Gembloers

Geschiedenis

Gembloux is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur, on the axis Brussels–NamurOn 1 January 2006 the municipality had 21,964 inhabitants. The total area is 95.86 km², yielding a population density of 229 inhabitants per km². The mayor, who was elected on 8 October 2006, is Benoît Dispa.This city is well known for its Agricultural University and for its cutlery. The university is housed in the historical Abbey of Gembloux, which dates from the tenth century.Gembloux's belfry belongs to the set of belfries of Belgium and France inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2005.HistoryThe town grew around the Gembloux Abbey, founded in the tenth century. In the vicinity of the town, in 1578, the Battle of Gembloux was fought during the Eighty Years' War. In May 1940 the Battle of Hannut and the Battle of the Gembloux Gap took place nearby, tank battles during the larger Battle of France.SectionsGembloux is composed by the sections of Gembloux, Beuzet, Bossière, Bothey, Corroy-le-Château, Ernage, Grand-Leez, Grand-Manil, Isnes, Lonzée, Mazy & Sauvenière.