Baaigem
Encyclopedia
Baaigem is one of the six villages belonging to the municipality Gavere
. It is located on the edge of the Flemish Ardennes
, the hilly southern part of the province of East Flanders
, Belgium
, and used to be an independent municipality till the end of 1976.
Baaigem is 3.79 square kilometer large, and had 565 inhabitants on 31 December 2005. Its population is the smallest among the six villages of Gavere.
to become the Saint-Adrian Abbey. In 1147 the patronage was transferred to the Abbey of Anchin in northern France
.
The original church building had one nave and was made out of Tournai
limestone
. In the latter half of the 13th century, the nave was enlarged by 6 meters and at the west side of the church a new front arose. A Gothic style choir was added around 1300, using large blocks of Balegem sandstone
, a brick octagonal crossing tower around 1450, and a northern transept
just before the religious troubles of the 16th century.
In 1913, architect Geirnaert realised the construction of a second, Neo-Gothic
building at the south side of the existing church. In 1988, the church underwent restoration.
The Government of Belgium assigned the oldest part of the Baaigem church as an important cultural asset
on 15 December 1942.
Opposite the church, an impressive farm estate is located, called "Hof ter Walle" (also "Hof te Baaigem"). It dates back to 1645, and originally belonged to the Count of Flanders
. It later moved into the hands of Capittel of the Cambrai
Cathedral and the Abbey of Anchin (both located in nowadays northern France). The Government of Flanders assigned it to the list of cultural heritage
on 20 July 1982.
Gavere
Gavere is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Asper, Baaigem, Dikkelvenne, Gavere, Semmerzake and Vurste. On January 1, 2006 Gavere had a total population of 12,004. The total area is 31.35 km² which gives a population...
. It is located on the edge of the Flemish Ardennes
Flemish Ardennes
The Flemish Ardennes is an informal name given to a hilly region in the south of the province of East Flanders, Belgium.The area is distinct from the Ardennes, which is situated further to the south in Wallonia, France and Luxembourg....
, the hilly southern part of the province of East Flanders
East Flanders
East Flanders is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Netherlands and in Belgium on the provinces of Antwerp, Flemish Brabant , of Hainaut and of West Flanders...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, and used to be an independent municipality till the end of 1976.
Baaigem is 3.79 square kilometer large, and had 565 inhabitants on 31 December 2005. Its population is the smallest among the six villages of Gavere.
Demographic evolution
- Source: National Institute for Statistics (NIS) of Belgium; Remark: from 1806 till 1970=census; 1976, 2005=inhabitants on 31 December
Places of interest
First record about the Saint-Bavo Church of Baaigem dates back to 1096. In that year, the Bishop of Cambrai (Kamerijk) allocated the patronage of the church to the Saint-Peters Abbey of Dikkelvenne, which moved then to the City of GeraardsbergenGeraardsbergen
Geraardsbergen is a city and municipality located in the Denderstreek and in the Flemish Ardennes, the hilly southern part of the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Geraardsbergen proper and the following towns:...
to become the Saint-Adrian Abbey. In 1147 the patronage was transferred to the Abbey of Anchin in northern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The original church building had one nave and was made out of Tournai
Tournai
Tournai is a Walloon city and municipality of Belgium located 85 kilometres southwest of Brussels, on the river Scheldt, in the province of Hainaut....
limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
. In the latter half of the 13th century, the nave was enlarged by 6 meters and at the west side of the church a new front arose. A Gothic style choir was added around 1300, using large blocks of Balegem sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, a brick octagonal crossing tower around 1450, and a northern transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
just before the religious troubles of the 16th century.
In 1913, architect Geirnaert realised the construction of a second, Neo-Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
building at the south side of the existing church. In 1988, the church underwent restoration.
The Government of Belgium assigned the oldest part of the Baaigem church as an important cultural asset
Cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations...
on 15 December 1942.
Opposite the church, an impressive farm estate is located, called "Hof ter Walle" (also "Hof te Baaigem"). It dates back to 1645, and originally belonged to the Count of Flanders
Count of Flanders
The Count of Flanders was the ruler or sub-ruler of the county of Flanders from the 9th century until the abolition of the position by the French revolutionaries in 1790....
. It later moved into the hands of Capittel of the Cambrai
Cambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
Cathedral and the Abbey of Anchin (both located in nowadays northern France). The Government of Flanders assigned it to the list of cultural heritage
Cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations...
on 20 July 1982.