Zottegem (, Sotteghem and Sottegem in older English and French language sources) is a

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 ...

located in Belgium and more particularly in

Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...

, in the province of

East Flanders , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = Province of Belgium , image_flag = Flag of Oost-Vlaanderen.svg , flag_size = , image_shield = Wapen van O ...

. The municipality comprises the town of Zottegem proper and the villages of

Elene ''Elene'' is a poem in Old English, that is sometimes known as ''Saint Helena Finds the True Cross''. It was translated from a Latin text and is the longest of Cynewulf's four signed poems. It is the last of six poems appearing in the Vercelli m ...

, Erwetegem,

Godveerdegem Godveerdegem is a village belonging to the municipality of Zottegem. It is located on the Molenbeek-Ter Erpenbeek in the Denderstreek and in the Flemish Ardennes, the hilly southern part of the province of East Flanders, Belgium. The Molenbeek-Ter ...

, Grotenberge,

Leeuwergem Leeuwergem is a village belonging to the municipality of Zottegem. It is located on the Molenbeek, in the Denderstreek and Flemish Ardennes, which is part of the hilly southern part of the East Flanders province, Belgium. Leeuwergem used to be p ...

Oombergen Zottegem (, Sotteghem and Sottegem in older English and French language sources) is a municipality located in Belgium and more particularly in Flanders, in the province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Zottegem proper and ...

, Sint-Goriks-Oudenhove,

Sint-Maria-Oudenhove Sint-Maria-Oudenhove is a village in the Denderstreek and in the Flemish Ardennes, the hilly southern part of the province of East Flanders, Belgium. It was formerly an independent municipality. In 1977 the main part of the settlement became part ...

, Strijpen and Velzeke-Ruddershove. On 1 January 2018, Zottegem had a total population of 26,373. The total area is 56.66 km² which gives a

population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 geographical ...

of 470 inhabitants per km². Zottegem is part of the hilly geographical area of the

Flemish Ardennes The Flemish Ardennes ( Dutch: ''Vlaamse Ardennen'') is an informal name given to a hilly region in the south of the province of East Flanders, Belgium. Highest summit is the Hotondberg (145 m). Main characteristics of the region are rural hilly la ...

(''Vlaamse Ardennen''); the hills and cobblestone streets (

Paddestraat The Paddestraat (English: ''Toad Street'') is a 2.3 km long cobbled road in the municipality of Zottegem, in East Flanders, Belgium. The road is a regular location of the springtime cycling classics in Flanders. In 1995, the cobbled road of ...

) are regular locations in the springtime cycle classics of Flanders. The city is known for its ties with

Lamoral, Count of Egmont Lamoral, Count of Egmont, Prince of Gavere (18 November 1522 – 5 June 1568) was a general and statesman in the Spanish Netherlands just before the start of the Eighty Years' War, whose execution helped spark the national uprising that eventuall ...

; Lamoral has a castle (''Egmontkasteel''), a museum (''Egmontkamer'') and two statues in the centre of Zottegem. He is buried in a crypt (''Egmontcrypte'') under the church.

Leeuwergem castle Leeuwergem Castle ( nl, Kasteel van Leeuwergem) is a stately home in the village of Elene in the municipality of Zottegem, East Flanders, Belgium. History The present building was constructed between 1762 and 1764, on the site of an earlier cast ...

in Elene is an 18th-century stately home; Breivelde castle in Grotenberge is surrounded by an English landscape garden. The archaeological museum in Velzeke exhibits findings from

Gallo-Roman culture Gallo-Roman culture was a consequence of the Romanization of Gauls under the rule of the Roman Empire. It was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman culture, language, morals and way of life in a uniquely Gaulish context ...

Places of interest

File:Markt met Egmontstandbeeld en Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Hemelvaartkerk, Zottegem.jpg, File:Egmontstandbeeld,_Markt,_Zottegem,_Vlaanderen,_België_02.jpg, File:Kasteel_van_Egmont_Zottegem_09.jpg, File:Egmontkamer,_stadhuis_Zottegem_06.jpg, File:Domein_Breivelde_Zottegem_05.jpg, File:Kasteel_van_Leeuwergem,_Zottegem_03.jpg, File:Paddestraat,_Velzeke,_Zottegem_01.jpg, File:Kloosterbos_Zottegem_06.jpg, File:Steenbergse_bossen_06.jpg,

Famous inhabitants

Urbain Braems Urbain Braems (10 November 1933 – 9 September 2021) was a Belgian football player and manager. He played for K.S.V. Sottegem, K.R.C. Mechelen, Club Brugge and Daring Club Bruxelles. He managed Cercle Brugge, Royal Antwerp, Anderlecht, Beve ...

, football player and manager, lives in Zottegem * Bart De Clercq, cyclist * Patricia de Martelaere (b. in Zottegem), writer *, former rector of Ghent University *

Jessy De Smet Jessy De Smet, whose stage name is Jessy (born 8 July 1976, Zottegem, Belgium), is a Belgian dance music singer of Flemish origin. who had several gold records in the late 1990s and 2000s. She started her career in 1995 as a member of Belgian d ...

, singer *

, general and statesman, is buried in Zottegem * Tim Matthys, football player, lives in Zottegem * Laurent Merchiers, politician * Lyne Renée (b. in Zottegem), actress * Paul Van Cauwenberge, former rector of Ghent University * (b. in Zottegem), actress ( The curiosity of Chance)

References

External links

*
Official website
- Information available in Dutch and limited information available in English, French and German Municipalities of East Flanders Populated places in East Flanders {{EastFlanders-geo-stub