Watermael-Boitsfort

Watermael-Boitsfort
Name transcription(s)
• French	Watermael-Boitsfort
• Dutch	Watermaal-Bosvoorde
Flag Coat of arms
Watermael-Boitsfort Location in Belgium
Coordinates: 50°48′N 04°25′E
Country	Belgium
Region	Brussels
Community	Flemish Community French Community
Arrondissement	Brussels
Government
• Mayor
Area
• Total	12.93 km2 (4.99 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2010)
• Total	24,260
• Density	1,900/km2 (4,900/sq mi)
Postal codes	1170
Area codes	02
Website	www.watermael-boitsfort.be
Map of Watermael-Boitsfort

Watermael-Boitsfort (French) or Watermaal-Bosvoorde (Dutch) is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region in Belgium.

On 1 January 2006 the municipality had a total population of 24,056. Its total area is 12.93 km² which gives it a population density of 1,860 inhabitants per km². It is the lowest population density of the 19 communities in the Brussels-Capital Region.

The Town Hall

Watermael-Boitsfort is in the south of the capital and borders the communes of Uccle, Auderghem and Ixelles as well as the province of Flemish Brabant. The Sonian Forest (Forêt de Soignes or Zoniënwoud) covers almost 60% of the municipality.

Pronunciation

• French: [wɑteʁmɑl bwɑˈfɔʁ]
• Dutch: [ˈwaːtərmaːl ˈbɔsfoːrdə] ( listen)

History

The earliest mention of Watermael is in a charter from 914. Until the beginning of the 19th century, Watermael and Boitsfort were two separate hamlets.

Sights

• The Sonian Forest (Dutch: Zoniënwoud, French: Forêt de Soignes)
• The "garden cities" French: Cité-jardin of Le Logis and Floréal, examples of the garden city movement in Belgium.

Notable inhabitiants

• Willy Coppens, fighter ace of World War I (1892–1986).
• Antoine Depage, surgeon (1862–1925).
• Rik Wouters, artist (1882–1916), lived on rue de la Sapinière from 1907 to 1914. The municipality has given his name to the square Place Rik Wouters (in French) or Rik Wouters plein (Dutch).
• Herge (Georges Prosper Remi), creator of The Adventures of Tintin, lived at 17 avenue Delleur from 1939 to 1953
• Paul Delvaux, painter (1897–1994) lived on avenue des Campanules, and painted many scenes in the area, notably Watermael railway station

Michel Roger Lafosse, false claimant to the Scottish throne, was born in the commune in 1958, but was never a resident.

Twin cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Belgium

The municipality is twinned with:

• : Chantilly
• : Annan
• : Hegyvidék

See also

• Barbu de Watermael

External links

• (French) (Dutch) Watermael-Boitsfort official Website
• www.BE-1170.be collaborative site for the citizens of Watermaal-Bosvoorde BE-1170 Watermael-Boitsfort