Zegelsem is a village in the municipality of Brakel in the province of

East Flanders East Flanders ( ; ; ; ) is a Provinces of Belgium, province of Belgium. It borders (clockwise from the North) the Netherlands, Dutch province of Zeeland and the Belgian provinces of Antwerp (province), Antwerp, Flemish Brabant, Hainaut (provinc ...

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 ...

. Zegelsem is an agricultural community in the

Flemish Ardennes The Flemish Ardennes (Dutch language, 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 (151 m). Main characteristics of the region ar ...

. It is located about south of

Ghent Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...

Overview

Zegelsem is a part of the hilly landscape of the

. The hills are cut by several brooks, the most important being the Perlinkbeek. The village was first mentioned in 866 as "Sigulfi villa", and means "settlement of Sigiwulf (person)". The settlement used to be property of the

Lobbes Abbey Lobbes Abbey () was a Benedictine monastery in the municipality of Lobbes, Hainaut, Belgium. The abbey played an important role in the religious, political and religious life of the Prince-Bishopric of Liège, especially around the year 1000. The ...

. Around 881, the village and church were destroyed by the

Vikings Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9� ...

. The parish church which was later built, was dedicated to

Ursmar Ursmar of Lobbesalso known as Ursmer or Ursmarus (born 644, died 713) was a missionary bishop in the Meuse and Ardennes region in present-day Belgium, Germany, Luxemburg and France. He was also the first abbot of Lobbes Abbey. Like many missio ...

, the first abbot of the Lobbes Abbey. Zegelsem is known for its street paved with

sett A sett or set is a badger's den. It usually consists of a network of tunnels and numerous entrances. The largest setts are spacious enough to accommodate 15 or more animals with up to of tunnels and as many as 40 openings. Such elaborate setts ...

and is nicknamed ''kasseidorp'' (sett village). As a result, it is featured in road cycling races like the

Tour of Flanders The Tour of Flanders () may refer to the following cycle races: * Tour of Flanders (men's race) The Tour of Flanders (), also known as ''De Ronde'' (''"The Tour"''), is an annual road bicycle racing, road cycling race held in Belgium every spri ...

. In the late 20th century, many streets were repaved. Between 1998 and 1999, all the streets in the village were renewed and relaid with sett stones. Zegelsem was an independent municipality until 1971, when it was merged into Brakel.

Buildings

The St Ursmarus Church is a three aisled neoclass church from 1783. The tower was built around 1525, but contains 13th century elements. The church has an organ built in 1753 by Lambert Van Peteghem, and a

rood screen The rood screen (also choir screen, chancel screen, or jubé) is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, o ...

Louis XIV style The Louis XIV style or ''Louis Quatorze'' ( , ), also called French classicism, was the style of architecture and decorative arts intended to glorify King Louis XIV and his reign. It featured majesty, harmony and regularity. It became the official ...

Notable people

* Herman Teirlinck (1879–1967), author. Born in Sint-Jans-Molenbeek, but spent most of his life in Zegelsem. * Isidoor Teirlinck (1851–1934), author.

Gallery

File:Herenhuis - Zegelsem - België.jpg, House in Zegelsem File:Zegelsem - Haaghoek 3.jpg, Sett street in Zegelsem File:Zicht op Zegelsem in 2007.jpg, View on Zegelsem File:Zegelsem PM 082220 B.jpg, St Ursmarus Church

References

External links

*
Official site
(in Dutch) {{Authority control Brakel, Belgium Populated places in East Flanders