- Rotselaar
Infobox Belgium Municipality
name=Rotselaar
map-Flemish Brabant
arms=Wapenschild_Rotselaar.jpg
region=BE-REG-FLE
community=BE-NL
province=BE-PROV-VB
arrondissement=Leuven
nis=24094
pyramid-date=01/06/2005
0-19=23.77
20-64=60.09
65=16.15
foreigners=1.93
foreigners-date=01/07/2005
mayor=Dirk Claes (CD&V )
majority=CD&V ,N-VA
postal-codes=3110, 3111, 3118
telephone-area=016
web= [http://www.rotselaar.be/ www.rotselaar.be]
lat_deg=50
lat_min=57
lon_deg=04
lon_min=43Rotselaar is a
municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish-Brabant, near the convergence of theDemer and theDijle . SinceJanuary 1 ,1977 the municipality comprises the towns of Rotselaar proper,Werchter andWezemaal . OnJanuary 1 ,2006 Rotselaar had a total population of 15,068. The total area is 37.57 km² which gives apopulation density of 401 inhabitants per km².Geography
Rotselaar is located at the convergence of two rivers, the
Demer and theDijle , which in turn have theWinge and theLosting as tributaries, and theLaak River forms the border betweenWerchter andTremelo to the north. It's also located at the junction of threegeographical areas. In rough terms,Werchter to the north of theDemer is a part of the South Campine, Wezemaal and Rotselaar Heikant of theHageland , whereas Rotselaar-Centre to the west of theDijle is a part ofBinnen-Vlaanderen (Inner Flanders), which is also known asDijleland . [cite web
url=http://www.rotselaar.be/Index.aspx?SGREF=3973
title=Rotselaar Geografisch
publisher=The Municipality of Rotselaar
accessdate=2007-07-05
language=Dutch]History
Rotselaar and
Wezemaal were first mentioned in written accounts in 1044. Only a century later, between 1138 and 1152,Werchter appears in historical documents.In the 12th century, Rotselaar and Wezemaal were ruled by the
Duke of Brabant , whereas the Counts ofAarschot and the House of the Berthouts controlled Werchter. From about 1170,vassals of theDuke of Brabant settled at Wezemaal and Rotselaar. In the course of the13th century , these vassals rose to thenobility and started to "rule" thefiefdoms of Rotselaar and Wezemaal as lords. In the 14th century, the Lords of Wezemaal and Rotselaar managed to detract Werchter (andHaacht ) 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 theBarony of Rotselaar. The Barony of Rotselaar passed into the hands of the powerfulHouse of Croÿ in 1516, to be added to theMargraviate ofAarschot , 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 theIndustrial 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.Logo
This is the official
logo of themunicipality of Rotselaar used by themunicipal government . This is the meaning of the logo: thekeep "Ter Heide" is the symbol for thecultural heritage of Rotselaar, the field tracks symbolise therural aspects of the municipality and theagriculture , the blue river is the symbol for the three rivers of Rotselaar, theDemer , theDijle and theWinge , and the lake, the green represents thenatural environment andnature reserves of Rotselaar, theplantations and the hills covered with forests, and last but not least, the sun gives Rotselaar blossomingvineyards and refers to therecreational facilities and activities in Rotselaar. [cite web
url=http://www.rotselaar.be/Index.aspx?SGREF=3954
title=Logo
publisher=The Municipality of Rotselaar
accessdate=2007-07-05
language=Dutch]Terminology
Origin of the names Rotselaar, Wezemaal en Werchter
The origin of the
placename s 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 Germanic name.Wezemaal is believed to come from "Wis" and "male" (a depression), andWerchter is thought to be a watername, but the meaning of the name is unknown.cite web
url=http://www.rotselaar.be/Index.aspx?SGREF=3955
title=Geschiedenis
publisher=The Municipality of Rotselaar
accessdate=2007-07-05
language=Dutch]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".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
municipality of Rotselaar as it exists since the merger of municipalities that came into effect onJanuary 1 ,1977 and reduced the number of autonomous municipalities inBelgium to 589. If used in this sense, the name "Rotselaar" includesWezemaal andWerchter . 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 asHaacht andWakkerzeel . 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.
Local Government
Municipal Council
The Municipal Council is a
unicameral body composed of 25councillor s, including themayor and aldermen. The councillors areelected directly by thevoters in the municipality. The Municipal Council is renewed entirely every six years. The last municipal election took place on SundayOctober 8 ,2006 . The councillors elected in those elections took office onJanuary 1 ,2007 , and their term will end in 2013. The municipal elections ofOctober 8 ,2006 were the first municipal and provincial elections inBelgium since the transfer of the competence with regards to themunicipalities andprovinces from the Federal Government to the Regions onJune 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 thebudget and theaccounts 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. Themayor is nominated by the majority and appointed by theFlemish Government . The Council meets once per month. SinceJanuary 1 ,2007 the majority consists of CD&V/N-VA, which is by far the largest party with 14 seats out of 25 (anabsolute majority ) in the Municipal Council.VLD ,SP.A ,Groen! andVlaams 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).
Demographics
Education
There are 7
primary school s in Rotselaar. [cite web
url=http://www.rotselaar.be/Index.aspx?SGREF=3079&CREF=3815
title=Basisonderwijs
publisher=The Municipality of Rotselaar
accessdate=2007-07-05
language=Dutch] There is also asecondary school in Rotselaar, the Montfortcollege, which has a good reputation in the field ofeducation in the region. The Montfortcollege also offers boarding facilities. [cite web
url=http://www.rotselaar.be/Index.aspx?SGREF=3079&CREF=3825
title=Middelbaar onderwijs
publisher=The Municipality of Rotselaar
accessdate=2007-07-05
language=Dutch] 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 inLeuven . The "Hagelandse Academie voor Beeldende Kunst" (Hageland Academy forVisual Arts ) is also located in Rotselaar. [cite web
url=http://www.rotselaar.be/Index.aspx?SGREF=3077
title=Hagelandse Academie
publisher=The Municipality of Rotselaar
accessdate=2007-07-05
language=Dutch]Places of interest
* The
keep "Ter Heide", this unique tower is based on aGreek cross floorplan and was probably built around the year1350 on order of Gerard vander Heyden, Drossard of Brabant, who rose to thenobility 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 abarrel vault . The tower was built inbrick on a whitestone base, which is directly in the water. The construction was embellished withsandstone andironstone . The keep has been protected as amonument sinceJuly 3 ,1942 and was thoroughly restored in 1948. The keep "Ter Heide" is no longer open to the public.* The watermill "Van Doren", this
watermill 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 itsarcheological and industrial past. A newturbine has been placed in the mill, so nowadays it can generateelectricity once more.* The Sint-Jan-De-Doperkerk (Saint John the Baptist's Church) in
Werchter , 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
brewery Mena.Recreation
The Domain Ter Heide is the main
recreational domain in Rotselaar. It is also called, in Dutch, "het meer van Rotselaar" or "de Plas van Rotselaar" (the lake of Rotselaar). It is popular amongwalkers ,cyclists andbird-watcher s.Fishing is allowed in the fishing zone domain fromJune 1 toApril 15 , between sunrise and sunset. But you have to have a public Flemish fishing permit, which is available in thepost office . [cite web
url=http://www.rotselaar.be/Index.aspx?SGREF=4273
title=Recreatie
publisher=The Municipality of Rotselaar
accessdate=2007-07-05
language=Dutch]A variety of other
leisure activities are also possible, such asswimming 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 whenlifeguards 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 ofbuoys , and swimming is prohibited outside of this zone, among other reasons because there is a surfing zone as well. For reasons ofhygiene , dogs are not allowed during the swimming season in the entire domain, however, fromSeptember 1 dogs on aleash are allowed in the domain, but not in the swimming zone.Surfing is allowed from theEaster holidays toOctober 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 thewebsite of Rotselaar. There is also anature zone in the domain, which is off-limits to the public. Other possible activities include, but are not limited to, squash andbeach volleyball .Rock Werchter
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 theInternational Live Music Conference . It's the largest music festival inBelgium 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 inBelgium : one in Werchter and one inTorhout . There is also a "Rock Werchterroute", a cycling route, around Werchter andLeuven , which also organises an annual music festival which is among the most popular in Belgium,Marktrock .International friendship
Rotselaar maintains
sister city relationships withBad Gandersheim , a city in southernLower Saxony ,Germany , located betweenHannover andKassel , since 1987. In 1990, atown twinning committee was created for the purpose of furthering the ties between Rotselaar and Bad Gandersheim through visits, s, language courses and other initiatives. An annual town twinningweekend is organised as well, alternately in Rotselaar and Bad Gandersheim.cite web
url=http://www.rotselaar.be/Index.aspx?SGREF=3658
title=Buiten onze grenzen
publisher=The Municipality of Rotselaar
accessdate=2007-07-05
language=Dutch]There has been a
cooperation project between Rotselaar and Sal, one of theislands in thearchipelago ofCape Verde . The island is around 30 km long by 15 km wide, and has roughly the same number ofinhabitants as Rotselaar. Sal has 4 habitational centres:Espargos with the main urban and administrative centre and the international airport of Cape Verde, Santa Maria, wheretourism andhotels 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 aport .The request for cooperation came from Sal itself. Basilio Ramos, then
Mayor of Sal, sought to establish a link with amunicipality in the vicinity ofLeuven . As a formerstudent of the K.U.Leuven he wanted to strengthen the ties withBelgium . 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 andyouth work .In 1989, the
municipal government adopted theRomania n village ofVrânceni , which is a part ofCăiuţi in the eastern county ofBacău , 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 Bouts
*Jef Scherens
*Herman Schueremans
*Hugo Vandenberghe
*Cornelius Van Leemputten 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"Notes
# Most of the information in this article comes from the official website of Rotselaar.
References
ee also
*
Werchter
*Rock Werchter External links
* [http://www.rotselaar.be Official website of Rotselaar ] - Only available in Dutch
* [http://www.rotselaar.com Commercial website of Rotselaar ] - Only available in Dutch
* [http://www.vrtnieuws.net/nieuwsnet_master/versie2/v2006/details/nnII_v2006_VlaamsBrabant_Rotselaar_gemeente/index.shtml Webpage on the 2006 municipal elections in Rotselaar] - Only available in Dutch
* [http://www.montfort.be/ Website of the Montfort College] - Only available in Dutch
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