Eigenbilzen is a village and former municipality in the

Bilzen Bilzen () is a former Municipalities of Belgium, municipality and City status in Belgium, city located in the Belgium, Belgian province of Limburg (Belgium), Limburg. In 2021, Bilzen had a total population of 32,536. The total area is 75.90 ...

municipality of the

Limburg Limburg or Limbourg may refer to: Regions * Limburg (Belgium), a province since 1839 in the Flanders region of Belgium * Limburg (Netherlands), a province since 1839 in the south of the Netherlands * Diocese of Limburg, Roman Catholic Diocese in ...

province in the

Flemish Community The Flemish Community (, ) is one of the three institutional communities of Belgium, established by the Belgian constitution and having legal responsibilities only within the precise geographical boundaries of the Dutch-language area and of the ...

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 ...

. Eigenbilzen was an independent municipality until 1977 when it merged into Bilzen.

History

The village was first mentioned in 1096 as Eigenbilesen. Prehistoric and Roman remains have been discovered in the area. In 1871 a

tumulus A tumulus (: tumuli) is a mound of Soil, earth and Rock (geology), stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, mounds, howes, or in Siberia and Central Asia as ''kurgans'', and may be found through ...

was discovered at the Kannesberg which dated from 400 B.C. Furthermore three Roman villas, and a Roman cemetery were discovered. The Roman road connecting

Tongeren Tongeren (; ; ; ) is a city and former municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg, in the southeastern corner of the Flemish region of Belgium. Tongeren is the oldest town in Belgium, as the only Roman administrative capital wit ...

Maastricht Maastricht ( , , ; ; ; ) is a city and a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. It is the capital city, capital and largest city of the province of Limburg (Netherlands), Limburg. Maastricht is loca ...

used to pass through the village. was built in 1423. In 1680, the family of de Heusch de Zangerye became manor of the village, and resided in the castle. The castle was torn down in the early 19th century. In 1864, the

Hasselt-Maastricht railway Hasselt-Maastricht railway is a railway track that goes from the Y-intersection Beverst with the Hasselt-Liège railway from Hasselt to Maastricht. The line is long. The first plans for a Hasselt - Maastricht - Aachen rail connection date ba ...

was opened with a station for Eigenbilzen. The railway line was closed for passengers in 1954, and goods in 1992. In 1977, the municipality merged into Bilzen.

Near the village is the Zangerheimolen, a former overshot water mill. The original mill dated from before 1390. The mill was in use as a

gristmill 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 ...

and sawing mill. The current building dates from 1865, and was transformed into a residential house in 1925.

Nature

Eigenbilzen is located on the edge of the

Campine The Campine () or Kempen () is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-eastern Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands. It encompasses a large n ...

region. About half the area used to be covered in heath, but in the early 19th century much of the heath turned into a forest. De Hoefaert is a nature reserve north of the

Albert Canal The Albert Canal (, ; , ) is a canal located in northeastern Belgium, which was named for King Albert I of Belgium. The Albert Canal connects Antwerp with Liège, and also the Meuse river with the Scheldt river. It also connects with the Des ...

and an important habit for songbirds and birds of prey.

Notable people

Guido Brepoels Guido Brepoels (born 7 June 1961) is a Belgian football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), ...

(1961), football player *

Gerty Christoffels Gerty Maria Christoffels (10 September 1958 – 12 October 2020) was a Belgian television presenter known for ''De drie wijzen'' and ''Het ei van Christoffels'' Biography Gerty Christoffels was born on 10 September 1958 in Eigenbilzen. She was ...

(1958-2020), television presenter *

Guy Swennen Guido Willy (Guy) Swennen (born 1956) is a Belgian politician and a member of the Socialistische Partij Anders. He was co-opted as a member of the Belgian Senate The Senate ( ; ; ) is one of the two chambers of the Bicameralism, bicameral B ...

(1956), politician and former Senator

References

External links

{{commons category
Village website
(in Dutch) Bilzen Populated places in Limburg (Belgium) Former municipalities of Limburg (Belgium)