Limbourg (; German and Dutch: ''Limburg''; ) or Limbourg-sur-Vesdre is a city and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

Wallonia Wallonia ( ; ; or ), officially the Walloon Region ( ; ), is one of the three communities, regions and language areas of Belgium, regions of Belgium—along with Flemish Region, Flanders and Brussels. Covering the southern portion of the c ...

located in the province of Liège, Belgium. On 1 January 2008, Limbourg had a total population of 5,680. The total area is 24.63 km² which gives a

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

of 231 inhabitants per km². The municipality consists of the following districts: Bilstain, Goé, and Limbourg. The lower part of the town, along the Vesdre, is called Dolhain.

Etymology and history

The second part of the name Limbourg is from ''burg'' meaning a fortified town, which is common in many parts of Europe where

Germanic languages The Germanic languages are a branch of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family spoken natively by a population of about 515 million people mainly in Europe, North America, Oceania, and Southern Africa. The most widely spoke ...

are spoken or have been spoken historically (see

Germanic placename etymology Germanic languages, Germanic toponyms are the names given to places by Germanic peoples and tribes. Besides areas with current speakers of Germanic languages, many regions with previous Germanic speakers or Germanic influence had or still have Germ ...

). Concerning the first part of the name, there are various theories. One is ''lint'' meaning "dragon". Another is that it refers back to the Roman-era limes, situated at boundaries of the Empire. It may also have been related to the material ''lim'' or lime. Jean-Louis Kupper has proposed that the fort was named by its founder Frederick after Limburg Abbey in Germany, which in his lifetime had important connection to his imperial patrons and the Abbey of Stavelot, for which he was advowee. Limbourg is located on top of a hill which in its turn is surrounded by the river Vesdre. This was a strong military advantage in the Middle Ages and allowed the city to defend itself against foreign invaders. In the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, the ruling family came to have the rank of duke and so the town was the seat of the Duchy of Limburg, which was a part of the Lower Lorraine region of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

. The town featured in the

War of the Spanish Succession The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict fought between 1701 and 1714. The immediate cause was the death of the childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700, which led to a struggle for control of the Spanish E ...

, falling in 1703 to British and Dutch Republican forces led by the Duke of Marlborough. The song 'The Fat Lady of Limbourg' on

Brian Eno Brian Peter George Jean-Baptiste de la Salle Eno (, born 15 May 1948), also mononymously known as Eno, is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, visual artist, and activist. He is best known for his pioneering contributions to ambien ...

's 1974 album ' Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)' describes an asylum in the town which has more patients than there are residents of the town.DeRogatis, Jim (2004). Turn on Your Mind: Four Decades of Great Psychedelic Rock. Hal Leonard. ISBN 0-634-05548-8. File:Limbourg, de Vesder in de stad foto9 2017-03-12 14.07.jpg, Limbourg, the Vesdre File:Limbourg, chapelle Saint-Anne oeg63046-CLT-0001-01 foto5 2017-03-12 13.42.jpg, The chapel of Saint Anne Image:Limburg1600.png, Limbourg about 1600

In popular culture

* The Fat Lady of Limbourg, song by English musician Brian Eno.

References

External links

Historical view of Limbourg
{{Authority control Cities in Wallonia Municipalities of Liège Province

Etymology and history

In popular culture

See also

References

External links