Zonnebeke
Encyclopedia
Zonnebeke is a municipality
located in the Belgian
province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of Beselare, Geluveld, Passendale
, Zandvoorde
and Zonnebeke proper. On January 1, 2006 Zonnebeke had a total population of 11,758. The total area is 67.57 km² which gives a population density
of 174 inhabitants per km².
and its associated Benedictine
convent
in Nonnebosschen. Both were destroyed during the iconoclastic outbreak in 1580. Only the abbey was rebuilt, but was looted during the French
occupation the abbey was confiscated. Passendale played a role in the Battle of Westrozebeke in 1382.
Situated in the centre of the Ypres Salient
, World War I
destroyed the whole area. Left abandoned until the early 1920s, people slowly returned and rebuilt the villages. In 1932, the locals opened a cheese making facility, which to this day is the only source of Passendale cheese
.
Another battle during World War II
during the Allied advance across Europe, where Passendale was used in a defensive operations by the Nazis, did little damage.
, small business and work in the neighbouring towns. Its major industry is the brickworks
in the village of Zonnebeke itself, which extracts the local blue clay.
and Zandvoorde
. All are "deelgemeente
s", meaning they were independent municipalities before the merger in the 1970s.
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 West Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of Beselare, Geluveld, Passendale
Passendale
Passendale or Passchendaele is a rural Belgian village in the Zonnebeke municipality of West Flanders province...
, Zandvoorde
Zandvoorde (Zonnebeke)
Zandvoorde is a village in the Belgian province of West Flanders and a part of the municipality of Zonnebeke. Zandvoorde is a rural village, in the rolling landscape of the southern part of the province.-History:...
and Zonnebeke proper. On January 1, 2006 Zonnebeke had a total population of 11,758. The total area is 67.57 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 174 inhabitants per km².
History
The villages of Zonnebeke congregated around a large Augustinian abbeyAbbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
and its associated Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
in Nonnebosschen. Both were destroyed during the iconoclastic outbreak in 1580. Only the abbey was rebuilt, but was looted during the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
occupation the abbey was confiscated. Passendale played a role in the Battle of Westrozebeke in 1382.
Situated in the centre of the Ypres Salient
Ypres Salient
The Ypres Salient is the area around Ypres in Belgium which was the scene of some of the biggest battles in World War I.In military terms, a salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. Therefore, the salient is surrounded by the enemy on three sides, making the troops...
, World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
destroyed the whole area. Left abandoned until the early 1920s, people slowly returned and rebuilt the villages. In 1932, the locals opened a cheese making facility, which to this day is the only source of Passendale cheese
Passendale cheese
Passendale cheese, named for Passendale, the village where it originated, is one of the best-known cheeses in Belgium. The regular Passendale cheese exists in two variations called Passendale Classic and Passendale Prelude. And next to the regular Passendale, there is a quality version called...
.
Another battle during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
during the Allied advance across Europe, where Passendale was used in a defensive operations by the Nazis, did little damage.
Present day
Today, Zonnebeke has returned to its long-time balance between agricultureAgriculture
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...
, small business and work in the neighbouring towns. Its major industry is the brickworks
Brickworks
A brickworks also known as a brick factory, is a factory for the manufacturing of bricks, from clay or shale. Usually a brickworks is located on a clay bedrock often with a quarry for clay on site....
in the village of Zonnebeke itself, which extracts the local blue clay.
Towns
The municipality comprises the villages of Zonnebeke proper, Beselare, Geluveld, PassendalePassendale
Passendale or Passchendaele is a rural Belgian village in the Zonnebeke municipality of West Flanders province...
and Zandvoorde
Zandvoorde (Zonnebeke)
Zandvoorde is a village in the Belgian province of West Flanders and a part of the municipality of Zonnebeke. Zandvoorde is a rural village, in the rolling landscape of the southern part of the province.-History:...
. All are "deelgemeente
Deelgemeente
A deelgemeente is a subdivision of a gemeente in Belgium and the Netherlands.-Belgium:...
s", meaning they were independent municipalities before the merger in the 1970s.
| # | Name | Area (km²) | Population (31/12/2006) |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Zonnebeke | 16,55 | 4.454 |
| II | Beselare | 14,33 | 2.529 |
| III | Geluveld | 7,79 | 1.501 |
| IV | Passendale Passendale Passendale or Passchendaele is a rural Belgian village in the Zonnebeke municipality of West Flanders province... |
22,22 | 2.953 |
| V | Zandvoorde Zandvoorde (Zonnebeke) Zandvoorde is a village in the Belgian province of West Flanders and a part of the municipality of Zonnebeke. Zandvoorde is a rural village, in the rolling landscape of the southern part of the province.-History:... |
6,68 | 471 |
Map
The municipality of Zonnebeke borders the following towns and municipalities:- a. MoorsledeMoorsledeMoorslede is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Dadizele and Moorslede proper. On 1 January 2006, Moorslede had a total population of 10,618...
(municipality Moorslede) with village Slypskapelle - b. Dadizele (municipality Moorslede)
- c. GeluweGeluweGeluwe is a town in the West Flanders province of Belgium. It is contained within the municipality of Wervik. The town is known for the "yawning festival" ....
(municipality Wervik) - d. WervikWervikWervik is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Wervik and the town of Geluwe. On January 1, 2006 Wervik had a total population of 17,607. The total area is 43.61 km² which gives a population density of 404 inhabitants per km²....
(municipality Wervik) with village Kruiseke - e. Comines (municipality Comines-WarnetonComines-WarnetonComines-Warneton is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006, Comines-Warneton had a total population of 17,562. The total area is 61.09 km² which gives a population density of 287 inhabitants per km². The name "Comines" is believed to have a...
) with village Ten Brielen - f. Houthem (municipality Comines-Warneton)
- g. HollebekeHollebekeHollebeke is a Flemish village in the Belgian province of West Vlaanderen, now part of Ypres city.-History:In World War I, it was the site of allied heroism that won Khudadad Khan the first Victoria Cross ever awarded to a native Indian.In 1970 it was incorporated in Zillebeke, which in turn...
(municipality Ieper) - h. ZillebekeZillebekeZillebeke is a village in the Flemish province of West-Vlaanderen in Belgium. The former municipality is now part of Ypres.-History:On March 3, 1914 the then municipality was granted the arms are those of the last Lords of Zillebeke, the Canton family, Viscounts of Winnezeele, which had in 1740...
(municipality Ieper) - i. Ieper (municipality Ieper)
- j. LangemarkLangemarkThe German war cemetery of Langemark is near the village of Langemark, part of the municipality of Langemark-Poelkapelle, in the Belgian province of West Flanders. More than 44,000 soldiers are buried here...
(municipality Langemark-Poelkapelle) - k. Poelkapelle (municipality Langemark-Poelkapelle)
- l. WestrozebekeWestrozebekeWestrozebeke is a village in the Belgian province of West-Flanders. It is part of the municipality of Staden. It is located 6 miles west of Roeselare and 9.5 miles north-east of Ypres. It's a typical agricultural village with lots of farms....
(municipality Staden) - m. OostnieuwkerkeOostnieuwkerkeOostnieuwkerke is a Belgian village in the province of West-Flanders. It is part of the municipality of Staden. There are more than 3400 inhabitants and Oostnieuwkerke lies closer to the town Roeselare then it is to the main village Staden...
(municipality Staden) - n. RoeselareRoeselareRoeselare is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Roeselare proper and the towns of Beveren, Oekene and Rumbeke....
(municipality Roeselare)
External links
- Official website - Information 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...
and limited information available in EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and GermanGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....