Sint-Lievens-Houtem

Municipality in Flemish Community, Belgium

Flag

Coat of arms

Location of Sint-Lievens-Houtem

Sint-Lievens-Houtem

Location in Belgium

The municipality in the Aalst arrondissement
in the province of East Flanders

Coordinates: 50°55′N 03°52′E / 50.917°N 3.867°E / 50.917; 3.867Country

BelgiumCommunityFlemish CommunityRegionFlemish RegionProvinceEast FlandersArrondissementAalstGovernment

• MayorTim De Knyf (Nieuw Houtem) • Governing party/iesNieuw HoutemArea

• Total27.05 km² (10.44 sq mi)Population

(2018-01-01)^[1]

• Total10,255 • Density380/km² (980/sq mi)Postal codes

9520-9521

NIS code

41063

Area codes053Websitewww.sint-lievens-houtem.be

Sint-Lievens-Houtem (Dutch pronunciation: [sɪnt ˌlivə(n)s ˈɦʌu̯tɛm] ^ⓘ; French: Hautem-Saint-Liévin, not officially recognized) is a Dutch-speaking municipality of Belgium. It is located in the Denderstreek and at the edge of the Flemish Ardennes, the hilly southern part of the province of East Flanders (Flemish Region). Sint-Lievens-Houtem is crossed by the Molenbeek in Vlierzele, Zonnegem and Letterhoutem.

It is named after Saint Livinus (Sint Lieven in Dutch), a Christian saint believed to have been buried there.

The town comprises the former municipalities of Bavegem, Letterhoutem [nl], Sint-Lievens-Houtem proper, Vlierzele, and Zonnegem [nl], and the hamlets of Espenhoek [nl], Cotthem [nl], and Hoogveld, formerly parts of Oombergen [nl].

Houtem Jaarmarkt

In November every year, Sint-Lievens-Houtem holds a winter fair and livestock market, the Houtem Jaarmarkt, at which hundreds of traders sell cattle and horses. In 2010 it was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.^[2]

Places of interest

Livinus Chapel (2008)
Former water mill (2008)

References

^ "Wettelijke Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2018". Statbel. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
^ "Houtem Jaarmarkt, annual winter fair and livestock market at Sint-Lievens-Houtem". UNESCO. Retrieved 2014-12-05.