Astene is a village and ''

deelgemeente A (, literally ''sub-municipality''), or section (), is a subdivision of a municipality in Belgium and, until March 2014, in the Netherlands as well. Belgium Each municipality in Belgium that existed as a separate entity on 1 January 1961 bu ...

'' (sub-municipality) in the municipality of

Deinze Deinze () is a city and a municipality in the Belgian province of East Flanders. It comprises the city of Deinze, and the towns of Astene, Bachte-Maria-Leerne, Gottem, Grammene, Hansbeke, Landegem, Meigem, Merendree, Nevele, Petegem-aan-de-Lei ...

in the Belgian province of

East Flanders East Flanders ( ; ; ; ) is a Provinces of Belgium, province of Belgium. It borders (clockwise from the North) the Netherlands, Dutch province of Zeeland and the Belgian provinces of Antwerp (province), Antwerp, Flemish Brabant, Hainaut (provinc ...

. The village is located along the

Leie The Lys () or Leie () is a river in France and Belgium, and a left-bank tributary of the Scheldt. Its source is in Pas-de-Calais, France, and it flows into the river Scheldt, with the confluence in the city of Ghent, Belgium. Its total length ...

River and about south-west of

Ghent Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...

History

The village was first mentioned in the 7th century as Athenneria. The etymology is unclear. The area has been inhabited since the

Roman era In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of Rome, founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, collapse of the Western Roman Em ...

, and graves has been discovered dating between 50 and 150 AD. The old parish church was located on the Kapelleberg, a dune near the

River, and was first mentioned in 1147. The village ''

heerlijkheid A ''heerlijkheid'' (a Dutch language, Dutch word; pl. ''heerlijkheden''; also called ''heerschap''; Latin: ''Dominium'') was a landed estate that served as the lowest administrative and Judiciary, judicial unit in rural areas in the Dutch-speaking ...

'' (landed estate) used to belong to the Margraviate of

, but the area also contained several other smaller ''heerlijkheden''. In 1582, during the

Dutch Revolt The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt (; 1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish government. The causes of the war included the Reformation, centralisation, exc ...

, the village was destroyed except for three houses and the area was nearly depopulated. Around 1720, the road from

Kortrijk Kortrijk ( , ; or ''Kortrik''; ), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region, Flemish Provinces of Belgium, province of We ...

was constructed, and the centre moved from near the river to a

linear settlement A linear settlement is a (normally small to medium-sized) settlement or group of buildings that is formed in a long line. Many of these settlements are formed along a transport route, such as a road, river, or canal. Others form due to physical r ...

along the road. In 1834, a new parish church was built along the road. In 1838, a railway station opened on the

Mouscron Mouscron (; Dutch language, Dutch and , ; Picard language, Picard and Walloon language, Walloon: ''Moucron'') is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality and City status in Belgium, city of Wallonia located in the Belgium, Belgian Hainaut Provinc ...

(border with France) railway line, and the village started to industrialise. There are several bunkers in the area from the 1930s which were constructed as part of a defensive line between the

Scheldt The Scheldt ( ; ; ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of Netherlands, the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to Old Englis ...

and the Leie. After World War II, Astene started to become a residential town. Astene was an independent municipality until 1971, when it was merged to

Buildings

The St Amandus and St Job Church was built between 1834 and 1836 to replace the old and dilapidated parish church. The old church was demolished in 1836. The new church is a three aisled basilica-like church which was extended in 1878. During World War I, the tower was blown up and the church was severely damaged. It was restored and rebuilt in 1920. During World War II, it was again severely damaged. The church was restored and a new tower was built between 1948 and 1954.

Notable people

Emile Claus Emile Claus (27 September 1849 – 14 June 1924) was a Belgian painter. Life Emile Claus was born on 27 September 1849, in Sint-Eloois-Vijve, a village in West Flanders (Belgium), at the banks of the river Lys (river), Lys. Emile was the twe ...

(1849–1924), painter *

Stéphan Martens Stéphan Baziel Martens (born 15 December 1931) is a Belgian cyclist. He competed in the men's sprint event at the 1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics (, ), officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad (, ) and commonly known ...

(born 1931), cyclist

Gallery

File:Astene - Villa Zonneschijn van Emile Claus 24-6-2016 14-18-34.JPG, Villa Sunshine File:Voormalig gemeentelijk complex met gemeentehuis, school en woning van de onderwijzer.jpg, Former combined town hall and school File:Astene-Sas - het oude sashuis - panoramio.jpg, The ''sas'' (lock) of Astene File:Sint-Amands en Sint-Jobkerk - Astene - Deinze - Oost-Vlaanderen - België.jpg, St Amandus and St Job Church

References

{{Authority control Sub-municipalities of Deinze Former municipalities of East Flanders Populated places in East Flanders