Rotselaar
Encyclopedia
Rotselaar is a municipality
located in the Belgian
province of Flemish-Brabant
, near the convergence of the Demer
and the Dijle
. Since January 1, 1977 the municipality comprises the towns of Rotselaar proper, Werchter
and Wezemaal. On January 1, 2006 Rotselaar had a total population of 15,068. The total area is 37.57 km² which gives a population density
of 401 inhabitants per km².
and the Dijle
, which in turn have the Winge and the Losting as tributaries, and the Laak River forms the border between Werchter
and Tremelo
to the north. It's also located at the junction of three geographical areas. In rough terms, Werchter
to the north of the Demer
is a part of the South Campine
, Wezemaal and Rotselaar Heikant of the Hageland
, whereas Rotselaar-Centre to the west of the Dijle
is a part of Binnen-Vlaanderen (Inner Flanders), which is also known as Dijleland.
appears in historical documents.
In the 12th century, Rotselaar and Wezemaal were ruled by the Duke of Brabant
, whereas the Counts of Aarschot
and the House of the Berthouts controlled Werchter. From about 1170, vassals of the Duke of Brabant
settled at Wezemaal and Rotselaar. In the course of the 13th century, these vassals rose to the nobility
and started to "rule" the fiefdoms of Rotselaar and Wezemaal as lords. In the 14th century, the Lords of Wezemaal and Rotselaar managed to detract Werchter (and Haacht
) from the sphere of influence of the House of the Berthouts, thus uniting the three villages of Wezemaal, Werchter and Rotselaar for the first time in history, which from that moment on together formed the Land, or the Barony of Rotselaar. The Barony of Rotselaar passed into the hands of the powerful House of Croÿ
in 1516, to be added to the Margraviate of Aarschot
, which was later elevated to the Duchy of Aarschot in 1533.
Until deep in the 19th century, the inhabitants lived primarily of agriculture
. From 1488 onwards, the population of Wezemaal, Werchter and Rotselaar was severely hit by periodically recurring wars (1488-1489, 1542, and a series of wars from 1570 up to 1750). From 1750, welfare began to increase again, first thanks to agricultural innovations and in the second half of the 19th century thanks to the effects of the Industrial Revolution
.
An artillery duel was fought in Rotselaar in the First World War, known as the ‘Slag aan de Molen’ (English: Battle of the Mill). In that battle, 360 Belgian
and German
soldiers were killed. During the First World War, a total 67 houses were burned and 38 civilians were killed in Rotselaar.
The official coat of arms
of the municipality of Rotselaar was adopted by the municipal council in 1968 and ratified by Royal Decree in 1973. After the merger with the municipalities of Werchter and Wezemaal, the coat of arms was confirmed by the municipal council and 1981 and ratified in 1982.
The coat of arms consists of three fleur-de-lis
gules
on a field of silver.
In line with many other municipalities adopting modern fashions, the municipal government decided in 2002 to introduce a new house style with a modern logo
replacing the coat of arms in communication and on municipal documents.
This is the meaning of the logo: the keep
"Ter Heide" is the symbol for the cultural heritage
of Rotselaar, the field tracks symbolise the rural
aspects of the municipality and the agriculture
, the blue river is the symbol for the three rivers of Rotselaar, the Demer
, the Dijle
and the Winge, and the lake, the green represents the natural environment
and nature reserves of Rotselaar, the plantations and the hills covered with forests, and last but not least, the sun gives Rotselaar blossoming vineyards and refers to the recreational facilities and activities in Rotselaar.
name. Wezemaal is believed to come from "Wis" and "male" (a depression
), and Werchter
is thought to be a watername, but the meaning of the name is unknown.
When the name of Rotselaar first appeared in written accounts, it was spelled "Rotslar". Over the centuries, this evolved into "Rotselaer", and eventually into "Rotselaar". It must be noted that in Middle Dutch
, the "e" in "Rotselaer" was used to show that the vowel preceding it sounds longer, in modern spelling the vowel is doubled to achieve the same effect, which gives "Rotselaar".
of Rotselaar as it exists since the merger of municipalities that came into effect on January 1, 1977 and reduced the number of autonomous municipalities in Belgium
to 589. If used in this sense, the name "Rotselaar" includes Wezemaal and Werchter
. The term "Groot-Rotselaar" (Greater Rotselaar) is also commonly used to refer to Rotselaar, Wezemaal and Werchter as a whole. In a second meaning, "Rotselaar" refers specifically to the town of Rotselaar proper as it existed before the merger with Wezemaal and Werchter in 1977. This is, especially within Groot-Rotselaar, the most common meaning of the name "Rotselaar". In a third meaning, "Rotselaar" refers to the historical Land of Rotselaar, which comprised not only modern-day Rotselaar, Wezemaal and Werchter, but also other villages, such as Haacht
and Wakkerzeel. The name "Rotselaar" in this sense is rarely used.
Rotselaar can also have a fourth meaning, where it refers to Rotselaar-Centre, as opposed to Rotselaar Heikant, which is also referred to as simply "Heikant". Rotselaar proper (as it existed prior to 1977) consists of two parts: Rotselaar-Centre and Rotselaar Heikant. If used in this sense, the name "Rotselaar" refers only to Rotselaar-Centre and doesn't include Heikant. In most cases, the name "Rotselaar" includes Rotselaar Heikant, but the name "Heikant" is commonly used to distinguish between the two parts of Rotselaar.
is a unicameral body composed of 25 councillor
s, including the mayor
and aldermen
. The councillors are elected
directly by the voters in the municipality. The Municipal Council is renewed entirely every six years. The last municipal election
took place on Sunday October 8, 2006. The councillors elected in those elections took office on January 1, 2007, and their term will end in 2013. The municipal elections of October 8, 2006 were the first municipal and provincial elections in Belgium
since the transfer of the competence with regards to the municipalities and provinces from the Federal Government
to the Regions
on June 13, 2001.
The Municipal Council is responsible for everything that is of local interest. This organ draws up rules and ordinances, establishes municipal tax
es, approves the budget
and the accounts of the municipality, scrutinises the local services, and looks after the interests of its population in general (spatial planning
, road building, security
, health
, youth
, sport
,...). The Council also appoints the aldermen
. The mayor
is nominated by the majority and appointed by the Flemish Government
. The Council meets once per month. Since January 1, 2007 the majority consists of CD&V
/N-VA
, which is by far the largest party
with 14 seats out of 25 (an absolute majority) in the Municipal Council. VLD, SP.A, Groen! and Vlaams Belang
are in the opposition in the Municipal Council, and together have 11 seats out of 25.
The current Presiding Officer
of the Municipal Council is Werner Mertens (CD&V
).
.
There are currently 4 committees in the Municipal Council of Rotselaar:
of Rotselaar is Dirk Claes
(CD&V). His primary responsibilities as mayor include, but are not limited to: security (police, fire service and mobility), personnel, administration and organisation, festivities, honorary and legal affairs, and tourism. The mayor is assisted by a number of aldermen
, who together form the College of Mayor and Aldermen. Rotselaar is entitled to five aldermen because it has between 10,000 and 19,999 inhabitants. The College of Mayor and Aldermen is also sometimes commonly referred to as the College of Aldermen.
in Rotselaar, the Montfortcollege, which has a good reputation in the field of education
in the region. The Montfortcollege also offers boarding facilities
. While many of Rotselaar's youths attend primary schools in Rotselaar itself, most go to secondary schools outside of Rotselaar because the waiting lists for the Montfortcollege are often very long, except for boarding school students. Of the youths who attend secondary schools outside of Rotselaar, most go to school in Leuven
. The "Hagelandse Academie voor Beeldende Kunst" (Hageland Academy for Visual Arts
) is also located in Rotselaar.
, "het meer van Rotselaar" or "de Plas van Rotselaar" (the lake of Rotselaar). It is popular among walkers
, cyclists and bird-watchers. Fishing
is allowed in the fishing zone domain from June 1 to April 15, between sunrise and sunset. But you have to have a public Flemish
fishing permit, which is available in the post office
.
A variety of other leisure
activities are also possible, such as swimming or sunning. Outside of the swimming season, the domain's swimming zone is open daily from 08:30 to sunset, but during the swimming season it is open from 10:00 to 20:30. You have to pay for entry and swimming is only allowed when lifeguards are present and the green flag is out. The swimming season lasts roughly from the middle of May to the end of August, depending on the weather. The swimming zone is delimited by a ditch and a line of buoys, and swimming is prohibited outside of this zone, among other reasons because there is a surfing zone as well. For reasons of hygiene
, dogs are not allowed during the swimming season in the entire domain, however, from September 1 dogs on a leash
are allowed in the domain, but not in the swimming zone.
Windsurfing
is allowed from the Easter
holidays to October 15 in the surfing zone, which is separate from the swimming zone for reasons of safety. Ice skating
on natural ice is possible as well, though rarely, but it is strictly forbidden to enter the ice unless the municipal government explicitly allows ice skating. If the municipal government allows ice skating, it will publish so in the local press, the "Dorpskrant" (a local newspaper published by the municipal government) and on the website
of Rotselaar. There is also a nature
zone in the domain, which is off-limits to the public. Other possible activities include, but are not limited to, squash
and beach volleyball
.
Rock Werchter is a music festival
held annually during the first weekend of the summer holidays in Werchter. It was first organised in 1974 and since 2003 the festival lasts four days, and the 2003 and 2005 editions won the Arthur award for the best festival in the world of the International Live Music Conference. It's the largest music festival in Belgium
and one of the largest festivals in Europe. It's even famous over the Belgian borders. Each year, many renowned groups and artists perform at Rock Werchter, and over 320,000 people come to the festival. Originally it was a double-festival, called "Rock Torhout-Werchter", with two festival areas on different places in Belgium
: one in Werchter and one in Torhout
. There is also a "Rock Werchterroute", a cycling route, around Werchter and Leuven
, which also organises an annual music festival which is among the most popular in Belgium, Marktrock
.
Rotselaar maintains sister city relationships with Bad Gandersheim
, a city in southern Lower Saxony
, Germany
, located between Hannover and Kassel
, since 1987. In 1990, a town twinning
committee was created for the purpose of furthering the ties between Rotselaar and Bad Gandersheim through visits, exhibitions, language courses and other initiatives. An annual town twinning weekend
is organised as well, alternately in Rotselaar and Bad Gandersheim.
There has been a cooperation
project between Rotselaar and Sal
, one of the islands in the archipelago
of Cape Verde
. The island is around 30 km long by 15 km wide, and has roughly the same number of inhabitants as Rotselaar. Sal has 4 habitational centres: Espargos
with the main urban and administrative centre and the international airport
of Cape Verde, Santa Maria, where tourism
and hotels are situated, Pedra de Lume, once the site of salt collection (hence the name of the island, "sal" is Portuguese
for "salt
"), and Palmeira, a fishing village with a port
.
The request for cooperation came from Sal itself. Basilio Ramos, then Mayor
of Sal, sought to establish a link with a municipality
in the vicinity of Leuven
. As a former student
of the K.U.Leuven
he wanted to strengthen the ties with Belgium
. This form of cooperation is different from the others. The cooperation with Sal is a form of development cooperation where the accent is on exchange and partnership in the administrative and the professional fields, and in particular on the exchange of experiences in the fields of environment and youth work
.
In 1989, the municipal government adopted the Romania
n village of Vrânceni, which is a part of Căiuţi
in the eastern county
of Bacău
, as part of the project "AdoptieDorpen Roemenië" (Adoption Villages Romania). The local action committee organises various activities throughout the year, of which the yields go to the adoption village. Among others, a school building was constructed in Vrânceni with the help of Rotselaar.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
located in 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 Flemish-Brabant
Flemish Brabant
Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also completely surrounds the Brussels-Capital Region. Its capital is Leuven...
, near the convergence of the Demer
Demer
The Demer is an 85 km long river in eastern Belgium, right tributary of the Dijle. It flows through the Belgian provinces Limburg and Flemish Brabant. Its source is near Tongeren. It flows into the river Dijle in Werchter, Rotselaar municipality....
and the Dijle
Dijle
Dyle or Dijle or historically the River Dyle in English, is a river in central Belgium, left tributary of the Rupel. It is long. It flows through the Belgian provinces of Walloon Brabant, Flemish Brabant and Antwerp...
. Since January 1, 1977 the municipality comprises the towns of Rotselaar proper, Werchter
Werchter
Werchter is a small village in Belgium, belonging to the municipality of Rotselaar. It is site of the festival Rock Werchter. The origin of the place name is unknown but it's thought to be a watername.It is the birthplace of painter Cornelius Van Leemputten....
and Wezemaal. On January 1, 2006 Rotselaar had a total population of 15,068. The total area is 37.57 km² which gives a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 401 inhabitants per km².
Geography
Rotselaar is located at the convergence of two rivers, the DemerDemer
The Demer is an 85 km long river in eastern Belgium, right tributary of the Dijle. It flows through the Belgian provinces Limburg and Flemish Brabant. Its source is near Tongeren. It flows into the river Dijle in Werchter, Rotselaar municipality....
and the Dijle
Dijle
Dyle or Dijle or historically the River Dyle in English, is a river in central Belgium, left tributary of the Rupel. It is long. It flows through the Belgian provinces of Walloon Brabant, Flemish Brabant and Antwerp...
, which in turn have the Winge and the Losting as tributaries, and the Laak River forms the border between Werchter
Werchter
Werchter is a small village in Belgium, belonging to the municipality of Rotselaar. It is site of the festival Rock Werchter. The origin of the place name is unknown but it's thought to be a watername.It is the birthplace of painter Cornelius Van Leemputten....
and Tremelo
Tremelo
Tremelo is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Baal and Tremelo proper. On January 1, 2006 Tremelo had a total population of 13,725...
to the north. It's also located at the junction of three geographical areas. In rough terms, Werchter
Werchter
Werchter is a small village in Belgium, belonging to the municipality of Rotselaar. It is site of the festival Rock Werchter. The origin of the place name is unknown but it's thought to be a watername.It is the birthplace of painter Cornelius Van Leemputten....
to the north of the Demer
Demer
The Demer is an 85 km long river in eastern Belgium, right tributary of the Dijle. It flows through the Belgian provinces Limburg and Flemish Brabant. Its source is near Tongeren. It flows into the river Dijle in Werchter, Rotselaar municipality....
is a part of the South Campine
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...
, Wezemaal and Rotselaar Heikant of the Hageland
Hageland
The Hageland is a landscape in the Flemish Region of Belgium, situated in the eastern part of the Province of Flemish Brabant and extending into a western tip of the Province of Limburg. It is mainly comprised between the cities of Aarschot, Leuven, Tienen and Diest, and largely coincides with the...
, whereas Rotselaar-Centre to the west of the Dijle
Dijle
Dyle or Dijle or historically the River Dyle in English, is a river in central Belgium, left tributary of the Rupel. It is long. It flows through the Belgian provinces of Walloon Brabant, Flemish Brabant and Antwerp...
is a part of Binnen-Vlaanderen (Inner Flanders), which is also known as Dijleland.
History
Rotselaar and Wezemaal were first mentioned in written accounts in 1044. Only a century later, between 1138 and 1152, WerchterWerchter
Werchter is a small village in Belgium, belonging to the municipality of Rotselaar. It is site of the festival Rock Werchter. The origin of the place name is unknown but it's thought to be a watername.It is the birthplace of painter Cornelius Van Leemputten....
appears in historical documents.
In the 12th century, Rotselaar and Wezemaal were ruled by 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...
, whereas the Counts of Aarschot
Aarschot
Aarschot is a city and municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. The municipality comprises the city of Aarschot proper and the towns of Gelrode, Langdorp and Rillaar. On January 1, 2006 Aarschot had a total population of 27,864...
and the House of the Berthouts controlled Werchter. From about 1170, vassals 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...
settled at Wezemaal and Rotselaar. In the course of the 13th century, these vassals rose to the nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
and started to "rule" the fiefdoms of Rotselaar and Wezemaal as lords. In the 14th century, the Lords of Wezemaal and Rotselaar managed to detract Werchter (and Haacht
Haacht
Haacht is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Haacht proper, Kelfs, Tildonk, Wakkerzeel and Wespelaar.On January 1, 2006 Haacht had a total population of 13,608...
) from the sphere of influence of the House of the Berthouts, thus uniting the three villages of Wezemaal, Werchter and Rotselaar for the first time in history, which from that moment on together formed the Land, or the Barony of Rotselaar. The Barony of Rotselaar passed into the hands of the powerful House of Croÿ
House of Croÿ
The House of Croÿ is an international family of European mediatized nobility which held a seat in the Imperial Diet from 1486, and was elevated to the rank of Imperial Princes in 1594...
in 1516, to be added to the Margraviate of Aarschot
Aarschot
Aarschot is a city and municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. The municipality comprises the city of Aarschot proper and the towns of Gelrode, Langdorp and Rillaar. On January 1, 2006 Aarschot had a total population of 27,864...
, which was later elevated to the Duchy of Aarschot in 1533.
Until deep in the 19th century, the inhabitants lived primarily of agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
. From 1488 onwards, the population of Wezemaal, Werchter and Rotselaar was severely hit by periodically recurring wars (1488-1489, 1542, and a series of wars from 1570 up to 1750). From 1750, welfare began to increase again, first thanks to agricultural innovations and in the second half of the 19th century thanks to the effects of the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
.
An artillery duel was fought in Rotselaar in the First World War, known as the ‘Slag aan de Molen’ (English: Battle of the Mill). In that battle, 360 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...
and German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
soldiers were killed. During the First World War, a total 67 houses were burned and 38 civilians were killed in Rotselaar.
Coat of arms and Logo
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of the municipality of Rotselaar was adopted by the municipal council in 1968 and ratified by Royal Decree in 1973. After the merger with the municipalities of Werchter and Wezemaal, the coat of arms was confirmed by the municipal council and 1981 and ratified in 1982.
The coat of arms consists of three fleur-de-lis
Fleur-de-lis
The fleur-de-lis or fleur-de-lys is a stylized lily or iris that is used as a decorative design or symbol. It may be "at one and the same time, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially in heraldry...
gules
Gules
In heraldry, gules is the tincture with the colour red, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures called "colours". In engraving, it is sometimes depicted as a region of vertical lines or else marked with gu. as an abbreviation....
on a field of silver.
In line with many other municipalities adopting modern fashions, the municipal government decided in 2002 to introduce a new house style with a modern logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
replacing the coat of arms in communication and on municipal documents.
This is the meaning of the logo: the keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
"Ter Heide" is the symbol for the 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...
of Rotselaar, the field tracks symbolise the rural
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
aspects of the municipality and the agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, the blue river is the symbol for the three rivers of Rotselaar, the Demer
Demer
The Demer is an 85 km long river in eastern Belgium, right tributary of the Dijle. It flows through the Belgian provinces Limburg and Flemish Brabant. Its source is near Tongeren. It flows into the river Dijle in Werchter, Rotselaar municipality....
, the Dijle
Dijle
Dyle or Dijle or historically the River Dyle in English, is a river in central Belgium, left tributary of the Rupel. It is long. It flows through the Belgian provinces of Walloon Brabant, Flemish Brabant and Antwerp...
and the Winge, and the lake, the green represents the natural environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
and nature reserves of Rotselaar, the plantations and the hills covered with forests, and last but not least, the sun gives Rotselaar blossoming vineyards and refers to the recreational facilities and activities in Rotselaar.
Origin of the names Rotselaar, Wezemaal en Werchter
The origin of the placenames is unclear. Rotselaar is thought to mean "laar of Hrosda". A laar (plural form is laren) is an open spot or clearing in a forest suitable for living, laren were used quite intensively by man in the past, amongst others for grazing the cattle, and Hrosda is a male GermanicGermanic languages
The Germanic languages constitute a sub-branch of the Indo-European language family. The common ancestor of all of the languages in this branch is called Proto-Germanic , which was spoken in approximately the mid-1st millennium BC in Iron Age northern Europe...
name. Wezemaal is believed to come from "Wis" and "male" (a depression
Depression (geology)
A depression in geology is a landform sunken or depressed below the surrounding area. Depressions may be formed by various mechanisms.Structural or tectonic related:...
), and Werchter
Werchter
Werchter is a small village in Belgium, belonging to the municipality of Rotselaar. It is site of the festival Rock Werchter. The origin of the place name is unknown but it's thought to be a watername.It is the birthplace of painter Cornelius Van Leemputten....
is thought to be a watername, but the meaning of the name is unknown.
When the name of Rotselaar first appeared in written accounts, it was spelled "Rotslar". Over the centuries, this evolved into "Rotselaer", and eventually into "Rotselaar". It must be noted that in Middle Dutch
Middle Dutch
Middle Dutch is a collective name for a number of closely related West Germanic dialects which were spoken and written between 1150 and 1500...
, the "e" in "Rotselaer" was used to show that the vowel preceding it sounds longer, in modern spelling the vowel is doubled to achieve the same effect, which gives "Rotselaar".
Meanings of the name Rotselaar
The name "Rotselaar" can have four different meanings, and it is important to make a distinction between these meanings in order to avoid ambiguities. In a first meaning, "Rotselaar" refers to the whole of the municipalityMunicipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
of Rotselaar as it exists since the merger of municipalities that came into effect on January 1, 1977 and reduced the number of autonomous municipalities in 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...
to 589. If used in this sense, the name "Rotselaar" includes Wezemaal and Werchter
Werchter
Werchter is a small village in Belgium, belonging to the municipality of Rotselaar. It is site of the festival Rock Werchter. The origin of the place name is unknown but it's thought to be a watername.It is the birthplace of painter Cornelius Van Leemputten....
. The term "Groot-Rotselaar" (Greater Rotselaar) is also commonly used to refer to Rotselaar, Wezemaal and Werchter as a whole. In a second meaning, "Rotselaar" refers specifically to the town of Rotselaar proper as it existed before the merger with Wezemaal and Werchter in 1977. This is, especially within Groot-Rotselaar, the most common meaning of the name "Rotselaar". In a third meaning, "Rotselaar" refers to the historical Land of Rotselaar, which comprised not only modern-day Rotselaar, Wezemaal and Werchter, but also other villages, such as Haacht
Haacht
Haacht is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Haacht proper, Kelfs, Tildonk, Wakkerzeel and Wespelaar.On January 1, 2006 Haacht had a total population of 13,608...
and Wakkerzeel. The name "Rotselaar" in this sense is rarely used.
Rotselaar can also have a fourth meaning, where it refers to Rotselaar-Centre, as opposed to Rotselaar Heikant, which is also referred to as simply "Heikant". Rotselaar proper (as it existed prior to 1977) consists of two parts: Rotselaar-Centre and Rotselaar Heikant. If used in this sense, the name "Rotselaar" refers only to Rotselaar-Centre and doesn't include Heikant. In most cases, the name "Rotselaar" includes Rotselaar Heikant, but the name "Heikant" is commonly used to distinguish between the two parts of Rotselaar.
Municipal Council
The Municipal CouncilCity council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
is a unicameral body composed of 25 councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
s, including the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and aldermen
Schepen
A schepen is a Dutch word referring to a municipal civic office in Dutch-speaking countries. The term is still in use in Belgium, but it has been replaced by wethouder in the Netherlands. The closest English terms are alderman, member of the municipal executive, councillor and magistrate,...
. The councillors are elected
Elected
Elected is the latest EP by Dutch Progressive metal project Ayreon. It was released on April 25, 2008 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and on April 28 in the rest of Europe...
directly by the voters in the municipality. The Municipal Council is renewed entirely every six years. The last municipal election
Belgian municipal elections, 2006
The Belgian provincial and municipal elections, 2006 took place on Sunday 8 October 2006. The electors have elected the municipal counsellors of 589 cities and towns as well as the ten provincial councils...
took place on Sunday October 8, 2006. The councillors elected in those elections took office on January 1, 2007, and their term will end in 2013. The municipal elections of October 8, 2006 were the first municipal and provincial elections in 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...
since the transfer of the competence with regards to the municipalities and provinces from the Federal Government
Belgian federal government
The Cabinet of Belgium is the executive branch of the Belgian federal government, consisting of ministers and secretaries of state drawn from the political parties which form the governing coalition. Formally, the ministers are appointed by the King...
to the Regions
Communities, regions and provinces of Belgium
Belgium is a federal state comprising three communities, three regions, and four language areas. For each of these subdivision types, the sum of their circumscribed surfaces composes the entire country; in other words, the types overlap....
on June 13, 2001.
The Municipal Council is responsible for everything that is of local interest. This organ draws up rules and ordinances, establishes municipal tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
es, approves the budget
Budget
A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
and the accounts of the municipality, scrutinises the local services, and looks after the interests of its population in general (spatial planning
Spatial planning
Spatial planning refers to the methods used by the public sector to influence the distribution of people and activities in spaces of various scales. Discrete professional disciplines which involve spatial planning include land use planning, urban planning, regional planning, transport planning and...
, road building, security
Security
Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...
, health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
, youth
Youth
Youth is the time of life between childhood and adulthood . Definitions of the specific age range that constitutes youth vary. An individual's actual maturity may not correspond to their chronological age, as immature individuals could exist at all ages.-Usage:Around the world, the terms "youth",...
, sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
,...). The Council also appoints the aldermen
Schepen
A schepen is a Dutch word referring to a municipal civic office in Dutch-speaking countries. The term is still in use in Belgium, but it has been replaced by wethouder in the Netherlands. The closest English terms are alderman, member of the municipal executive, councillor and magistrate,...
. The mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
is nominated by the majority and appointed by the Flemish Government
Flemish government
The Flemish Government is the executive branch of the Flemish Community and the Flemish Region. It consists of up to a maximum of eleven ministers, chosen by the Flemish Parliament...
. The Council meets once per month. Since January 1, 2007 the majority consists of CD&V
Christian Democratic and Flemish
The Christian Democratic and Flemish is a political party of Belgium, formerly called Christian People's Party...
/N-VA
New-Flemish Alliance
' is a Flemish right-wing political party, founded in the autumn of 2001. It is a conservative and liberal movement that promotes civic nationalism...
, which is by far the largest party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
with 14 seats out of 25 (an absolute majority) in the Municipal Council. VLD, SP.A, Groen! and Vlaams Belang
Vlaams Belang
Vlaams Belang is a Belgian far-right political party in the Flemish Region and Brussels that advocates the independence of Flanders and strict limits on immigration, whereby immigrants would be obliged to adopt Flemish culture and language...
are in the opposition in the Municipal Council, and together have 11 seats out of 25.
The current Presiding Officer
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
of the Municipal Council is Werner Mertens (CD&V
Christian Democratic and Flemish
The Christian Democratic and Flemish is a political party of Belgium, formerly called Christian People's Party...
).
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Committees
The committees of the Municipal Council perform preparatory work for the meetings of the Municipal Council and discuss issues in advance. Each committee consists of 14 members: 8 of CD&V/N-VA, 3 of VLD, 1 of SP.A, 1 of Groen!Sociaal and 1 of the Vlaams BelangVlaams Belang
Vlaams Belang is a Belgian far-right political party in the Flemish Region and Brussels that advocates the independence of Flanders and strict limits on immigration, whereby immigrants would be obliged to adopt Flemish culture and language...
.
There are currently 4 committees in the Municipal Council of Rotselaar:
- Committee 1: public works, mobility and traffic (Chairman: Wim Oeyen)
- Committee 2: spatial planning, environment and housing (Chairwoman: Hilde Van Laer)
- Committee 3: culture, disabled persons and youth (Chairman: Jules Philipsen)
- Committee 4: finances, sports and education (Chairman: Marcel Van Goolen)
College of Mayor and Aldermen
The current MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Rotselaar is Dirk Claes
Dirk Claes
Dirk Claes is a Belgian politician and a member of the CD&V. He was elected as a member of the Belgian Senate in 2007.-Notes:...
(CD&V). His primary responsibilities as mayor include, but are not limited to: security (police, fire service and mobility), personnel, administration and organisation, festivities, honorary and legal affairs, and tourism. The mayor is assisted by a number of aldermen
Schepen
A schepen is a Dutch word referring to a municipal civic office in Dutch-speaking countries. The term is still in use in Belgium, but it has been replaced by wethouder in the Netherlands. The closest English terms are alderman, member of the municipal executive, councillor and magistrate,...
, who together form the College of Mayor and Aldermen. Rotselaar is entitled to five aldermen because it has between 10,000 and 19,999 inhabitants. The College of Mayor and Aldermen is also sometimes commonly referred to as the College of Aldermen.
| Composition of the College of Mayor and Aldermen | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Function | Name | Party | |
| Mayor | Dirk Claes Dirk Claes Dirk Claes is a Belgian politician and a member of the CD&V. He was elected as a member of the Belgian Senate in 2007.-Notes:... |
CD&V | |
| First Alderman | Dirk Jacobs | CD&V | |
| Second Alderman | Hugo Vandenberghe Hugo Vandenberghe Hugo Vandenberghe , is a Belgian politician and a professor at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven .From 1973 to 1977, Hugo Vandenberghe served as advisor in several cabinets of Minister Leo Tindemans. From 1984 to 1990, he was member of the European Committee on Human Rights in Strasbourg... |
CD&V | |
| Third Alderman | Lucia Wouters | CD&V | |
| Fourth Alderman | Frans De Cat | CD&V | |
| Fifth Alderman | Jan Vanborren | N-VA | |
Education
There are 7 primary schools in Rotselaar. There is also a secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Rotselaar, the Montfortcollege, which has a good reputation in the field of education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
in the region. The Montfortcollege also offers boarding facilities
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
. While many of Rotselaar's youths attend primary schools in Rotselaar itself, most go to secondary schools outside of Rotselaar because the waiting lists for the Montfortcollege are often very long, except for boarding school students. Of the youths who attend secondary schools outside of Rotselaar, most go to school in Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
. The "Hagelandse Academie voor Beeldende Kunst" (Hageland Academy for Visual Arts
Visual arts
The visual arts are art forms that create works which are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, and often modern visual arts and architecture...
) is also located in Rotselaar.
Places of interest
- The keepKeepA keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
"Ter Heide", this unique tower is based on a Greek cross floorplan and was probably built around the year 1350 on order of Gerard vander Heyden, DrossardLanddrostLanddrost was the title of various officials with local jurisdiction. It is of Dutch origin, with land- corresponding to the English meaning of an area, suggesting a somewhat larger jurisdiction than just a village or estate; and drost being a short form of Drossaard, one of many similar titles in...
of BrabantDuchy of BrabantThe 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...
, who rose to the nobilityNobilityNobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
through marriage. The keep, and the moat surrounding it, was meant to stress his prestige. The keep has six floors that are connected by a spiral staircase. The basement floor and the entrance level are roofed with a barrel vaultBarrel vaultA barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...
. The tower was built in brickBrickA brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
on a whitestone base, which is directly in the water. The construction was embellished with sandstoneSandstoneSandstone 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,...
and ironstoneIronstoneIronstone is a sedimentary rock, either deposited directly as a ferruginous sediment or created by chemical repacement, that contains a substantial proportion of an iron compound from which iron either can be or once was smelted commercially. This term is customarily restricted to hard coarsely...
. The keep has been protected as a monumentMonumentA monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
since July 3, 1942 and was thoroughly restored in 1948. The keep "Ter Heide" is no longer open to the public.
- The watermill "Van Doren", this watermillWatermillA watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
was first mentioned in the 12th century and was repeatedly expanded and restored since the 16th century. All these phases were preserved, so the building offers and overview of its archeological and industrialIndustryIndustry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
past. A new turbineTurbineA turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.The simplest turbines have one moving part, a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades, or the blades react to the flow, so that they move and...
has been placed in the mill, so nowadays it can generate electricityElectricityElectricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
once more.
- The Sint-Jan-De-Doperkerk (Saint John the Baptist's Church) in WerchterWerchterWerchter is a small village in Belgium, belonging to the municipality of Rotselaar. It is site of the festival Rock Werchter. The origin of the place name is unknown but it's thought to be a watername.It is the birthplace of painter Cornelius Van Leemputten....
, this church dates back to 1439.
- The Sint-Pieterskerk (Saint Peter's Church) in Rotselaar, a neogothic church in the centre of Rotselaar which was rebuilt in 1846.
- The building of the former breweryBreweryA brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
Mena.
Recreation
The Domain Ter Heide is the main recreational domain in Rotselaar. It is also called, in DutchDutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, "het meer van Rotselaar" or "de Plas van Rotselaar" (the lake of Rotselaar). It is popular among walkers
Pedestrian
A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case...
, cyclists and bird-watchers. Fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
is allowed in the fishing zone domain from June 1 to April 15, between sunrise and sunset. But you have to have a public Flemish
Flemish Region
The Flemish Region is one of the three official regions of the Kingdom of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region. Colloquially, it is usually simply referred to as Flanders, of which it is the institutional iteration within the context of the Belgian political system...
fishing permit, which is available in the post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
.
A variety of other leisure
Leisure
Leisure, or free time, is time spent away from business, work, and domestic chores. It is also the periods of time before or after necessary activities such as eating, sleeping and, where it is compulsory, education....
activities are also possible, such as swimming or sunning. Outside of the swimming season, the domain's swimming zone is open daily from 08:30 to sunset, but during the swimming season it is open from 10:00 to 20:30. You have to pay for entry and swimming is only allowed when lifeguards are present and the green flag is out. The swimming season lasts roughly from the middle of May to the end of August, depending on the weather. The swimming zone is delimited by a ditch and a line of buoys, and swimming is prohibited outside of this zone, among other reasons because there is a surfing zone as well. For reasons of hygiene
Hygiene
Hygiene refers to the set of practices perceived by a community to be associated with the preservation of health and healthy living. While in modern medical sciences there is a set of standards of hygiene recommended for different situations, what is considered hygienic or not can vary between...
, dogs are not allowed during the swimming season in the entire domain, however, from September 1 dogs on a leash
Leash
A leash is a rope or similar material attached to the neck or head of an animal for restraint or control...
are allowed in the domain, but not in the swimming zone.
Windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
is allowed from the Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
holidays to October 15 in the surfing zone, which is separate from the swimming zone for reasons of safety. Ice skating
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
on natural ice is possible as well, though rarely, but it is strictly forbidden to enter the ice unless the municipal government explicitly allows ice skating. If the municipal government allows ice skating, it will publish so in the local press, the "Dorpskrant" (a local newspaper published by the municipal government) and on the website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
of Rotselaar. There is also a nature
Nature
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
zone in the domain, which is off-limits to the public. Other possible activities include, but are not limited to, squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
and beach volleyball
Beach volleyball
Beach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
.
Rock Werchter
Rock Werchter is a music festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
held annually during the first weekend of the summer holidays in Werchter. It was first organised in 1974 and since 2003 the festival lasts four days, and the 2003 and 2005 editions won the Arthur award for the best festival in the world of the International Live Music Conference. It's the largest music festival in 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 one of the largest festivals in Europe. It's even famous over the Belgian borders. Each year, many renowned groups and artists perform at Rock Werchter, and over 320,000 people come to the festival. Originally it was a double-festival, called "Rock Torhout-Werchter", with two festival areas on different places in 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...
: one in Werchter and one in Torhout
Torhout
Torhout is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality only comprises the city of Torhout proper. On January 1, 2008 Torhout had a total population of 19,755...
. There is also a "Rock Werchterroute", a cycling route, around Werchter and Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
, which also organises an annual music festival which is among the most popular in Belgium, Marktrock
Marktrock
Marktrock is a popular crowd-puller music festival held each year around the August 15, in the heart of the university town of Leuven, Belgium.There is also a smaller Marktrock festival in Poperinge which is held the last Saturday of August....
.
International friendship
Bad Gandersheim
Bad Gandersheim is a town in southern Lower Saxony, Germany, located in the district of Northeim. , it had a population 10,572.Bad Gandersheim has many half-timbered houses and is located on the German Framework Road .- Geography :...
, a city in southern Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, located between Hannover and Kassel
Kassel
Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :...
, since 1987. In 1990, a town twinning
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
committee was created for the purpose of furthering the ties between Rotselaar and Bad Gandersheim through visits, exhibitions, language courses and other initiatives. An annual town twinning weekend
Workweek
The workweek and weekend are those complementary parts of the week devoted to labour and rest respectively. The legal working week , or workweek , is the part of the seven-day week devoted to labor. In most Western countries it is Monday to Friday. The weekend comprises the two traditionally...
is organised as well, alternately in Rotselaar and Bad Gandersheim.
Cooperation
Cooperation or co-operation is the process of working or acting together. In its simplest form it involves things working in harmony, side by side, while in its more complicated forms, it can involve something as complex as the inner workings of a human being or even the social patterns of a...
project between Rotselaar and Sal
Sal, Cape Verde
Sal is an island in Cape Verde. It belongs to the northern group of islands, called Barlavento. The island is composed by a single administrative division, the Sal municipality. The island is home to Amílcar Cabral International Airport, the main airport of Cape Verde.- Geography :The island is...
, one of the islands in the archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
of Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
. The island is around 30 km long by 15 km wide, and has roughly the same number of inhabitants as Rotselaar. Sal has 4 habitational centres: Espargos
Espargos
Espargos is the capital city of the island municipality of Sal, Cape Verde and is also in the heart of the island. Espargos means "asparagus" and refers to the wild vegetable asparagus stalk with its bright yellow flowers which grows in sandy areas around the island...
with the main urban and administrative centre and the international airport
Amilcar Cabral International Airport
Amílcar Cabral International Airport , also known as Sal International Airport or Amílcar Cabral Airport, is the principal international airport of Cape Verde. The airport is named after the revolutionary leader Amílcar Cabral....
of Cape Verde, Santa Maria, where tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
and hotels are situated, Pedra de Lume, once the site of salt collection (hence the name of the island, "sal" is Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
for "salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
"), and Palmeira, a fishing village with a port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
.
The request for cooperation came from Sal itself. Basilio Ramos, then Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Sal, sought to establish a link with a municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in the vicinity of Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
. As a former student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
of the K.U.Leuven
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven is a Dutch-speaking university in Flanders, Belgium.It is located at the centre of the historic town of Leuven, and is a prominent part of the city, home to the university since 1425...
he wanted to strengthen the ties with 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...
. This form of cooperation is different from the others. The cooperation with Sal is a form of development cooperation where the accent is on exchange and partnership in the administrative and the professional fields, and in particular on the exchange of experiences in the fields of environment and youth work
Youth work
In the United Kingdom youth work is the process of creating an environment where young people can engage in informal educational activities. Different varieties of youth work include centre-based work, detached work, school-based work and religion based work....
.
In 1989, the municipal government adopted the Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n village of Vrânceni, which is a part of Căiuţi
Caiuti
Căiuţi is a commune in Bacău County, Romania. It is composed of nine villages: Blidari, Boiştea, Căiuţi, Floreşti, Heltiu, Mărceşti, Popeni, Pralea and Vrânceni....
in the eastern county
Counties of Romania
The 41 judeţe and the municipality of Bucharest comprise the official administrative divisions of Romania. They also represent the European Union' s NUTS-3 geocode statistical subdivision scheme of Romania.-Overview:...
of Bacău
Bacau
Bacău is the main city in Bacău County, Romania. It covers a land surface of 43 km², and, as of January 1, 2009, has an estimated population of 177,087. The city is situated in the historical region of Moldavia, at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, and on the Bistriţa River...
, as part of the project "AdoptieDorpen Roemenië" (Adoption Villages Romania). The local action committee organises various activities throughout the year, of which the yields go to the adoption village. Among others, a school building was constructed in Vrânceni with the help of Rotselaar.
Famous persons
Famous persons that were born, lived or died in Rotselaar, Wezemaal or Werchter include, but are not limited to:- Paul BoutsPaul BoutsPaul Bouts was a Belgian phrenologist and pedagogue. Born in the province of Limburg, he was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1926.In the pedagogic environment of the Normal School of Tienen, Belgium, where he taught from 1924, he specialised in characterological studies and devised a new method...
- Jef ScherensJef ScherensJoseph "Jef" Scherens was a Belgian professional track cyclist, specialising in sprint where he won seven World Championships. Scherens was born in Werchter and died in Leuven...
- Herman Schuermans
- Hugo VandenbergheHugo VandenbergheHugo Vandenberghe , is a Belgian politician and a professor at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven .From 1973 to 1977, Hugo Vandenberghe served as advisor in several cabinets of Minister Leo Tindemans. From 1984 to 1990, he was member of the European Committee on Human Rights in Strasbourg...
- Cornelius Van LeemputtenCornelius Van LeemputtenCornelius Van Leemputten was a Belgian painter.Born in Werchter, Cornelius van Leemputten is predominantly known for his landscapes with sheep, similar to the style of Charles Jacque. He began his painting career without formal training. He was well-known for his barnyard subjects...
Further reading on Rotselaar
- Historische aanteekeningen over de heeren en het land van Rotselaar (by Jozef De Ras, 1907)
Historical annotations on the Lords and the Land of Rotselaar
- Een landelijke parochie in de Middeleeuwen: Rotselaar van 1044 tot 1559 (by Bart Minnen, 1991)
A rural parish in the Middle Ages: Rotselaar from 1044 to 1559
- Geschiedenis van de arbeid en de tewerkstelling te Rotselaar (by Gaby Vandecauter, 1989)
History of labour and employment in Rotselaar
- Geschiedenis van Rotselaar-Heikant (by Victor Vanderhoeven, 1974)
History of Rotselaar-Heikant
External links
- Official website of Rotselaar - Only available in DutchDutch languageDutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
- Webpage on the 2006 municipal elections in Rotselaar - Only available in DutchDutch languageDutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
- Rotselaar Wat Denkt U Nu - Idea Box for citizens of Rotselaar - Only available in DutchDutch languageDutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...