Kemzeke Explained

Official Name:Kemzeke
Settlement Type:Village
Pushpin Map:Belgium
Pushpin Label Position:left
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Belgium
Pushpin Mapsize:250
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Region
Subdivision Type2:Province
Subdivision Type3:Municipality
Subdivision Name:
Subdivision Name1:Flemish Region
Subdivision Name2:East Flanders
Subdivision Name3:Stekene
Area Total Km2:9.94
Population As Of:2021
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:3,813
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone:CET

Kemzeke (pronounced as /nl/) is a village in the Belgian municipality of Stekene in the province of East-Flanders. Until 1977, it was an independent municipality. It is located between the Dutch border and Sint-Niklaas.

Overview

In 1117, the parish of Kemzeke became independent from Waasmunster. Around 1630, the Sint-Jan fortress was built near Kemzeke as part of the defensive lineage between the Dutch Republic and the Spanish Netherlands. The fortress was never conquered, but was left to deteriorate, and was later dissected by a road during the Austrian period.[2] In 1977, the municipality merged into Stekene[3] except for the hamlet of 't Hol which became part of Sint-Gillis-Waas.[4] The former municipality covered an area of .[3]

Eddy Merckx rode his last cycling race in Kemzeke, in which he finished 12th.[5]

Verbeke Foundation

The Verbeke Foundation is a privately owned museum of modern and contemporary art. It is owned by Geert Verbeke, an art collector. It contains a 12 hectares nature area and 20,000 square metres of buildings making it one of the largest private contemporary art in Europe, and is home to residential artists.[6]

Nature

The nature reserve De Gavers consists of wetlands. The area around the Gavermeer is an important bird refuge. The reserve includes a seven hectares arboretum which contains more than 170 species of trees.[7]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bevolking per statistische sector - Sector 46024B . Statistics Belgium . 5 May 2022 .
  2. Web site: fort Sint-Jan. Staats Spaanse Linies. 24 October 2020. nl.
  3. Web site: Kemkeze . Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed . 24 October 2020. nl.
  4. Web site: Sint-Gillis . Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed . 24 October 2020. nl.
  5. Book: Merckx: Half Man, Half Bike . Random House . Fotheringham, William . 2012 . 282 . 9781409018957.
  6. Web site: Verbeke foundation Kemzeke . Bloem Fabriek. 24 October 2020. nl.
  7. Web site: De Gavers. Agentschap Natuur & Bos. 24 October 2020. nl.