Tildonk is a village located in the
Belgian province of
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant ( ; ) is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on (clockwise from the North) the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also ...
and, since 1977, is part of the
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' ...
of
Haacht
Haacht () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Haacht proper, Kelfs, Tildonk, Wakkerzeel and Wespelaar.
In 2023, Haacht had a total population of 15,465. It is reported ...
, together with
Wespelaar
Wespelaar is a borough of the municipality of Haacht, located between Kampenhout - Tildonk and Haacht centre in Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region ...
,
Wakkerzeel and
Kelfs. It has a total area of 7.31 km².
History
Traces of civilization have been found from the period of around 3000 BCE between the hamlet Hambos and adjacent Kelfs. Later there was a
Gallic settlement at about the same location. The oldest mention of Tildonk occurred in 1107 in the family name of Reinerus de ''Thieldunck''.
The name ''Tildonk'' is the joining of 2 medieval words: ''til'' (forest) and ''donk'' (elevation). During the 12th century the knights van Tildonk, pledged to the
Duke of Brabant
The Duke of Brabant (, ) was the ruler of the Duchy of Brabant since 1183/1184. The title was created by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in favor of Henry I, Duke of Brabant, Henry I of the House of Reginar, son of Godfrey III of Le ...
, lived in two
mottes: Oudenborg and Nieuwenborg (where the current Kasteeltje is located). Tildonk was elevated to the title of
count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
y in 1699 as part of the fiefdom of Charles L'Archier. Later it came into the hands of the noble
house of Lalaing. Count Maximilian de Lalaing was the most prominent de Lalaing lord of Tildonk.
Since 1750, Tildonk is traversed by the
Leuven
Leuven (, , ), also called Louvain (, , ), is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipalit ...
-
Rupel
The Rupel () is a tidal river in northern Belgium, right tributary of the Scheldt. It is about long. It flows through the Belgian province of Antwerp. It is formed by the confluence of the rivers Dijle and Nete, in Rumst. It flows into the Sch ...
canal and, since 1837, by the
Mechelen
Mechelen (; ; historically known as ''Mechlin'' in EnglishMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical context. T ...
-Leuven railroad line.
In 1821, the priest Joannes Cornelius Martinus Lambertz started the
Ursulines
The Ursulines, also known as the Order of Saint Ursula (post-nominals: OSU), is an enclosed religious order of women that in 1572 branched off from the Angelines, also known as the Company of Saint Ursula. The Ursulines trace their origins to th ...
convent that later became the "mother convent" of numerous new institutions spread over 4 continents. The convent was renowned for its international school. The stylish
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...
hall for parties was used as a setting in various films.
Protected cultural heritage
* The village centre (convent, church, cemetery, rectory)
* The
lock
Lock(s) or Locked may refer to:
Common meanings
*Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance
*Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal
Arts and entertainme ...
and lock house
* The farm of de Lalaing (Kasteeltje)
* The Our Lady of Comfort Chapel (Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Troostkapel)
Coat of arms
In 1967, the municipality of Tildonk took over the escutcheon of the noble family de Lalaing: ''an oval escutcheon of gules with 10 united diamonds of silver, placed 3, 3, 3 and 1, the escutcheon held by two golden griffins looking backwards, topped with a crown of 3 fleurons separated by 3 groups of 3 pearls''.
Further reading on Tildonk
Gordts J., ''Tilloenk vruger'', Tildonk, 2006.
References
{{Authority control
Populated places in Flemish Brabant