Tielen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tielen | |
|---|---|
Village | |
-_centrum_(Tielendorp).JPG) View on the village centre | |
  Tielen Location in Belgium | |
| Coordinates: 51°14′N 4°53′E / 51.233°N 4.883°E | |
| Country |  Belgium |
| Region | Flemish Region |
| Province | Antwerp |
| Municipality | Kasterlee |
| Area | |
• Total | 14.42 km2 (5.57 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[1] | |
• Total | 4,060 |
| • Density | 280/km2 (730/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CET |
Tielen is a village in the province of Antwerp in Flanders, Belgium. It is part of the municipality of Kasterlee. The nearest city is the neighbouring city of Turnhout. Other neighbouring towns are Vosselaar, Lichtaart, Poederlee, Lille and Gierle.
The borders of Tielen are marked by two rivers: The Aa and the Kaliebeek. Almost one third of the village is still covered with pine-woods, heath and swamps. Typical for the Kempen area.
The rest of this 1,371-hectare (5.29 sq mi) village is mostly used for residential and agricultural purposes.
Evolution of habitation
With not more than 3,900 inhabitants (3886 - 2009-01-01), Tielen still has a strong community even though in the last 50 years urbanization has doubled the population as shown below.
| Year | 1806 | 1816 | 1830 | 1846 | 1856 | 1866 | 1876 | 1880 | 1890 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of inhabitants | 852 | 772 | 860 | 973 | 1010 | 1008 | 1010 | 1009 | 1014 |
| Remarks:results on 31/12 | |||||||||
| Year | 1900 | 1910 | 1920 | 1930 | 1947 | 1961 | 1970 | 1976 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of inhabitants | 1057 | 1186 | 1328 | 1548 | 1984 | 2507 | 2854 | 2936 | |
| Remarks:results on 31/12 | |||||||||
The largest part of the inhabitants are upper middle class nowadays, but through history, the largest part of the inhabitants were poor farmers.
The most famous inhabitant of Tielen was Baron Flor Peeters (an important organist). Less famous is the bishop of Ghent Lucas Van Looy.
Sights
The village has a small center which is triangular. It has a 19th-century church, an old railway station and a beautiful town hall (nowadays the old town hall, since Tielen became a part of Kasterlee in 1977).
Other important buildings in Tielen are the 12th century watermill and the 15th-century castle (Tielenhof), which was the home of the lords of Tielen and its neighbouring village Gierle until the French Revolution.
People visit this village to go walking or bike-riding in nature and to enjoy the countryside.
Tielen is a vivid village with local pubs or bars and regular events of all sorts.
Far from the industrialised world, Tielen only has one factory. "Het IJsboerke" (The Ice Farmer) manufactures ice cream and is the second biggest ice cream producer in Belgium. The factory is worth visiting, but in front of the buildings there are fountains worth seeing as well.
-Station.JPG)
