service for Hasselt and the surrounding area. Thus, the number of passengers increased from an average day 1,000 ( 1996) to 12,600 (2006).

In 2013 the project was partially completed because the sharp rise in operating costs could no longer be financed by allocations. Since then, low travel costs will be payable: children and young people up to the age of 18 and people over 65 years of age travel for free by all other charged 60 cents per trip.

Rail traffic

On 18 December 2012, the city council of Maastricht in the Netherlands decided that the transnational project " Tramverbinding Vlaanderen- Maastricht " will be implemented. This is to connect the centers of Hasselt and Maastricht. Between the cities she performs tasks such as Euregiobahn in Aachen, within the places she goes as originally planned Campus web Aachen to the city center. Most of the route is located on Belgian territory. This part belongs to the 300 million -euro Spartacus plan to bring a number of improvements in regional transport in Belgian Limburg. In Belgian Limburg is to fall in 2013, the decision for the project. This then paved the way for the new project would be provided, and if everything would go according to plan, the first light rail would already 2018 roll through Maastricht and Hasselt.

Euregio ticket

The town can be reached by public transport by Euregio ticket.

Attractions

West tower and transept of St. Quintinus Cathedral

Half-timbered house Het Sweert

Hendrik van Veldeke monument in Hasselt

Former post

Tea and Ceremony House in the Japanese Garden

  • St. Quintinus Cathedral: built in the 15th and 16th centuries, on Romanesque foundations, with 63 m high West Tower, which has a melodious chime of 47 bells; since 1967, the cathedral of the diocese of Hasselt (→ Lage50.9298525.338699 ).
  • Municipal Carillon Museum: in the bell tower of the Sint- Quintinus Cathedral
  • Grote Markt: with beautiful Renaissance - timbered house Het Sweert from 1659 that has the name of the arm with a sword on the 1st floor at the corner of the house. Previous building was a tavern since 1452. Until 1713 it was a hostel, today there is a pharmacy (→ Lage50.9296595.337169 ).
  • Onze Lieve Vrouwkerk: ( Church of Our Lady ) was built in a transitional style between Baroque and Classicism 1728-1740; rebuilt after destruction in 1944 by the year 1952. Houses art treasures such as the high altar of the former Cistercian Abbey of Herkenrode in Hasselt (→ Lage50.9297245.336193 ).
  • Stadhuis ( Town Hall ), a patrician house of 1630 on Groenplaats (or Groenplein ) north of the Grote Markt (→ Lage50.9309955.336935 ).
  • Museum Stellingwerff - Waerdenhof: Museum of City and local history with the world 's oldest monstrance of 1286

Regular events

  • Rock festival Pukkelpop: the rock festival Pukkelpop is held annually since 1985 in Hasselt
  • Virga Jesse festival: every seven years on three days in August is celebrated in Hasselt Virga Jesse festival ( next date: 2017). Virga Jesse: Gothic statue of Mary koloriertem oak, 14th century
  • Horse market in Kuringen: traditional annual horse market in Kuringen

Twinning

  • Germany Detmold in North Rhine -Westphalia, Germany
  • Japan Itami in Japan
  • United States Mountain View, California, USA
  • Netherlands Sittard in the Dutch province of Limburg

Personalities

Sons and daughters

  • Louis Willems (1822-1907), discoverer of the immunity principle, developer of the first serum against pneumonic plague in cattle
  • Godefried Guffens (1823-1901), Belgian painter
  • Adrien de Gerlache de Gomery (1866-1934), Belgian naval officer and Arctic explorer, leader of the first Belgian Polar Expedition 1897-1899
  • Jean van Lierde Peter Canisius (1907-1995), Catholic priest
  • Willy Claes ( born 1938 ), a Belgian Socialist politician and minister, former NATO Secretary General
  • Paul Schollaert ( born 1940 ), Belgian composer, choir leader and priest
  • Kurt Bikkembergs ( born 1963 ), Belgian composer, music teacher and conductor
  • Dana Winner (born 1965 ), Belgian singer
  • Luc Nilis (born 1967 ), former Belgian football player
  • Axelle Red ( b. 1968 ), Belgian singer who sings mainly French songs
  • Marc Wauters (born 1969 ), Belgian cyclist
  • Stijn Vreven (born 1973 ), Belgian footballer
  • Regi Penxten (born 1976 ), Belgian music producer, songwriter and DJ
  • Bernd Thijs (born 1978 ), a Belgian national football team, former Borussia Moenchengladbach, currently KAA Gent
  • January Kuyckx ( b. 1979 ), Belgian cyclist
  • Gert Steegmans ( born 1980 ), Belgian cyclist
  • Maarten Wijnants ( b. 1982 ), Belgian cyclist
  • Laurens Vanthoor (* 1991), Belgian racing driver ( Formula 3 )

People with relationship to the city

  • Steve Stevaert (born 1954 ), former socialist mayor of the city, Governor of the Province of Limburg
  • Marijke Amado (born 1954 ), a resident of the city
Arrondissement of Hasselt Controlled-access highway Roman Catholic Diocese of Hasselt Jenever Romanesque art Itami, Hyōgo Limburg (Netherlands) Petrus Canisius van Lierde Maarten Wynants Alken, Belgium As, Belgium Beringen, Belgium Bilzen Bocholt, Belgium Borgloon Bree, Belgium Dilsen-Stokkem Genk Gingelom Halen Ham, Belgium Hechtel-Eksel Heers Herk-de-Stad Herstappe Heusden-Zolder Hoeselt Houthalen-Helchteren Kinrooi Kortessem Lanaken Leopoldsburg Lommel Lummen Maaseik Maasmechelen Meeuwen-Gruitrode Neerpelt Nieuwerkerken Opglabbeek Overpelt Peer, Belgium Tessenderlo Wellen Zonhoven Zutendaal
378028
de