Sint-Niklaas
Lblelslh
Sint -Niklaas is a town in the Belgian province of East Flanders with 72 883 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2012), including the districts Belsele, Nieuwkerken -Waas and Sinaai. The place is known for the largest market place in Belgium and its annual balloon festival, also known as the Festival of Peace.
The unique Gerhard Mercator Museum located in Sint -Niklaas. It shows the life and work of cartographers. Whose birthplace is in Rupelmonde, which counts as the district of Kruibeke for Arrondissement Sint -Niklaas.
History
The known history of Sint -Niklaas begins in 1217 with the construction of a church in honor of Saint Nicholas by the Bishop of Tournai. The place was dependent on the diocese of Tournai until the middle of the 16th century and belonged politically to the County of Flanders, whose story he shared.
Policy
Parish council
Mayor of the City 's current term, which lasts until 31 December 2018, Lieven Dehandschutter ( NVA). He is assisted by nine jurors ( Assistant ) to the side. The council consists of these ten and 31 other Council members.
Twinning
Since 1962, maintains Sint-Niklaas city partnerships with
Other partnerships are available with
- Gorinchem Netherlands in South Holland since 1968
- Tabor in South Bohemia Czech Republic since 2002
Traffic
The city is conveniently located between Antwerp ( 25 km) and Gent (38 km) and has good connections in both centers. The E 17 (A 14 ), lies close to the city. The N 16 connects the city with Mechelen and Brussels.
Train there every half hour to Antwerp and Ghent, every hour to Leuven, Mechelen and Brussels.
Inner -urban and regional, there is a dense network of bus routes which are performed in the urban area on their own tracks.
Sint -Niklaas was honored as the pedestrian- friendly city in Flanders, after the area had been remodeled in the central market square.
Attractions
- The Grote Markt of the city has an area of 3.2 ha and is the largest market place in Belgium (→ Lage51.1644434.140159 ). At the market square itself is the Stadhuis (City Hall) from the year 1878. Latter has a bell tower with a carillon of 35 bells. On the square is also the Parochiehuis ( parsonage ) which dates from 1663, and the Landhuis ( Courthouse ) from 1637 and the Ciperage ( prison ) from 1662 which is a library today.
- The Church of Our Lady ( Onze Lieve Vrouwe ) dates from 1841 and has a 6 -meter-high statue of Mary (→ Lage51.1652644.137917 ).
- The Church of St. Nicholas (Sint - Niklaaskerk ), which gave the name of the city, was built in 1238 (→ Lage51.1644034.142005 ). After severe damage to the interior in the 16th century, the Baroque style, remodeled. The side altars are by Hubert and Norbert van den Eynden. Some sculptures are from Lucas Faydherbe. A Christ was created by François Duquesnoy.
- The moated castle Walburg lies amidst the city park (→ Lage51.1628694.145959 ).
- The Chapel of St. Joseph was built in the 17th century by the Franciscans.
- In the building of the Museum Land van Waas history between the Scheldt and the Durme is presented.
- The Mercator Museum shows the history of cartography at the beginning (→ Lage51.1669954.145335 ). The museum has two original globes and other maps of the world and Europe, which are derived from the possession of the famous cartographer Gerhard Mercator.
- The International Exlibris shows the collection Barbierama. This has more than 160,000 exhibits of toiletries and hairdressing equipment.
- In the Monseigneur Stillemansstraat many rows of partly -listed Art Deco building (→ Lage51.1612244.140987 ).
Castle Walburg
Original Globe of Gerhard Mercator
Art Deco House Mgr Stillemansstraat 38
Sons and daughters of the town
- Edgar Tinel (1854-1912), composer, pianist and church musician
- Henri Heyman (1879-1958), Belgian politician
- Gustaaf Joos (1923-2004), theologian and cardinal
- Bob Benny (1926-2011), singer and musical actor
- Werner Van Cleemput (1930-2006), composer
- Freddy Willockx ( b. 1947 ), Belgian politician ( Socialist Party Anders)
- Moreno De Pauw (* 1991), cyclist
- Eddy House (1946-2011), jazz musician, arranger and composer
- Tom Lanoye (* 1958), Flemish writer.
- Tom Steels (born 1971 ), cyclist
- Ellen De Waele ( b. 1973 ), a film producer
- Glenn D' Hollander ( born 1974 ), cyclist
- Ann Wauters ( born 1980 ), basketball player
- Robby Meul ( b. 1981 ), cyclist
- Thomas De Gendt ( born 1986 ), cyclist
- Kristof Goddaert (1986-2014), cyclist
- Sander Cordeel (* 1987), cyclist
- January Vertonghen (* 1987), football player (Tottenham Hotspur )
- Jelle De Bock (* 1988), soccer player (FC Eindhoven )
- Ömer Kulga (* 1989), football player