Sint-Truiden

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Sint- Truiden ( Limburg: Sintruin, French Saint -Trond ) is a city in the south of the Belgian province of Limburg. It lies approximately 15 kilometers southwest of Hasselt in the fertile landscape Haspengau and has 39 747 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2012).

Boroughs

Outline of the metropolitan area: Aalst, Brustem, Duras, angel Manshoven, gentle, Gorsem, Groot- Gelmen, Halmaal, Kerkom -bij - Sint- Truiden, Ordingen, Runkelen, Velm, poachers, Zepperen

History

Around the middle of the 7th century founded the St.. Trudo on a small hill in the middle of the modern town a monastery. Soon A settlement grew around the monastery, the. Due to the many pilgrims to the grave of St. Trudo flocked, amassed great wealth. Abt Adelardus was in the 11th century a large abbey church and several smaller churches built. He had the place surrounded by a wooden palisade and reinforce the gates. 1129 replaced a stone wall the palisade. The growth of the city owed ​​Sint-Truiden the lucrative cloth trade. Rich merchants had trade relations in many cities of the Holy Roman Empire, England, and Northern France. Economic and social affairs regulated the 13 guilds of the city, which later erwirkten also co-determination rights to the city government. Sint- Truiden first belonged to the diocese of Metz, from 1227 to the Prince-Bishopric of Liège.

From the end of the 15th century stagnated economic development Sint- Truidens, a condition which lasted until the late 19th century. 1794, French troops occupied the bishopric of Liege. Sint- Truiden took it over in French possession. Three years later the monastery was dissolved. 1815 fell Sint-Truiden to the United Netherlands. Since 1830 it belongs, with break through the German occupation in the two world wars, to Belgium.

Attractions

• The Begijnhof Sint Agnes goes back to the year 1258. The existing houses date from the 17th and 18th centuries and are supplemented by a Gothic church, in the interior of an historic organ and murals are seen. The complex has since 1998 a UNESCO World Heritage " Flemish Beguine ".
• The town hall with the Belfry at the historic market dates from the early 17th century, the lower parts already from the 13th century. The building is owned since 1999 a UNESCO World Heritage " belfries in Belgium and France".
• The late Gothic Church of Our Lady ( Lievenvrouwenkerk ) has a neo-Gothic church tower ( 1847-1852 ).
• The Grote Markt in Sint -Truiden is one of the largest marketplaces in the country.
• The mighty steeple of Abdij Abbey from the 7th century stands at the north end of the market. Was founded the Benedictine abbey of Saint Trudo.
• To the west of the town square is the built in 1550 tower of Sint- Maartenkerk, a jewel of the early Renaissance. The church itself was built in the 19th century in the Romanesque Revival style.
• The Minderbroederskerk built in 1731 stands on the southern side of the market and follows up on the former convent of the Ursulines systems. The church is 100 m long, 16 m wide and 26 m high. Particularly noteworthy is the Rococo interiors inside.

Sons and daughters

• Deodaat Delmonte (1582-1644), Flemish architect, engineer, astronomer and painter
• Arthur Quellinus II (1625-1700), Flemish sculptor from the family of artists Quellinus
• Barthélémy de Theux de Meylandt (1794-1874), a Belgian politician, twice Prime Minister
• Kamiel Festraets (1904-1974), Belgian watchmaker
• Ivo Belet ( born 1959 ), Belgian politician, MEP
• Danny Boffin (born 1965 ), former Belgian national football team
• Davy plaice (born 1978 ), Belgian football goalkeeper
• Timothy Stevens ( * 1989), Belgian cyclist