Reningelst | |
---|---|
Country | Belgium |
Province | West Flanders |
Municipality | Poperinge |
Area | |
• Total | 15.20 km2 (5.87 sq mi) |
Population (2008) | |
• Total | 1,405 |
• Density | 92.4/km2 (239/sq mi) |
Source: NIS | |
Postal code | 8970 |
Reningelst is a rural village in the Belgian province of West Flanders, and a "deelgemeente" of the municipality Poperinge. The village has about 1405 inhabitants.
The deelgemeente of De Klijte used to be a part of Reningelst (then independent, now part of Heuvelland). De Klijte split from Reningelst in 1976 and is now part of the Heuvelland municipality.
Reningelst is host to several major cycling races each year. Reningelst calls itself a wielerdorp. Every year during the kermisweek a number of major cycling races happen here. The Eight of Reningelst owes its name to an 8-shaped trail in and around the village.
Probably the most popular tourist site is the Catholic village church, the St. Vedastuskerk. In the year 1568 three priests of Reningelst were murdered here because of the religious persecution during that period. The church was burned down in 1623 by Ypres Geuzen and was rebuilt to it current, Gothic architecture circa 1623. However, it was again destroyed during the First World War (1914–1918) and again repaired. Although it was the town center during these perilous times, was never occupied by the German army. Today, still, much of the wooden interior of the church is of important historical value.
The village used to have a castle that was built around 1100. On September 6, 1793 the fortified castle was completely burnt down, on the orders of General Van Damme. A double railway was constructed where the castle stood (now a meadow) during the First World War. Reningelst was a stopover for many soldiers on their way to or from the front. After the war, several military cemeteries were built across the Westhoek, as well as in Reningelst. There is the Grootebeek British Cemetery, the Reninghelst Churchyard Cemetery next to the civil cemetery around the church. The Reninghelst New Military Cemetery includes those from the Chinese Labour Corps. There is also a Memorial for the military and civilian victims of World War I and World War II from Reningelst.
In the former village hall, the history of Reningelst appears on a stained-glass window.
Until the 1960s a brewery on the village square brewed Roökop (translated from Flemish: Red Head). The beer has now gone, but the brewery still stands (though part of it in ruins), now as the local cultural centre, also called Rookop. The Rookop cultural centre houses many local sports and hobby clubs. Local theatre groups sometimes play there. Since 2006 it is also the location for the annual "Troost van Schoonheid" (Comfort of Beauty) one-day music and poetry festival.
There are two bed-and-breakfasts in the village centre.
The village currently has a primary school, spread over two locations: one in the Pastoorstraat, and one in the Baljuwstraat.
Reningelst also has a forward Firefighter station. This item is part of firefighters Great Poperinge. The Firefighter station is composed of 19 officers and troops.
West Flanders is the westernmost province of the Flemish Region, in Belgium. It is the only coastal Belgian province, facing the North Sea to the northwest. It has land borders with the Dutch province of Zeeland to the northeast, the Flemish province of East Flanders to the east, the Walloon province of Hainaut in the southeast and the French department of Nord to the west. Its capital is Bruges (Brugge). Other important cities are Kortrijk in the south and Ostend (Oostende) on the coast, Roeselare and Ypres (Ieper). The province has an area of 3,197 km2 (1,234 sq mi) which is divided into eight administrative districts (arrondissementen) containing 64 municipalities. As of January 2019, West Flanders has a population of 1,195,796.
Heuvelland is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of Dranouter, Kemmel, De Klijte, Loker, Nieuwkerke, Westouter, Wijtschate and Wulvergem. Heuvelland is a thinly populated rural municipality, located between the small urban centres of Ypres and Poperinge and the metropolitan area of Kortrijk-Lille along the E17. On 1 January 2006 Heuvelland had a total population of 8,217. The total area is 94.24 km² which gives a population density of 87 inhabitants per km². The name heuvelland is Dutch meaning "hill country", as the municipality is characterized by the different hills on its territory.
Poperinge is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders, Flemish Region, and has a history going back to medieval times. The municipality comprises the city of Poperinge proper and surrounding villages. The area is famous for its hops and lace.
Zonnebeke is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of Beselare, Gheluvelt, 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.
Abele is a small village or hamlet in the city of Poperinge, in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The village is located on the territory of Poperinge proper and its "deelgemeente" Watou, but is also partly located on French territory. Abele has about 600 inhabitants, of whom about 100 are French. The main street coincides with the border between Belgium and France, so houses located on different sides of the street are located in a different country.
Gent–Wevelgem, officially Gent–Wevelgem – In Flanders Fields, is a road cycling race in Belgium, held annually since 1934. It is one of the classic races part of the Flemish Cycling Week, run in late March on the last Sunday before the Tour of Flanders.
The Ypres Salient around Ypres in Belgium was the scene of several battles and an extremely important part of the Western front during the First World War.
Roesbrugge-Haringe is a place in the Belgian province of West Flanders. It is a part of the municipality of Poperinge. Roesbrugge-Haringe consists of two small rural villages, Roesbrugge and Haringe, located in the north western region of Poperinge. Roesbrugge, the largest of both villages, is located along the Yser river. Haringe is located one kilometer to the south west of Roesbrugge, close to the French border.
Roesbrugge is a small rural village in the Belgian province of West Flanders. Roesbrugge is the larger of two villages that make up the "deelgemeente" Roesbrugge-Haringe in the municipality of Poperinge. Roesbrugge is located in the northwestern part of Poperinge and in the northern part of Roesbrugge-Haringe. The town center is located along the Yser river. An old branch of this river, the Dode IJzer makes up the northern border of the town center. The built-up area extends across the Dode IJzer into the hamlet Beveren-Kalsijde, a settlement on the territory of Beveren-aan-de-IJzer in the municipality of Alveringem. The small village of Haringe is located one kilometer to the southwest of Roesbrugge; both make up the deelgemeente Roesbrugge-Haringe.
Loker is a small village in the Belgian province of West Flanders, and a part ("deelgemeente") of the municipality of Heuvelland.
Zandvoorde is a village in the Belgian province of West Flanders and a part (deelgemeente) of the municipality of Zonnebeke. Zandvoorde is a rural village, in the rolling landscape of the southern part of the province.
Watou is a village in the Belgian province of West Flanders and a district of the town of Poperinge. The village has a population of 1,900. It lies on the border with France. The hamlet Abele is part of Watou. Poperinge is situated on the border with the hamlet of Sint-Jan-ter-Biezen.
Kemmelberg is a hill formation in Flanders, Belgium. It is located less than a kilometer from the village of Kemmel, part of the municipality of Heuvelland in West Flanders.
De Klijte is a village in the municipality of Heuvelland in West Flanders, Belgium. Before the 1977 Belgian municipal reforms, De Klijte was part of the municipality Reningelst. Reningelst proper joined Poperinge, but De Klijte joined the new municipality Heuvelland.
Dranouter is a village and a deelgemeente in the municipality of Heuvelland in West Flanders, Belgium. Dranouter was an independent municipality before the 1977 local government reforms. Since then, it has been part of the municipality of Heuvelland. The area of the deelgemeente Dranouter is 10.73 km². The Dranouter Folk Festival is organised in the village every year. The postal code is 8951.
Groot-Bijgaarden or Grand-Bigard is a village and deelgemeente in the municipality of Dilbeek, a suburb of Brussels, in Flanders, Belgium.
Vlamertinge is a village in the Belgian province of West Flanders and a borough of the city of Ypres. The village center of Vlamertinge lies just outside the city center of Ypres, along the main road N38 to the nearby town of Poperinge.
Woesten is a rural Belgian village in the Vleteren municipality of West Flanders province. The town is close to the city of Ypres. The centre of the city is located on a road junction of the N8 between Ypres and Veurne and the Poperingestraat to Poperinge.
Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) burial ground for the dead of the First World War in the Ypres Salient on the Western Front. After Tyne Cot, it is the second largest cemetery for Commonwealth forces in Belgium. Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery is located near Poperinge in the province of West Flanders. Most of those buried in the cemetery are war casualties who had been wounded near Ypres and later died in the four large Allied casualty clearing stations located in this area.
Grootebeek British Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) burial ground for the dead of the Western Front of the First and Second World War. It is located near Reningelst in the municipality of Poperinge in western Belgium. The cemetery is surrounded by farmland and can only be reached via a 100-metre grassed path which is not suitable for vehicles.