Peer, Belgium Explained

Peer
Type:city
Map:Peer Limburg Belgium Map.svg
Map-Legend:Location of Peer in Limburg
Arms:Blason ville be Peer.svg
Flag:Flag of Peer.svg
Arrondissement:Maaseik
Nis:72030
Mayor:Steven Matheï (CD&V)
Majority:CD&V
Postal-Codes:3990
Telephone-Area:011
Web:www.peer.be
Coordinates:51.1333°N 33°W

Peer (in Dutch; Flemish pronounced as /peːr/) is a city and municipality located in the province of Limburg, Flemish Region, Belgium. On January 1, 2006, Peer had a total population of 15,810. The total area is 86.95 km2 which gives a population density of 182 inhabitants per km2.

The municipality consists of the following sub-municipalities: Peer, Grote-Brogel, Kleine-Brogel, Wauberg, Erpekom and Wijchmaal.

Peer is the site of a famous annual blues music festival held in July.

History

Peer is the birth place of the composer Armand Preud'homme. From 1990 to 2018 the Armand Preud'homme Museum remembered to his life and work.[1]

The village Grote Brogel, part of Peer, claims to be the birthplace of Pieter Bruegel.[2] The Bruegel Foundation was also founded in Peer to research the history of Peer and Pieter Bruegel.

Kleine Brogel, a village that is a part of Peer, includes Kleine Brogel Air Base. Rumours that American nuclear weapons under the NATO nuclear sharing program were stationed at Kleine Brogel have never been confirmed.

Climate

Peer has in the summer quite a nice temperature, around 20 degrees Celsius. In the winter it normally snows.

Notes and References

  1. Geert Van Baelen, ‘Ooit kwamen hier achthonderd groepen per jaar, nu nog twee’, 7 April 2018, De Standaard
  2. Web site: Bruegelkring - Bruegel Foundation.