Zegelsem

Zegelsem is a village in the municipality of Brakel in the province of East Flanders, Belgium. Zegelsem is an agricultural community in the Flemish Ardennes. It is located about 26 kilometres (16 mi) south of Ghent.^[2]

Zegelsem
Village
View on Zegelsem
Zegelsem Location in Belgium
Coordinates: 50.8200°N 3.7175°E / 50.8200; 3.7175
Country	Belgium
Region	Flemish Region
Province	East Flanders
Municipality	Brakel
Area [1]
• Total	9.07 km2 (3.50 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[1]
• Total	946
• Density	100/km2 (270/sq mi)
Time zone	CET
Website	zegelsem.be

Overview

Zegelsem is a part of the hilly landscape of the Flemish Ardennes. The hills are cut by several brooks, the most important being the Perlinkbeek. The village was first mentioned in 866 as "Sigulfi villa", and means "settlement of Sigiwulf (person)". The settlement used to be property of the Lobbes Abbey. Around 881, the village and church were destroyed by the Vikings. The parish church which was later built, was dedicated to Ursmar, the first abbot of the Lobbes Abbey.^[3]

Zegelsem is known for its street paved with sett and is nicknamed kasseidorp (sett village). As a result, it is featured in road cycling races like the Tour of Flanders. In the late 20th century, many streets were repaved. Between 1998 and 1999, all the streets in the village were renewed and relaid with sett stones.^[4]

Zegelsem was an independent municipality until 1971, when it was merged into Brakel.^[5]

Buildings

The St Ursmarus Church is a three aisled neoclass church from 1783. The tower was built around 1525, but contains 13th century elements. The church has an organ built in 1753 by Lambert Van Peteghem, and a rood screen in Louis XIV style.^[6][7]

Notable people

• Herman Teirlinck (1879–1967), author. Born in Sint-Jans-Molenbeek, but spent most of his life in Zegelsem.^[8]
• Isidoor Teirlinck (1851–1934), author.^[9]

Gallery

• 
  House in Zegelsem
• 
  Sett street in Zegelsem
• 
  View on Zegelsem
• 
  St Ursmarus Church

References

1. "Bevolking per statistische sector - Sector 45059C". Statistics Belgium. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
2. "Distance Zegelsum, Brakel, BEL -> Ghent, BEL". Distance.to (in Dutch). Retrieved 6 May 2022.
3. "Zegelsem". Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed (in Dutch). Retrieved 6 May 2022.
4. "Kasseidorp". Zegelsem (in Dutch). Retrieved 6 May 2022.
5. "Brakel". Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed (in Dutch). Retrieved 6 May 2022.
6. "De Sint-Ursmaruskerk". Zegelsem (in Dutch). Retrieved 6 May 2022.
7. "Parochiekerk Sint-Ursmarus". Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed (in Dutch). Retrieved 6 May 2022.
8. G.P.M. Knuvelder (1976). Herman Teirlinck (1879-1967) (in Dutch). Den Bosch: Malmberg. p. 497. ISBN 90 208 9332 7. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
9. "Isidoor Teirlinck". Digital Library for Dutch Literature (in Dutch). Retrieved 6 May 2022.

External links

• Media related to Zegelsem at Wikimedia Commons
• Official site (in Dutch)