Scherpenheuvel-Zichem

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Scherpenheuvel- Zichem (French: Montaigu- Zichem ) is a city in Belgium, in the Flemish province of Brabant. It was formed in 1977 from the merger of the municipalities Averbode Messelbroek, Scherpenheuvel, Testelt and Zichem.

Scherpenheuvel located 6 km west of the city of Diest and 7 km south of the important Abbey Averbode. The A2 motorway ( Brussels - Sittard- Geleen (NL) - Aachen ) runs just 2 km south past.

The small town is grouped around the 17th- century and dedicated to Our Lady Baroque pilgrimage church, which was raised to the rank of minor Basilica. The Basilica of Our Lady ( Dutch: Onze - Lieve - Vrouwe van Scherpenheuvel ), in which Pope John Paul II prayed already, makes Scherpenheuvel one of the most important places of pilgrimage in the Dutch speaking part of Belgium.

On 2 February 2011, the church received the papal honor Golden Rose by Pope Benedict XVI ..

Zichem was made famous by the Flemish writer Ernest Claes, of the place in his picaresque novel " De Witte " ( German Publication: The Flat Head) described vividly.

Both places have a few hotels and pensions, and the tourist office organizes much about the fictional character " De Witte " ( = the white man because he had white-blond hair ) around.