Erpe is a sub-municipality of Erpe-Mere

Erpe-Mere

Erpe-Mere is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders in the Denderstreek. The municipality comprises the towns of Aaigem, Bambrugge, Burst, Erondegem, Erpe, Mere, Ottergem and Vlekkem. There is also a hamlet in Bambrugge: Egem. On January 1, 2010 Erpe-Mere had a total...

 in Flanders

Flanders

Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...

. It is located in the Denderstreek

Denderstreek

The Denderstreek or Denderland is a region in the heart of Belgium. It is named after the river Dender. Though the river stretches over three provinces, Hainaut, East Flanders and Flemish Brabant, the region called after the river is situated in East-Flanders. The Dutch word streek means region....

 in the southeast 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...

 and belongs to Arrondissement of Aalst

Arrondissement of Aalst

The Arrondissement of Aalst is one of the six administrative arrondissements in the Province of East Flanders, Belgium. It forms the Judicial Arrondissement of Dendermonde together with the Arrondissements of Dendermonde and Sint-Niklaas.-History:...

. The sub-municipality is bordered by the sub-municipalities of Mere

Mere, Belgium

Mere is a sub-municipality of Erpe-Mere in Flanders. It is located in the Denderstreek in the southeast of East Flanders and belongs to Arrondissement of Aalst. It is bordered by the sub-municipalities of Erpe, Ottergem, Bambrugge and Aaigem and the municipalities Haaltert and Aalst...

, Ottergem

Ottergem

Ottergem is a sub-municipality of Erpe-Mere in Flanders. It is located in the Denderstreek in the southeast of East Flanders and belongs to Arrondissement of Aalst. The sub-municipality is bordered by the sub-municipalities of Erondegem, Erpe, Mere, Bambrugge and Vlekkem and the municipality...

 and Erondegem

Erondegem

Erondegem is a sub-municipality of Erpe-Mere in Flanders. It is located in the Denderstreek in the southeast of East Flanders and belongs to Arrondissement of Aalst. It is bordered by the sub-municipalities of Erpe and Ottergem and the municipalities of Sint-Lievens-Houtem and Lede...

 and the municipalities Lede (sub-municipalities Impe and Lede) and Aalst

Aalst, Belgium

Aalst is a city and municipality on the Dender River, 19 miles northwest from Brussels. It is located in the Flemish province of East Flanders in the Denderstreek. The municipality comprises the city of Aalst itself and the villages of Baardegem, Erembodegem, Gijzegem, Herdersem, Hofstade,...

(sub-municipalities Aalst and Nieuwerkerken). Erpe has 4903 inhabitants as of 1 January 2003 and an area of 8.28 km. The population density is 592 inhabitants / km ².

History

Erpe was first mentioned in a document of 1057, although the village is probably much older. The name is derived from the word Erpo. Between the 18th and 19th Century the population of Erpe growed steadily. In 1769 there were 1032 inhabitants, in 1801 there were 1638 inhabitants, and by 1893 the village had 2394 inhabitants. By the end of the 19th Century, there were two water mills in the village, a windmill, two breweries and a vinegar maker. Erpe had a football club called Oranje Erpe at the Royal Belgian Football Association.

Landmarks

• The water tower of the Tussengemeentelijke Maatschappij der Vlaanderen voor Watervoorziening.
• There are two water mills in Erpe, both located on the Molenbeek Brook, these being the Cottemmolen and the Van Der Biestmolen.

The Cottemmolen is located at the Molenstraat 36. It is an overshot watermill which is protected. It was originally a wheat mill and an oil mill, but later on it was only a wheat mill.

The Van Der Biestmolen is located at Dorpsstraat 3. It is an overshot watermill which is not protected and now functions as a wheat mill.

• Sint-Martinus Church can be found in Erpe, which belongs to deanery of Lede.

File:Watertoren Erpe.JPG|Water tower at Erpe
File:Cottemmolen Erpe vooraanzicht.JPG|Front view of the Cottemmolen at Erpe
File:Cottemmolen Erpe zijaanzicht.JPG|Side-view of the Cottemmolen at Erpe
File:Cottemmolen Erpe rad.JPG|Mill wheel of the Cottemmolen at Erpe
File:Van Der Biestmolen Erpe.JPG|Van Der Biestmolen at Erpe
File:Van Der Biestmolen Erpe rad.JPG|Mill wheel of the Van Der Biestmolen at Erpe
File:Kerk Erpe.jpg|The church of Erpe
File:Spoorwegbrug Erpe.jpg|The railway bridge of Erpe over the Oudenaardsesteenweg

Tourism

Through Erpe runs the Molenbeekroute. The Molenbeekroute is a cycle track network, known primarily for the mills of the municipality Erpe-Mere and two brooks that can be found there, which both have the name Molenbeek (mill brook).