Anderlecht

Anderlecht is ane o the nineteen municipalities locatit in the Brussels-Caipital Region.

Thare are several historically an airchitecturally destinct destricts athin the Anderlecht municipality.

History
Oreegins an medieval times
The first traces o human activity on the richt bank o the Senne date frae the Stane Age an Bronze Age.  The remnants o a Roman villa an o a Frankish necropolis wur an aa foond on the territory o Anderlecht.  The first mention o the name Anderlecht, housomeivver, dates anerlie frae 1047 unner the forms Anrelech, then Andrelet (1111), Andreler (1148), an Anderlech (1186).  At that time, this community wis aaready hame tae a chapter o canons an tae twa feudal manors, those o the pouerful lairds o Aa an o Anderlecht.

In 1356, Louis o Male, Coont o Flanders fought against Brussels on the territory o Anderlecht, in the so-cried Battle o Scheut, supposedly ower a monetary matter.  Although he defeatit his sister-in-law, Joanna, Duchess o Brabant, an briefly teuk her title, she regained it the follaein year wi the help o Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor.  In 1393, Joanna’s chairter made Anderlecht a pairt o Brussels.  It is an aa aroond this time that the kirk o Saunt Guido wis rebuilt abuin the earlier Romanesque crypt in the Brabant Gothic style.


15t century till nou
The ceety o Anderlecht became a beacon o cultur in the 15t an 16t century.  In 1521, Erasmus lived in the canons’ hoose for a few months.  Charles, Duke o Aumale an Grand Veneur o Fraunce an aa haed a residence here.

The 17t an 18t century wur marked bi the wars aetween the Law Kintras an Fraunce.  On November 13, 1792, richt efter the Battle o Jemappes, General Dumouriez an the French Revolutionary airmy routit the Austrians here ance again.  Amang the consequences wur the disbandin o the canons an Anderlecht being proclaimed an independent commune bi the French.  The 19t century saw a remarkable population growth, mainly acause o the proximity tae a rapidly expandin Brussels.  Remarkable new urban developments an garden ceeties such as Het Rad an Moortenbeek wur built at the beginnin o the 20t century tae hoose the influx o newcomers.  The day, the name Anderlecht rings a bell in ivery Belgian ear thanks tae its vera successful fitbaa club.

Events
The annual Anderlecht fair, oreeginally a cattle fair, wis authorized bi William II o the Netherlands in 1825.  Syne then, it haes taken the form o a series o celebrations, which still include animal shows but an aa ootdoors exhibitions, a floral show, an the recreation o a releegious procession in honor o Saunt Guido.

Sichts
The Collegial Kirk o Saunt Peter an Saunt Guido is still at the centre o the ceety.  Its Romanesque crypt dates frae the 10t century an is ane o the auldest in Belgium.  Maist o the kirk, housomeivver, dates frae 1350 an later.
Richt next tae the kirk, the auld beguinage is hame tae a local historical museum.
The “Hoose o Erasmus”, built aroond 1450, an its medicinal garden can be visitit nearbi.
Anderlecht an aa affers the Cantillon Brewery - a gueuze museum hoosed in an actual wirkin brewery, an a Cheenae museum, hoosed in a convent o the CICM Missionaries.

Famous inhabitants
Desiderius Erasmus, humanist an theologian (1466–1536)
Philippe Thys, cyclist an three-time champion o the Tour de France (1890–1971)
Maurice Carême, poet (1899–1978)
Régine, sangster an inventor o the discothèque (b. 1929)
Henri Simonet, politeecian an mayor (1931–1996)
William Vance, comic book airtist (b. 1935)
Jacques Simonet, politeecian an mayor (1963–2007)

Sports
Anderlecht is the hame o the fitbaa club R.S.C. Anderlecht, the maist successful Belgian fitbaa team in European competition as well as in the Belgian First Diveesion.

Twin touns — sister ceeties

Anderlecht is twinned wi:
 Boulogne-Billancourt, Fraunce
 Berlin-Neukölln, Germany
  London Borough o Hammersmith and Fulham, Unitit Kinrick
 Zaandam, Netherlands
 Marino, Italy

References

Freemit airtins

Offeecial steid o Anderlecht (anerlie in French or Dutch)

Category:Municipalities o the Brussels-Caipital Region
Category:Romanesque airchitectur in Belgium