Laarne

Laarne
Municipality
Flag of Laarne Flag Coat of arms of Laarne Coat of arms
Laarne Location in Belgium
Location of Laarne in East-Flanders 250x250px
Coordinates:
Country	Belgium
Community	Flemish Community
Region	Flemish Region
Province	East Flanders
Arrondissement	Dendermonde
Government
• Mayor	Ignace De Baerdemaecker (VLD)
• Governing party/ies	VLD, SP.A, VU&ID
Area
• Total	32.07 km2 (12.38 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2013)
• Total	12,290
• Density	380/km2 (990/sq mi)
Postal codes	9270
Area codes	09
Website	www.laarne.be

Laarne (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈlaːrnə]) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East-Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Kalken and Laarne proper. On January 1, 2006, Laarne had a total population of 11,736. The total area is 32.07 km² which gives a population density of 366 inhabitants per km². The current mayor of Laarne is Ignace De Baerdemaecker, from the VLD (Liberal) party.

History

The village lies to the east of Ghent, near a former course of the River the Scheldt and is notable for its castle. The castle dates from the twelfth and later centuries, notably, the seventeenth, and has been sympathetically restored and re-furnished.

The name arises from the Germanic hlaeri which signifies terrain seen as wooded and marshy. It is possible to speculate that the village originated in serving the castle, which in turn, guarded the river approach to Ghent from the sea. In the twelfth century, the river was less remote from the city than it is today. In 1040, Laarne was mentioned as Laren.

The lordship passed by inheritance through the families of Schoutheete, Van Vilsteren and others, finally to the counts of Ribaucourt. The castle is now owned by the Vereniging van Historische Woonsteden van België (the Union of Historic Homesteads of Belgium).

Gallery

• Laarne, de Sint Machariuskerk oeg56154 foto2 2013-05-06 17.55.jpg

  Laarne, Church: Sint-Machariuskerk

• Laarne, kasteel van Laarne oeg54439 foto8 2013-05-07 09.21.jpg

  Laarne, Castle

• Kalken, de parochiekerk Sint Denijs oeg58141 foto2 2013-05-06 17.23.jpg

  Kalken, church: Sint-Denijskerk

External links

• Media related to at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website - Only available in Dutch