Bilzen

Bilzen
Municipality
Alden Biesen Castle
Flag Coat of arms
Bilzen Location in Belgium
Location of Bilzen in Limburg
Coordinates: 50°52′N 05°31′E / 50.867°N 5.517°ECoordinates: 50°52′N 05°31′E / 50.867°N 5.517°E
Country	Belgium
Community	Flemish Community
Region	Flemish Region
Province	Limburg
Arrondissement	Tongeren
Government
• Mayor	Frieda Brepoels (N-VA)
• Governing party/ies	N-VA, PRO-BILZEN, Open VLD
Area
• Total	75.90 km^2 (29.31 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2016)[1]
• Total	31,829
• Density	420/km^2 (1,100/sq mi)
Postal codes	3740, 3742, 3746
Area codes	089
Website	www.bilzen.be

Bilzen (Limburgish: Bilze) is a town and a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg.

On January 1, 2006, Bilzen had a total population of 30,057. The total area is 75.90 km² which gives a population density of 396 inhabitants per km².

Bilzen consists of the city of Bilzen and the following villages: Beverst, Eigenbilzen, Grote-Spouwen, Hees, Hoelbeek, Kleine-Spouwen, Martenslinde, Mopertingen, Munsterbilzen, Rijkhoven, Rosmeer, and Waltwilder. It was in 1977 that they all became part of the municipality Bilzen because of the fusion of municipalities.

City's in Bilzen's neighbourhood are (to its north) Genk, (to its east) Maastricht (Netherlands), to its south Tongeren and to its north-west Hasselt, (all within a distance of some 10 to 15 kilometers).

From 1965 to 1981 Bilzen hosted Jazz Bilzen, a jazz and rock festival that lasted several days. In its time Jazz Bilzen was the most important Belgian festival. Artists that performed there were, among many others, Humble Pie, The Moody Blues, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Humble Pie, The Kinks, The Troggs, Procol Harum, Golden Earring, Rod Stewart, Status Quo, Lou Reed, Aerosmith, AC/DC, The Cure, Toots Thielemans, Keith Jarrett and John McLaughlin. From the 1980s onwards the festival was superseded by Torhout-Werchter, that has now become Rock Werchter.

History

For over 300 years, Bilzen was part of the County of Loon (French: comté de Looz).^[2]

Places of interest

• Alden Biesen Castle in the village of Rijkhoven.
• Munsterbilzen Abbey

• 

  Schoonbeek castle

• 

  Bilzen townhall

• 

  Alden Biesen commandry

Born in Bilzen

• Elke Clijsters (born 1985), tennis player and younger sister of Kim Clijsters.
• Kim Clijsters (born 1983), tennis player.
• Camille Huysmans (1871-1968), politician, Prime Minister (August 1946 – 1947); mayor of Antwerp (1933–1946).
• Thibaut Courtois (born 1992), soccer player
• Lisa del Bo (born 1961), singer
• Jelle Vossen (born 1989), football player

References

1. Population per municipality as of 1 January 2016 (XLS; 397 KB)
2. fr:Comté de Looz

External links

• Official website (Dutch)