Hamont-Achel

Hamont-Achel
Municipality

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Coat of arms
Hamont-Achel

Location in Belgium

Coordinates: 51°15′N 05°33′E / 51.250°N 5.550°E / 51.250; 5.550Coordinates: 51°15′N 05°33′E / 51.250°N 5.550°E / 51.250; 5.550
Country Belgium
Community Flemish Community
Region Flemish Region
Province Limburg
Arrondissement Maaseik
Government
  Mayor Theo Schuurmans (CD&V)
  Governing party/ies CD&V
Area
  Total 43.66 km2 (16.86 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2016)[1]
  Total 14,356
  Density 330/km2 (850/sq mi)
Postal codes 3930
Area codes 011
Website www.hamont-achel.be

Hamont-Achel (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɦaːmɔnt ˈɑxəl]; Limburgish: Haëmet-Achel) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. It was founded in 1977 by a fusion of the city Hamont and the village Achel. On January 1, 2006, Hamont-Achel had a total population of 13,770. The total area is 43.66 km² which gives a population density of 315 inhabitants per km². The municipality houses the Trappist Abbey of Achel, part of which is Brouwerij de Achelse Kluis, one of the ten Trappist breweries.

The professional cyclist Jelle Vanendert lives in Hamont-Achel.

Demographics

Languages

Deadly explosion

On 18 November 1918, the municipality was the site of one of the worst train explosions in history, when two German munitions trains caught fire and exploded. Not only were the trains destroyed, but three German ambulance trains were also wiped out, along with most of the town. More than 1,000 individuals were killed.

Tumulus on Haarterheide

Tumulus (2000-1000 BC)

References

Bibliography

  • Verhoeven, Jo (2007), "The Belgian Limburg dialect of Hamont", Journal of the International Phonetic Association, 37 (2): 219–225, doi:10.1017/S0025100307002940 


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