Malle
Encyclopedia
Malle is a municipality located in the Campine
region of the Belgian
province of Antwerp
. The municipality comprises the towns of Oostmalle
and Westmalle
. On 1 January 2006 Malle had a total population of 14,083. The total area is 51.99 km² which gives a population density of 271 inhabitants per km².
for legal matters. A Mallum was a general court session presided by the count. In Celtic
, the name O Maoileoin, means a devotee of St. John.
A record of the name Malle emerges for the first time in 1194, when the bishop of Kamerijk
donated the altar of Malle and Vorsele to the Chapter of Our Kind Lady of Antwerp. Originally Oostmalle, Westmalle and Zoersel
were joined into one domain: Malle, which was part of the County Toxandria
.
The origin of Oostmalle
dates back to the Roman
era, when a settlement was built along the Roman road
from Trajectum ad Rhenum (Utrecht
) to Bavay
(now approximately the Lierselei and the Hoogstraatsebaan).
During the Middle Ages
(476–1492), Oostmalle was part of the Duchy of Brabant
, governed by lords like Jan Van Hesselbeke and Jan Volckaert (around 1300). The lower feudal rights belonged to the House of Breda
, the higher rights belonged to the Duke of Brabant
.
Westmalle;s origin dates to before 1100, when the place of residence (Mansus) of the representative (Villicus or Meier) of the Duke of Brabant
was mentioned in historical record. The history of Westmalle Castle
reflects the history of the governing families of Westmalle. Henry I, Duke of Brabant
granted some feudal rights to the abbot
of the Abbey of Villers
on the condition that a monastery
would be built in Westmalle. However the monastery was built in Hemiksem
instead.
, Westmalle and Zoersel remained with the Duchy of Brabant
. Westmalle was governed by a local Meier belonging subsequently to the families van der Moelen, de Cotereau en Powis and also by the Abbot of the Abbey of Villers
. About 1300 the feudal rights of Oostmalle were divided between Jan van Hesselbeke and Jacobus van Dworp. Jan Volkaert I, was married with the daughter of the Jan van Hesselbeke. He owned half of the feudal rights of Oostmalle, while the other half was owned by his brother-in-law Jacob van Couree. Later on the feudal rights went to the Lords of Berchem
. Between 1431 and 1464 Willem van Berchem built a castle in Oostmalle. By the end of the 16th century, from 1602 onwards, during the entire Ancien Régime, all feudal
rights of Oostmalle belonged to the family van Renesse (French: de Renesse), descendants of Jan van Renesse.
villages was plundered and besieged; foreign troops caused severe havoc, and also brought with them diseases such as the Bubonic plague
. Oostmalle suffered most from the plague between 1575 and 1605.
In 1542, during the wars of Charles of Guelders
against Charles V
, Oostmalle and Renesse Castle were destroyed by the troops of Maarten van Rossum
. The entire region suffered severely during the Eighty Years War, between the Protestant north of the Low Countries
and the Spanish-controlled
Southern Netherlands
.
During the eighties of the 16th century, only 23 families survived in Westmalle and they had to hide for four years at Westmalle Castle
because of the Spanish troops, which were ravaging the region. During the 17th century the region suffered from several attacks from the Dutch Republic
. Around 1620, Croatia
n (In old Flemish: Krawaten) soldiers of the Spanish army occupied Malle. In 1626 a Chapel of Saint Anthony was built in Salphen
for people from Oostmalle who fled their village to escape the plague
. At the end of the 17th century, during the Dutch War
(1672–1678) Westmalle was almost entirely burned to ashes.
At the start of the 18th century, the region suffered during the War of the Spanish Succession
when French troops occupied Malle in 1703. Following the French Revolutionary Wars
the Austrian Netherlands
were invaded and annexed by the First French Republic in 1792. Shortly after the invasion of the French army, an epidemic of dysentery
hit Malle.
in 1814, Cossack
s occupied Malle and plundered the village.
Only after the Dutch rule during the period of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands
(1815–1830) and the establishment of the kingdom of Belgium
, came a period of increasing prosperity for the region. In 1885 Oostmalle became the center for the Tram network of the region, which would last until 1962. During World War I and World War II Malle escaped from severe damage. On 25 June 1967, Oostmalle was hit by a tornado which destroyed the church and 135 houses.
On 1 January 1977 Oostmalle and Westmalle were reunited, first under the name Westmalle, and since 30 June 1979 under the original name Malle.
, Renesse Castle, the Scherpenberg mill
, Westmalle Castle
which dates back to 1100, and the Castle of Blommerschot
. The Chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Dutch: Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Bijstand) at the Herentalsebaan was built by Leonard Pierre Joseph du Bus de Gisignies
in 1837. In 1930 a Lourdes
cave was added to the chapel (inaugurated on 7 May 1933), and in 1934 a Stations of the Cross
was added in remembrance of King Albert I of Belgium
. The sculptor of the latter was Simon Gossens.
Malle has three churches: the Church of Saint Lawrence (Dutch: Sint Laurentius, Oostmalle), the Church of Saint Paul
(Dutch: Sint Paulus, Westmalle) and the Church of Saint Martin
(Dutch: Sint Martinus, Westmalle). The most important local festival is called "Salphenkermis", which is held in the hamlet Salphen
in honor of Saint Anthony
.
The forests of Herenbos, Molenbos (drieboomkesberg), Bruulbergen and Schrabbenbos are also worth a visit.
: Zakrzówek, Lublin Voivodeship
Malle is located in the Campine
(Dutch: Kempen) region, which historically was not densely populated, and consisted of enormous heaths
and marshlands, interrupted by woods and swampland. Since the Middle Ages the majority of the land in the Campine has been cultivated.
Until the 18th century Oostmalle was known for its black pottery, such as "Lollepotten" which were small stoves used for personal heating in winter.
, ETAP Yachting, Ecover
, and Meubelfabrieken Karel Mintjens (which belongs to the TOP500 of the Belgan Companies).
Campine
The Campine is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-western Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands...
region of the Belgian
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...
province of Antwerp
Antwerp (province)
Antwerp is the northernmost province both of the Flemish Region, also called Flanders, and of Belgium. It borders on the Netherlands and the Belgian provinces of Limburg, Flemish Brabant and East Flanders. Its capital is Antwerp which comprises the Port of Antwerp...
. The municipality comprises the towns of Oostmalle
Oostmalle
Oostmalle is a village which is located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The village itself is part of the municipality of Malle.Oostmalle was an independent municipality until 1976. It has a surface area of 28.27 km² and in 2004 had 6,510 inhabitants....
and Westmalle
Westmalle
Westmalle is a village which is located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The village itself is part of the municipality of Malle.-Tourism:...
. On 1 January 2006 Malle had a total population of 14,083. The total area is 51.99 km² which gives a population density of 271 inhabitants per km².
Early history
The origin and meaning of the word Malle is uncertain: on one hand it could refer to an extended plain, border or stop, but more likely it refers a place which was used by the FranksFranks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
for legal matters. A Mallum was a general court session presided by the count. In Celtic
Celtic languages
The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
, the name O Maoileoin, means a devotee of St. John.
A record of the name Malle emerges for the first time in 1194, when the bishop of Kamerijk
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...
donated the altar of Malle and Vorsele to the Chapter of Our Kind Lady of Antwerp. Originally Oostmalle, Westmalle and Zoersel
Zoersel
Zoersel is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the towns of Halle, St. Antonius and Zoersel proper. On January 1, 2010 Zoersel had a total population of 21,308...
were joined into one domain: Malle, which was part of the County Toxandria
Toxandria
Toxandria is the classical name for a region between the Meuse and the Scheldt rivers in the Netherlands and Belgium. The name is also spelled Taxandria...
.
The origin of Oostmalle
Oostmalle
Oostmalle is a village which is located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The village itself is part of the municipality of Malle.Oostmalle was an independent municipality until 1976. It has a surface area of 28.27 km² and in 2004 had 6,510 inhabitants....
dates back to the Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
era, when a settlement was built along the Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
from Trajectum ad Rhenum (Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
) to Bavay
Bavay
Bavay is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies 15 m. ESE of Valenciennes by railway.-History:Under the name of Bagacum or Bavacum, the town was the capital of the Nervii and, under the Roman Empire, an important center of roads, the meeting-place of which was marked by a...
(now approximately the Lierselei and the Hoogstraatsebaan).
During the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
(476–1492), Oostmalle was part of the Duchy of Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
, governed by lords like Jan Van Hesselbeke and Jan Volckaert (around 1300). The lower feudal rights belonged to the House of Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
, the higher rights belonged to the Duke of Brabant
Duke of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was formally erected in 1183/1184. The title "Duke of Brabant" was created by the German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in favor of Henry I, son of Godfrey III of Leuven . The Duchy of Brabant was a feudal elevation of the since 1085/1086 existing title of Landgrave of Brabant...
.
Westmalle;s origin dates to before 1100, when the place of residence (Mansus) of the representative (Villicus or Meier) of the Duke of Brabant
Duke of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was formally erected in 1183/1184. The title "Duke of Brabant" was created by the German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in favor of Henry I, son of Godfrey III of Leuven . The Duchy of Brabant was a feudal elevation of the since 1085/1086 existing title of Landgrave of Brabant...
was mentioned in historical record. The history of Westmalle Castle
Westmalle Castle
Westmalle Castle is located in the village of Westmalle, which is part of the municipality of Malle in the Campine region of Flanders, Belgium.-History:...
reflects the history of the governing families of Westmalle. Henry I, Duke of Brabant
Henry I, Duke of Brabant
Henry I of Brabant , named "The Courageous" Duke of Brabant and Duke of Lower Lotharingia until his death.-Biography:...
granted some feudal rights to the abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of the Abbey of Villers
Villers Abbey
Villers Abbey is an ancient Cistercian abbey located near the town of Villers-la-Ville in the Brabant province of Wallonia , one piece of the Wallonia's Major Heritage. Founded in 1146, the abbey was abandoned in 1796...
on the condition that a monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
would be built in Westmalle. However the monastery was built in Hemiksem
Hemiksem
Hemiksem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality only comprises the town of Hemiksem proper. On January 1, 2010 Hemiksem had a total population of 10,166...
instead.
Separation of Malle
In the first half of the 13th century Malle was separated when the County of Strijen was divided; Oostmalle came to belong to the County of BredaBreda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
, Westmalle and Zoersel remained with the Duchy of Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
. Westmalle was governed by a local Meier belonging subsequently to the families van der Moelen, de Cotereau en Powis and also by the Abbot of the Abbey of Villers
Villers Abbey
Villers Abbey is an ancient Cistercian abbey located near the town of Villers-la-Ville in the Brabant province of Wallonia , one piece of the Wallonia's Major Heritage. Founded in 1146, the abbey was abandoned in 1796...
. About 1300 the feudal rights of Oostmalle were divided between Jan van Hesselbeke and Jacobus van Dworp. Jan Volkaert I, was married with the daughter of the Jan van Hesselbeke. He owned half of the feudal rights of Oostmalle, while the other half was owned by his brother-in-law Jacob van Couree. Later on the feudal rights went to the Lords of Berchem
Berchem
The 'Ring', Antwerp's circular motorway which follows the track of the former city defense walls, cuts Berchem in two parts, separating the urban inner city area of Oud-Berchem from the more residential and suburban areas Groenenhoek en Nieuw Kwartier .-Demography:Berchem's total surface is over ,...
. Between 1431 and 1464 Willem van Berchem built a castle in Oostmalle. By the end of the 16th century, from 1602 onwards, during the entire Ancien Régime, all feudal
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
rights of Oostmalle belonged to the family van Renesse (French: de Renesse), descendants of Jan van Renesse.
16th to 18th century
Almost continuously the CampineCampine
The Campine is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-western Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands...
villages was plundered and besieged; foreign troops caused severe havoc, and also brought with them diseases such as the Bubonic plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
. Oostmalle suffered most from the plague between 1575 and 1605.
In 1542, during the wars of Charles of Guelders
Charles, Duke of Guelders
Charles of Egmond was Duke of Guelders, Count of Zutphen between 1492 and his death. He was the son of Adolf of Egmond and Catharine of Bourbon...
against Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
, Oostmalle and Renesse Castle were destroyed by the troops of Maarten van Rossum
Maarten van Rossum
Maarten van Rossum was a Dutch Guelderian military tactician and later field marshal at the service of Charles, Duke of Guelders....
. The entire region suffered severely during the Eighty Years War, between the Protestant north of the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
and the Spanish-controlled
Habsburg Spain
Habsburg Spain refers to the history of Spain over the 16th and 17th centuries , when Spain was ruled by the major branch of the Habsburg dynasty...
Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain , Austria and annexed by France...
.
During the eighties of the 16th century, only 23 families survived in Westmalle and they had to hide for four years at Westmalle Castle
Westmalle Castle
Westmalle Castle is located in the village of Westmalle, which is part of the municipality of Malle in the Campine region of Flanders, Belgium.-History:...
because of the Spanish troops, which were ravaging the region. During the 17th century the region suffered from several attacks from the Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
. Around 1620, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n (In old Flemish: Krawaten) soldiers of the Spanish army occupied Malle. In 1626 a Chapel of Saint Anthony was built in Salphen
Salphen
Salphen is a hamlet which is part of the village of Oostmalle in the Campine region of Flanders, Belgium. The history of Salphen dates back to the 13th century when in the records of the Chapter of Our Lady of Antwerp it was called Zalhulfe.-Chapel of Saint Anthony:The earliest traces of Zalhuffle...
for people from Oostmalle who fled their village to escape the plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
. At the end of the 17th century, during the Dutch War
Franco-Dutch War
The Franco-Dutch War, often called simply the Dutch War was a war fought by France, Sweden, the Bishopric of Münster, the Archbishopric of Cologne and England against the United Netherlands, which were later joined by the Austrian Habsburg lands, Brandenburg and Spain to form a quadruple alliance...
(1672–1678) Westmalle was almost entirely burned to ashes.
At the start of the 18th century, the region suffered during the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
when French troops occupied Malle in 1703. Following the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
the Austrian Netherlands
Southern Netherlands
Southern Netherlands were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain , Austria and annexed by France...
were invaded and annexed by the First French Republic in 1792. Shortly after the invasion of the French army, an epidemic of dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
hit Malle.
Modern era
After the defeat of Napoleon I of FranceNapoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
in 1814, Cossack
Cossack
Cossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
s occupied Malle and plundered the village.
Only after the Dutch rule during the period of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands
United Kingdom of the Netherlands
United Kingdom of the Netherlands is the unofficial name used to refer to Kingdom of the Netherlands during the period after it was first created from part of the First French Empire and before the new kingdom of Belgium split out in 1830...
(1815–1830) and the establishment of the kingdom of 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...
, came a period of increasing prosperity for the region. In 1885 Oostmalle became the center for the Tram network of the region, which would last until 1962. During World War I and World War II Malle escaped from severe damage. On 25 June 1967, Oostmalle was hit by a tornado which destroyed the church and 135 houses.
On 1 January 1977 Oostmalle and Westmalle were reunited, first under the name Westmalle, and since 30 June 1979 under the original name Malle.
Tourism
Important curiosities in Malle include the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle and its breweryWestmalle Brewery
Westmalle Brewery is a Belgian trappist brewery located in the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle. It produces three beers, which are designated trappist beer because they follow the rules of the International Trappist Association...
, Renesse Castle, the Scherpenberg mill
Scherpenberg mill
The Scherpenberg mill, located in Westmalle, Belgium, is a tower mill that was built in 1843 to grind grain into flour. It is currently owned and operated by the municipal authorities of Malle, the only hours of operation being Sunday from 1:30 P.M. until 5:00 P.M.-History:The mill was built in...
, Westmalle Castle
Westmalle Castle
Westmalle Castle is located in the village of Westmalle, which is part of the municipality of Malle in the Campine region of Flanders, Belgium.-History:...
which dates back to 1100, and the Castle of Blommerschot
Blommerschot
The hamlet of Blommerschot is located in the southeast of Oostmalle in the Campine region of Flanders, Belgium. Blommerschot was already mentioned in 1300 as Eene oude Ridderlyck hof , and possibly dates back from a Frankish settlement...
. The Chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Dutch: Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Bijstand) at the Herentalsebaan was built by Leonard Pierre Joseph du Bus de Gisignies
Leonard Pierre Joseph du Bus de Gisignies
Leonard Pierre Joseph, Viscount du Bus de Gisignies was a soldier and politician in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. He was born as Leonard Pierre Joseph Dubus, but on 14 June 1822, because of name multiplication, du Bus de Gisignies was added to his name...
in 1837. In 1930 a Lourdes
Lourdes
Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in south-western France.Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous...
cave was added to the chapel (inaugurated on 7 May 1933), and in 1934 a Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...
was added in remembrance of King Albert I of Belgium
Albert I of Belgium
Albert I reigned as King of the Belgians from 1909 until 1934.-Early life:Born Albert Léopold Clément Marie Meinrad in Brussels, he was the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders, and his wife, Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen...
. The sculptor of the latter was Simon Gossens.
Malle has three churches: the Church of Saint Lawrence (Dutch: Sint Laurentius, Oostmalle), the Church of Saint Paul
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
(Dutch: Sint Paulus, Westmalle) and the Church of Saint Martin
Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours was a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued, and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints...
(Dutch: Sint Martinus, Westmalle). The most important local festival is called "Salphenkermis", which is held in the hamlet Salphen
Salphen
Salphen is a hamlet which is part of the village of Oostmalle in the Campine region of Flanders, Belgium. The history of Salphen dates back to the 13th century when in the records of the Chapter of Our Lady of Antwerp it was called Zalhulfe.-Chapel of Saint Anthony:The earliest traces of Zalhuffle...
in honor of Saint Anthony
Anthony the Great
Anthony the Great or Antony the Great , , also known as Saint Anthony, Anthony the Abbot, Anthony of Egypt, Anthony of the Desert, Anthony the Anchorite, Abba Antonius , and Father of All Monks, was a Christian saint from Egypt, a prominent leader among the Desert Fathers...
.
The forests of Herenbos, Molenbos (drieboomkesberg), Bruulbergen and Schrabbenbos are also worth a visit.
Twin towns
Malle is linked to the following towns as twin towns, also known as partner towns:: Saint-Savin: HeusenstammHeusenstamm
Heusenstamm is a town of over 18,000 in the Offenbach district in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany.- Geography :- Location :The town lies on the river Bieber. Heusenstamm is one of 13 towns and communities in the Offenbach district...
: Zakrzówek, Lublin Voivodeship
Zakrzówek, Lublin Voivodeship
Zakrzówek is a village in Kraśnik County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Zakrzówek. It lies approximately east of Kraśnik and south of the regional capital Lublin.-External links:...
- UK: Hartley WintneyHartley WintneyHartley Wintney is a large village and civil parish in the English county of Hampshire.-Location and character:Hartley Wintney is in the Hart district of North-East Hampshire...
History
Campine
The Campine is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-western Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands...
(Dutch: Kempen) region, which historically was not densely populated, and consisted of enormous heaths
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
and marshlands, interrupted by woods and swampland. Since the Middle Ages the majority of the land in the Campine has been cultivated.
Until the 18th century Oostmalle was known for its black pottery, such as "Lollepotten" which were small stoves used for personal heating in winter.
Modern era
Nowadays, Malle is a regional economic centre. It is home to several companies, such as ETAP LightingETAP Lighting
ETAP Lighting is a Belgian company manufacturing lighting and located in Malle. President of the Board is Christ’l Joris, who is also president of Agoria Flanders and of Flanders Investment and Trade.-History:...
, ETAP Yachting, Ecover
Ecover
Ecover is a Belgium based company manufacturing and internationally trading domestic ecological cleaning products, of which it is the world's most well-known brand....
, and Meubelfabrieken Karel Mintjens (which belongs to the TOP500 of the Belgan Companies).
Notable inhabitants
- May ClaerhoutMay ClaerhoutMay Claerhout is a Belgian artist who was born in Pittem. She creates sculptures in bronze and terracotta, and she has created several statues for public buildings in Belgium. Her studio is located in Malle...
, sculptor - Viscount Leonard Pierre Joseph du Bus de GisigniesLeonard Pierre Joseph du Bus de GisigniesLeonard Pierre Joseph, Viscount du Bus de Gisignies was a soldier and politician in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. He was born as Leonard Pierre Joseph Dubus, but on 14 June 1822, because of name multiplication, du Bus de Gisignies was added to his name...
(1780–1849) - Maria RosseelsMaria RosseelsMaria, Baroness Rosseels , also known with her pen name E. M. Vervliet, was a Belgian Catholic writer. The first years of her life, she lived in the Goedendagstraat in Borgerhout. When Maria was 7 years old, the family moved to Oostmalle, where she already started to write...
(1916–2005), journalist and writer - Godfroy Lenaerts, ground owner and landlord (1925–2006)
Evolution of inhabitants
| Year | 1977 | 1980 | 1985 | 1990 | 1995 | 2000 | 2005 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inhabitants | 9798 | 10.520 | 11.353 | 12.096 | 13.301 | 13.922 | 14.150 | 14.083 |
| Remark:Inhabitaints on 01/01 – Bron:NIS | ||||||||