Assebroek


Assebroek is a sub-municipality of the city of Bruges located in the province of West Flanders, Flemish Region, Belgium. It was a separate municipality until 1971. On 1 January 1971, it was merged into Bruges. On 31 December 2014, Assebroek had 19,737 inhabitants. Since 1999, this number has hardly changed. Assebroek is home to 16.75% of Bruges’ population.

History

Through artifacts retrieved near Saint-Lucas hospital we assume that the Leitje region was already inhabited in the Stone Age.
Aerial views of the Ver-Assebroekse meersen reveals an approximately 300 m-wide ring of ditches and rampart complex dating from the 5th century where the lords of Assebroek later built their castle.
Apparently around the 12th century, a lord called Boudewijn of Assebroek bought his domain – limited by Oostkamp, Oedelem, Michel van Hamme street, Astridlaan and Lorreinendreef - free from Sijsele.
The Assebroek municipality only consisted of some scattered maisonnettes and a mill along the old road to Bruges. Instigated by the lords of Assebroek, a local church and Engelendale convent were established.
Nowadays Assebroek includes 6 parishes: Immaculata, Assumpta, Saint Lutgardis, Saint Catharina, Saint Christopher, and Sacred Heart.

Etymology

Before the 20th century, the town's name was recorded as Arsbrouc, later becoming Assebroek.
Arsbrouc probably meant wetland with horses, the medieval Dutch Arse or Ors being horses and brouc meaning marsh. In medieval times, the Meersen area had several inns, all named after horses, with only the ruin of The Flying Horse in Oedelem still standing. Some sources claim Arse stands for ashes so that Assebroek would mean marsh surrounded by ashes.

Geography

Assebroek is situated on a lower sand plain south west of Bruges. Forming a typical polder landscape, in winter an area called Assebroekse Meersen, characterised by small grass fields separated by willow trees often gets flooded.
The Meersen area arose as prolongation within the so-called Flemish Valley. The slope contains sand, lime and peat deposits from the Holocene Epoch. Underneath the peat remains an approx. 30 cm marsh lime layer from the early Holocene. 10,000 years ago, this region was a real marsh.

Evolution of the number of inhabitants

19th century

Census results of December 31
Year180618161830184618561866187618801890
Number of inhabitants5436148451,1861,1711,2591,4931,5991,915

20th century till rearrangement of municipalities

Census results of December 31
Year1900191019201930194719611970
Number of inhabitants2,7334,7055,4566,93611,33714,42215,572

Attractions

  • Local church of Ver-Assebroek with organ
  • Reserve 4.2 km2 "Assebroekse Meersen" with concentric rings
  • 19th century village centre
  • Cemetery of Bruges – a.o. tomb of Guido Gezelle
  • Bergjesbos
  • Former inn "The Lily"
  • Children's farm "The Seven Towers"
  • Old barn "Het Leenhof"
  • Convent domain "Engelendale"
  • Abbey farm "Saint-Trudo"
  • Reserve 400,000 m2 "Gemene Weidebeek"
  • Kasteel Zevecote

    Assebroek - a sacred place

Each year thousands of pilgrims honour the miraculous figurine of The Madonna at Ver-Assebroek and pray with the Benedictine monks of Steenbrugge. According to the legend this marble figurine floated when the Geuzen threw it into the sea.

Assebroek beer community

In medieval times, the inner city of Bruges imposed significant taxes on beer consumption. Hence so called outside drinkers found their way to Assebroek's inns till the early morning when Bruges’ city gates were opened.
Many beers are named after this place or were locally brewed by the Regenboog Brewery.

Biking and strolling

Category:Sub-municipalities of Bruges
Category:Former municipalities of West Flanders