Wevelgem

Wevelgem
Municipality
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Wevelgem
Country	Belgium
Community	Flemish Community
Region	Flemish Region
Province	West Flanders
Arrondissement	Kortrijk
Government
• Mayor	Jan Seynhaeve (CD&V)
• Governing party/ies	CD&V, independent
Area
• Total	39.14 km2 (15.11 sq mi)
Population  (2018-01-01)
• Total	31,412
• Density	800/km2 (2,100/sq mi)
Postal codes	8560
NIS code	34041
Area codes	056
Website	www.wevelgem.be

Wevelgem is a 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 of 800 inhabitants per km².

You can reach Wevelgem by car (E403 - A19 - R8 ), by boat (De Leie), by air (Kortrijk-Wevelgem International Airport) or by train.

Wevelgem is known for the annual Gent–Wevelgem bicycle road race which finishes in the town.

History

The earliest known mention dates from 1197.

In the old days, the river De Leie used to be very important for Wevelgem. The people used the river to soak flax, 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 color of the flax. Because you could earn lots of money with flax, many people came to Wevelgem and stayed there for many generations. Nowadays, the cultivation of flax is not so important, but there are still some factories where they process flax.

During the First World War, 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 railroad. The bridge that connect Lauwe to Wevelgem was destroyed during the Second World War and was rebuilt later.

Notable people

• Annelien Coorevits: Miss Belgium 2007
• Justine De Jonckheere: Miss Belgium 2011
• Steak Number Eight: Rockband founded in 2007, broke through in the same year
• Aagje Vanwalleghem: Gymnaste, qualified for the finals of the Olympic Games 2004

Gallery

• 
  Sint-Theresia´s Church near Wevelgem
• 
  Military cemetery in Moorsele

External links

• Official website - Available only in Dutch