Liezele
Village
Hof Ten Broeck
Hof Ten Broeck
Liezele is located in Belgium
Liezele
Liezele
Location in Belgium
Coordinates: 51°03′35″N 4°16′51″E / 51.0596°N 4.2808°E / 51.0596; 4.2808
Country Belgium
RegionFlemish Region
ProvinceAntwerp
MunicipalityPuurs-Sint-Amands
Area
[1]
 • Total6.51 km2 (2.51 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Total1,807
 • Density280/km2 (720/sq mi)
Time zoneCET

Liezele is a village and deelgemeente (sub-municipality) of the municipality of Puurs-Sint-Amands in the province of Antwerp, Belgium. The village is located about 20 kilometres (12 mi) south-south-west of the city of Antwerp.[2] On the night of 4 to 5 September 1914, the entire village was destroyed by the Belgian Army to deny the Germany Army cover.[3]

History

Liezele was originally located in an area of heaths and forests. The village was first mentioned in 1138 or 1139 as Liensella when it became a parish belonging to Affligem Abbey. The area was divided by the Lords of Grimbergen and the Duchy of Brabant. In 1662, the heerlijkheden (landed estates) of Liezele, Lippelo and Malderen became the property of J.F. de la Pierre.[4] In 1795, Liezele became an independent municipality.[5]

Liezele used to be an agricultural area.[4] In 1908, construction started on the Fort van Liezele as part of the National Redoubt.[6] The first soldiers were stationed in the fortress in March 1913. On 4 August 1914, Germany invaded Belgium. Due to the speed of their advance, commander Fiévez asked permission to destroy the village of Liezele to deny the German Army cover. On the night of 4 to 5 September, the village, church, castle, and manor houses were burnt and the walls of the buildings were torn down.[5] Antwerp capitulated on 10 October 1914, and the fortress was handed over undamaged.[6] Liezele contains no historic buildings, because all the buildings were constructed after 1914.[5]

Liezele remained an independent municipality until 1977, when it was merged into Puurs.[7] In 2019, Puurs was merged into the municipality of Puurs-Sint-Amands.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 "Bevolking per statistische sector - Sector 12030D". Statistics Belgium. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  2. ↑ "Distance Liezele, Puurs-Sint-Amands, BEL -> Antwerpen, BEL". Distance (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  3. ↑ "In 1914 veegde Belgisch leger Liezele van de kaart. Nu krijgt dorp eindelijk erediploma voor oorlogsslachtoffers". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Liezele". Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 "Geschiedenis". Liezele (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Fort van Liezele". Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  7. ↑ "Puurs". Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  8. ↑ "Puurs en Sint-Amands worden samen Puurs-Sint-Amands". Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (in Dutch). Retrieved 10 May 2022.
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