Bekkevoort Explained

Bekkevoort
Map:Bekkevoort Flemish-Brabant Belgium Map.svg
Map-Legend:Location of Bekkevoort in Flemish Brabant
Arms:Blason Bekkevoort.svg
Flag:Flag of Bekkevoort.svg
Arrondissement:Leuven
Nis:24008
Mayor:Hans Vandenberg (CD&V)
Majority:CD&V, Ons Dorp
Postal-Codes:3460, 3461
Telephone-Area:013, 016
Web:www.bekkevoort.be
Coordinates:50.95°N 62°W

Bekkevoort (in Dutch; Flemish pronounced as /ˈbɛkəvoːrt/) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Assent, Bekkevoort proper and Molenbeek-Wersbeek. On January 1, 2006, Bekkevoort had a total population of 5,826. The total area is 37.17 km2 which gives a population density of 157 inhabitants per km2.

It gains its name from the Germanic name "Baco" and the word "voorde" (which means a place of ferriage, where one can easily cross a stream via a place where the waters are lower), thus roughly meaning "Baco's wade". This ferriage formed the historical center of the town and is nowadays known as the road Steenberg, from Bekkevoort to Zichem and Scherpenheuvel.