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Geraardsbergen (inhabited place) |
Coordinates: |
| Lat: 50 46 24 N degrees minutes |
Lat: 50.7734 decimal degrees |
| Long: 003 52 56 E degrees minutes |
Long: 3.8822 decimal degrees |
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Note: The town of Geraardsbergen is situated between the Dender River and the steep Oudenberg Hill at the junction of the Belgian provinces of Brabant, Henegouwen and Oost-Vlaanderen. Count Boudewijn VI of Flanders, who granted it the famous town charter of 1068, known as the Magna Carta of Flanders, founded it in 1067-1070. In 1381 it was nearly totally destroyed by Walter van Edingen, but in 1399 was completely rebuilt at the order of Philip The Bold, Duke of Burgundy. The scene of much warfare and looting over the centuries, from 1748 on the town successively came under Austrian, French and Dutch governance. Known for its Gothic architecture, the town features the Prelaatskwartier (Abbots Home) of the Sint-Adriaan Abbey dating from 1506, the Marbol, a 1475 octagonal Gothic fountain, and the Baroque sculpture of Saint Bartholomew, attributed to Grupello, in the Town Hall. The Hall, originally dating from the 12th century has been devastated and rebuilt several times, lastly in 1891-1896. Industrially, the second half of the 19th century saw the rapid development of match, textile, and cigar production. The 2003 population was estimated at about 31,000. |
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Flanders (region (administrative division)) (P) |
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| inhabited place (preferred, C) |
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chartered in 1068 |
| town (C) |
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