Doornzele is a village in the municipality of

Evergem Evergem () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of , Doornzele, Ertvelde, Evergem proper, , Kluizen, , Sleidinge and . In 2021, Evergem had a total population of 35,791. Dem ...

in the 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 ...

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

. The village is notable for its ' (village square) which is one of the largest in Belgium and in near original condition. Doornzele is located on the Ghent–Terneuzen Canal about north 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

Doornzele is known for its ' (village square) which was first attested in 966. The settlement itself was first mentioned in 1337. The ''dries'' measures and is long. The church is located in the centre and the village has been built around the square. An abbey of the

Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...

Sisters has been known to exist in Doornzele since 1234. Shortly after, it was joined by Aurea Cella, an abbey of

Cistercian The Cistercians (), officially the Order of Cistercians (, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, as well as the contri ...

nuns. In 1578, the abbeys were destroyed by

Calvinist Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...

s from

. Doornzele was burnt in 1691 by French troops. In 1843, a monastery was established, and Doornzele became an independent

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...

in 1853. The St Peter and Paul Church was destroyed in 1940, and rebuilt in 1955. During the 20th century, Doornzele became surrounded by industrial zones and harbours. In 2018, it was decided to construct a park and forest between Doornzele and the harbours as a buffer zone and for recreational purposes. The

grist mill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that h ...

Doornzelemolen was originally a wooden windmill belonging to the abbey. In 1839, the current stone windmill was built. In 1948, the axle brook and it continued to operate on three electro motors until 1970. In 1995, it was bought by the municipality and converted into a cultural centre. The lower floor is used as a cafetaria. The three upper floors are as a Rolle Bolle exposition centre.

Gallery

File:Doornzele - Sint-Petrus en Pauluskerk 1.jpg, St Peter and Paul Church on the ''dries'' File:Doornzele - Doornzelemolen 1.jpg, Former windmill Doornzelemolen File:Brouwerij Doornzele - België.jpg, Former brewery File:Woning Doornzele Dries 111 - Evergem - België.jpg, House in Doornzele

References

{{Authority control Evergem Populated places in East Flanders