Lokeren

City Lokeren
Lokeren municipality in the province East Flanders
Flag / Weapen
Geography
region	Flanders
Province	East Flanders
district	Sint-Niklaas
Geographic position	51°06' N 03°59' E
area	67.50 km²
Population (Source: NIS)
Population(01/01/2006)	37,850
Men Feminine	18,673 (49.33%) 19,177 (50.67%)
density	561/km²
partial municipality with postal code
Postal code	partial municipality
9160 9160 9160	Lokeren Daknam Eksaarde

Church of Saint Laurence

Lokeren is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Lokeren proper and the towns of Daknam and Eksaarde. It is located on the Durme, a tributary of the Scheldt, and is the second most important city of the Waasland after Sint-Niklaas. Until October 2006 the mayor was Anthuenis Filip.

History

Origins

Archaeological finds on the Lokeren territory prove that this area was populated in Neolithic times. A Roman road ran along the Durme river. The name Waas was given to this area by the Romans from the Germanic root Wasu meaning “marshy land”. The first mention of the name Lokeren, however, dates from 1114. Unlike the older settlements, the new village came to be built on the right bank of the Durme. By the middle of the 12th century, it had become an independent parish, with agriculture and flax as the two main drivers of the economy. The textile industry would remain important until well into the 20th century.

16th century until now

In 1555, Charles V gave Lokeren the right to hold a market. In the 16th and 17th century, the whole Waasland was in the line of fire between Protestant Netherlands and Catholic Spain, often with terrible consequences for the local population. After the French Revolution, the area was made part of the new Département de l’Escaut, with Lokeren at the head of a canton. This did not last long as the deparment was split in 1800 and Lokeren made part of the arrondissement of Dendermonde. Napoleon Bonaparte promoted the town to the status of city in 1804.

Until the 1970s, haircutting and slaughterhouses were among Lokeren’s main industries. Today, the city enjoys a more varied economical and cultural infra-structure.

Sights

• Lokeren counts a number of art galleries and a museum, which covers local history from prehistoric archaeology to the mid-20th century.
• Since June 10, 1956, the city has been endowed with a 49-bell carillon.
• The Molsbroek nature preservation area is on Lokeren’s territory.

Famous inhabitants

• Frans Rens, writer (1805-1874)
• Aimé Anthuenis, former football player and coach (b. 1943)
• Gabriel of Comane, archbishop of Western Europe of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Eastern Orthodox church (b. 1946)
• François Van Der Elst, former international football player (b. 1954)
• Jelle Van Damme, football player (b. 1983)

Sports and events

• The best football club of the city is K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen.
• Lokeren is well known within Flanders for an annual nine-day music fest and fair (the LokerseFeesten), which takes place during the first week of August.

External links

• Official website - Information available in Dutch
• Sporting Lokeren - Information about K.S.C Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen
• Lokerse Feesten - Information about the annual Lokeren music festival "Lokerse Feesten"
• Lokeren in beeld - Views of Lokeren

51°06′N 3°59′E