Kessel, Belgium

"This article is about the town of Kessel, Belgium. For other uses, see Kessel (disambiguation)."

Kessel (Pronunciation|141 Kessel.ogg) is a town in the Province of Antwerp in Belgium. In 2003, the town counted 7005 inhabitants. Although officially part of a larger town, Nijlen, Kessel is very famous on itself for its many touristic attractions, such as Vredenhof (a huge flower garden) and Kesselse Heide (a nature park).

Kessel lies between two rivers: the Kleine Nete in the north and the Grote Nete in the south. It has borders with Emblem, Nijlen, Bevel, Berlaar and Lier. The town itself is divided into two parts, Kessel-Dorp and Kessel-Station, which causes some rivalry if the two football teams meet.

The name Kessel comes from the Latin word Castellum (fortress), indicating that Kessel might have been the location for an old Roman camp. In 1912, another Fortress was build, in order to withstand a German invasion. During World War I, German artillery fire from Berlaar made the fort useless, though it still stands until this day and was given the status of Protected Monument by the Belgian gouvernement.