Nivelles Totally Explained

Everything about Nivelles totally explained

Nivelles (Dutch: Nijvel) is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. The Nivelles municipality includes the old communes of Baulers, Bornival, Thines, and Monstreux.
The Nivelles district includes all the municipalities in Walloon Brabant.

History

Saint Gertrude

Starting in 4000 BC, the Nivelles was gradually turned into agricultural land by the Danubian settlers. Most of their ancestral Rubanean civilization was unfortunately savagely destroyed by the Roman invaders during the first century AD. In their turn, most of the Roman constructions, including villas, were destroyed during the Germanic invasions of the 3rd century.
In the 7th century, the territory was part of the Austrasian Frankish kingdom, and the Mayor of the Palace, Pippin of Landen, rebuilt a villa here which covered more than 78 km². After Pippin’s death in 640, the bishop of Maastricht, the future Saint Amand, urged Pippin’s widow, Itta, to found an abbey in their villa. Itta’s daughter, Gertrude, became the monastery’s first abbess and was venerated as a saint upon her death. The growing influx of pilgrims necessitated the construction of ever-bigger churches, which culminated in the huge Romanesque structure that we can still admire today. The dedication of the church took place in 1046 in the presence of Wazo, Prince-Bishop of Liège, and Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor. This was the golden age of the Nivelles monastery, that now owned territories as far as Friesland, the Moselle and the Rhine.

13th century to 1830

In the 13th century, the city that grew around the church became part of the Duchy of Brabant. The population was mostly made up of artisans and guild members, who didn't hesitate to fight the abbesses and the dukes to obtain their rights. These rights were finally granted by Joanna, Duchess of Brabant in the 14th century. In 1647, an important uprising by the thread manufacturers resulted in many of the city’s entrepreneurs leaving for France, leading to the city’s economic decline. The wars of the 17th century between France and the Spanish Netherlands made the situation worse as Nivelles went through successive sieges and military occupations. The Austrian and French regimes of the 18th century brought religious and administrative reforms to the city.

1830 until now

In 1830, Nivelles was one of the first cities to send patriotic troops to Brussels to fight in the Belgian Revolution. The following years were marked by the growth of heavy industry, including metallurgy and railway construction. World War I brought some damage to the city. World War II, however, was a lot worse: on May 14, 1940, the entire city centre was destroyed, leaving only the walls of the collegiate church standing. The rebuilding of the church was completed in 1984.

Main sights

The collegiate church of Saint Gertrude, patron saint of the city, dates from the 11th to the 13th century and is one of the best examples of Romanesque style in Belgium. It has been classified as one of Europe’s major heritage sites. Tombs from the Merovingian (7th century) and Carolingian (9th century) periods have been found under the church. The Romanesque crypt is one of the largest of its kind in Europe.
The two-meter-tall statue that strikes the hours in one of the towers (French: jacquemart) is affectionately known as “Jean de Nivelles”. Jean dates from around 1400.
The Recollets convent and its church date from the 16th century.
Nivelles also has an archaeological museum, which complements the visit at Saint Gertrude.
The ‘’Dodaine’’ park provides a welcome green space in the heart of the city.

Folklore

Like Ath, Nivelles boasts a collection of giant puppets, one of which, Goliath, dates from 1365. The Goliath family (husband, wife and son) is usually accompanied by an odd collection of giant animals, including a lion, a camel, a unicorn, and a dragon.

Originating from the 13th century, the well-attended Saint-Gertrude religious procession takes place annually.

The carnival is more recent (19th century) and takes place in mid-March. Like in Binche, the Nivelles carnival includes the famous Gilles.

The city’s gastronomic specialty is the tarte al d’jote, a kind of quiche that includes lots of local cheese, onions, greens, eggs and butter.

Nivelles is also known for its 49-bell carillon and its four named canons.

Famous inhabitants

Pippin of Landen, Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia under the Merovingian Kings (7th century)

Gertrude of Nivelles, Pippin’s daughter and abbess of the Nivelles monastery (626-659)

Johann Tserclaes, Holy Roman Empire general in the Thirty Years' War (1559-1632)

Louis-Joseph Seutin, doctor and surgeon (1793-1862)

Jules Louis Guillery, lawyer and politician (1824-1902)

Henri Delmotte, novelist (1822-1884)

Didier Theys, car racer (b. 1956)

Sports

In 1972 and 1974, the Belgian Grand Prix of Formula 1 was hosted at the circuit Nivelles-Baulers. Emerson Fittipaldi won the race both times. Today, the circuit has been reconverted into an industrial zone.
On september 2007 Nivelles is going to host the VII European Handball Championship of Ballpelote, International fronton and International game.

Twin city

: SaintesFurther Information

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