Wevelgem () 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 the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Gullegem, Moorsele and Wevelgem proper. On January 1, 2006, Wevelgem had a total population of 31,020. The total area is 38.76 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 800 inhabitants per km². You can reach Wevelgem by road (E403 – A19 – R8), by boat ( De Leie), by air ( Kortrijk-Wevelgem International Airport) or by train at Wevelgem railway station. Wevelgem is known for the annual Gent–Wevelgem

bicycle road race Road bicycle racing is the cycle sport discipline of road cycling, held primarily on paved roads. Road racing is the most popular professional form of bicycle racing, in terms of numbers of competitors, events and spectators. The two most common ...

which finishes in the town.

History

The earliest known mention dates from 1197. Wevelgem was home to the

Cistercian The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, 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 Sain ...

Guldenberg Abbey in the 13th–14th centuries, which owned grain mills in various locations. From c. 1278 to 1310, abbess Ida was in charge, though Marc Brion lists it as an abbey for men. In the old days, the river De Leie was important for Wevelgem. The people used the river to soak

flax Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. Textiles made from flax are known i ...

, before they processed it in one of the many flax factories in Wevelgem. That is also the reason De Leie got the nickname ''The Golden River'', referring to the colour of the flax. Because selling flax was lucrative, many people came to Wevelgem and stayed there for many generations. Nowadays, the cultivation of flax is less important, but some factories still process it. During the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fig ...

, the Germans constructed an airport. The airport still exists and is now used for private purposes. Also remaining is the German Military cemetery, which is also partly situated in Menen. There are 47,864 soldiers buried there, who all died during WW1. This makes the cemetery the biggest German cemetery in Belgium. Across the cemetery, there used to be a (fake) airport, with wooden planes to mislead the enemy; there are still remains of the airport consisting of a big bunker and a small bunker near the railway. The bridge that connects Lauwe to Wevelgem was destroyed during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

and was rebuilt later.

Notable people

* Annelien Coorevits, Miss Belgium 2007 *

Justine De Jonckheere Justine De Jonckheere (born 24 March 1992) is a Belgian model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Belgium 2011 and represented her country in the Miss Universe 2011 and Miss World 2011 pageants. Early life Born in Menen, De Jonc ...

, Miss Belgium 2011 *

Steak Number Eight Stake, formerly known as Steak Number Eight, is a post-metal/sludge metal band based in Wevelgem, Belgium. Their music is a combination of post-rock and sludge metal, and is influenced by bands like Pelican, Isis, Sunn O))) and Amenra. Career ...

, rock band founded in 2007, broke through in the same year * Dag Otto Lauritzen, Norwegian former cyclist, lived in Gullegem whilst active * Aagje Vanwalleghem, gymnast, qualified for the finals of the Olympic Games 2004 * Steven Vanackere, (Dutch: �steːvə(n) vɑnˈɑkərə, Flemish politician was born in Wevelgem * Jean-Claude Van Geenberghe, Belgian-Ukrainian equestrian lived in Moorsele

Gallery

Image:Wevelgem - Sint-Theresia.jpg, Sint-Theresia's Church near Wevelgem. File:Abdij van Wevelgem - 1641.jpg, Guldenberg Abbey of Wevelgem in 1641. File:Moorsele - Military Cemetery 1.jpg, Military cemetery in Moorsele.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Municipalities of West Flanders