Hemiksem (, historical spellings ''Heymissen'' and ''Hemixem'') is a
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
located in the
Belgian
Belgian may refer to:
* Something of, or related to, Belgium
* Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent
* Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German
*Ancient Belgian language, an extinct languag ...
province of
Antwerp. The municipality only comprises the town of Hemiksem proper. In 2021, Hemiksem had a total population of 11,722. The total area is 5.44 km².
History
The village was first mentioned in 1155 as Hamincsem. In 1246,
Cistercian monks established
St. Bernard's Abbey, Hemiksem near the
Scheldt
The Scheldt (french: Escaut ; nl, Schelde ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to ...
, and became Lords of the ''
heerlijkheid'' (landed estate) Hemiksem. The area used to be heavily forest. In 1358, the first
brickworks
A brickworks, also known as a brick factory, is a factory for the manufacturing of bricks, from clay or shale. Usually a brickworks is located on a clay bedrock (the most common material from which bricks are made), often with a quarry for ...
was established, but it was an agricultural area until the 19th century. During the 19th century, Hemiksem started to industrialise and grow.
Sights
The most notable sight in Hemiksem is the 13th century
St. Bernard's Abbey, which now houses the town hall and police headquarters, after having undergone extensive renovations in the past decade.
Gallery
Image:Hemiksem Abdij westgevel1.JPG, Former St. Bernards Abbey
Image:Scheldehemiksem.JPG, Sunset over the river Scheldt
The Scheldt (french: Escaut ; nl, Schelde ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to ...
seen from Hemiksem.
Image:Hemiksem fishing pond.jpg, Photo taken at a Hemiksem fishing pond.
Image:Veer Bazel-Hemiksem.jpg, Ferry of Bazel-Hemiksem
References
External links
*
*
Official website
Municipalities of Antwerp Province
Populated places in Antwerp Province
{{Antwerp-geo-stub