Houthalen-Helchteren

Infobox Belgium Municipality
name=Houthalen-Helchteren
picture=
picture-



map-

arms=Houthalen-Helchterenwapen.jpg

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region=BE-REG-FLE
community=BE-NL
province=BE-PROV-LI
arrondissement=Maaseik
nis=72039
pyramid-date=
0-19=
20-64=
65=
foreigners=
foreigners-date=
mayor=Alain IJzermans (sp.a)
majority=sp.a, CD&V
postal-codes=3530
telephone-area=011, 089
web= [http://www.houthalen-helchteren.be/ www.houthalen-helchteren.be]
lat_deg=51
lat_min=02
lon_deg=05
lon_min=23

Houthalen-Helchteren is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1 2006 Houthalen-Helchteren had a total population of 29,945. The total area is 78.27 km² which gives a population density of 383 inhabitants per km².

Geographical position of Helchteren

Helchteren is located near the watershed between the Meuse and the Scheldt. In the immediate vicinity the Dommel (which flows to the Meuse near Den Bosch), the Grote Nete (which flows to the Scheldt) and the Neer (that joins the Meuse just south of Roermond) all originate.

History of Helchteren

Helchteren could have become famous in 1702 when, during the War of the Spanish Succession, a French Army under Boufflers faced an alliance army under Marlborough. A battle could have ensued, but instead it came to the not so famous cannonade of Helchteren. The cannonade itself is however a seldom occurring event in military history.

Notable people

* Ingrid Daubechies (born in Houthalen on 17 August, 1954) physicist and mathematician.

External links

* [http://www.houthalen-helchteren.be Official website ] - Information available in Dutch and limited information available in English.
* [http://www.spanishsuccession.nl/helchteren.html Helchteren at the Spanish Succession] - Information about the cannonade at Helchteren in 1702.
* [http://www.digam.net Digital Archive Marburg] - Maps of the cannonade at Helchteren in 1702.