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Coordinates: 50°55′N 05°20′E

Hasselt
Geography
Country	Belgium
Region	Flemish Region
Community	Flemish Community
Province	Limburg
Arrondissement	Hasselt
Coordinates	50°55′N 05°20′E
Area	102.24 km²
Population (Source: NIS)
Population – Males – Females - Density	70,035 (01/01/2006) 48.85% 51.15% 685 inhab./km²
Age distribution 0–19 years 20–64 years 65+ years	(01/01/2006) 19.16% 62.45% 18.39%
Foreigners	4.02% (01/07/2005)
Economy
Unemployment rate	9.90% (01/01/2006)
Mean annual income	14,549 €/pers. (2003)
Government
Mayor	Herman Reynders (SP.A)
Governing parties	Pro Hasselt (SP.A, Groen!), CD&V/N-VA, VLD
Other information
Postal codes	3500, 3501, 3510, 3511, 3512
Area codes	011
Web address	www.hasselt.be

Hasselt is a Belgian city and municipality, and capital of the Flemish province of Limburg. The Hasselt municipality includes the city of Hasselt and the old communes of Sint-Lambrechts-Herk, Wimmertingen, Kermt, Spalbeek, Kuringen, Stokrooie, and Stevoort.

On January 1st, 2006 Hasselt had a total population of 70,035 (48.8% male and 51.2% female). Hasselt is located at the Demer river and is also connected to the Albert Canal. Hasselt is located in between the Campine and Hesbaye regions in the middle of the Euregion Meuse-Rhine.

Contents 1 History 2 Transport 3 The centre 4 Monuments, parks and public fields 5 Museums 6 Famous inhabitants 7 Events 8 Twin and partner cities 9 See also 10 External links

Hasselt was founded in the 7th century on the Helbeek, a tributary of the Demer river. The name Hasselt came from Hasaluth, which means hazel wood. It was one of the bigger cities of the county of Loon, whose borders were approximately the same as the current province of Limburg. Hasselt was first given a name in 1165 and shortly thereafter received the much sought after city charter. In 1232 this status was officially confirmed by count Arnold IV.

Even though the city of Borgloon was the official capital of this small principality, Hasselt was to become the biggest city thanks to its favourable setting and to the proximity of the count’s castle and the Herkenrode abbey in Kuringen. In 1366 the county of Loon became part of the Bishopric of Liège and remained so until the annexation by France in 1794. Maastricht became the capital of the area that was then called the Department of the Lower Meuse. After the defeat of Napoleon and the union with the Netherlands, the name Limburg was adopted, after the old county of Limburg which had never held power over Loon. Even when Belgium gained its independence, this name was retained and the name Loon disappeared. In 1830 Hasselt became the provisional capital of the Belgian province of Limburg. When Maastricht stayed Dutch in 1839, it became the permanent seat of its provincial government within the Netherlands, also called Limburg. In 1967, Belgian Limburg was detached from the Diocese of Liège and Hasselt became the seat of the Diocese of Hasselt.

Hasselt is a traffic junction of important traffic arteries from all directions. The most important traffic artery is the motorway E313 Antwerp-Liège. Hasselt itself is enclosed by 2 ring roads. The outer ring road serves to keep traffic out of the city centre. The inner ring road, the so-called "Green Boulevard", serves to keep traffic out of the commercial centre, which is an almost entirely pedestrian area. Public transport by bus has been free of charge since 1997. There are also important traffic arteries to Tongeren, Sint-Truiden, Maastricht, Genk, Diest and Eindhoven. You can also visit Hasselt by plane. The city lies relatively near the airport of Brussels, Liège and the Maastricht-Aachen Airport. Private aircraft can land in Hasselt itself, on the airfield of Kiewit. Hasselt was the first city in the world that had entirely free bus services on the whole of its territory.

The town centre of Hasselt is not large but very sociable. The centre is almost car-free and contains different historical buildings. The oldest building of the city is the Refugehuis of the abbey of Herckenrode. On the large market there are many pubs, restaurants and taverns as well as in the rest of the city.

The Demerstraat and the Koning Albertstraat are the most important shop streets. In the Kapelstraat and the Hoogstraat are expensive shops with the most famous brands. The St. Quentin's Cathedral and the Virga Jesse Basilica give the centre form. In 2003, the new TT-wijk has given the centre a new boost with a modern shop complex. In 2004, Hasselt was the first Belgian city to gain the title "most sociable city of Flanders"; and Hasselt is also taken as an exemplary city for good facilities for pedestrians in the centre.

• The St. Quentin's Cathedral [Hasselt Cathedral:[1],[2],[3],[4]
• The Virga Jesse Basilica [Hasselt Basilica:[5],[6]
• The Japanese garden
• The National Bank of architect Henri van Dievoet.
• The abbey of Herckenrode in Kuringen
• The Refugehuis of the abbey of Herckenrode
• The Airfield of Kiewit
• The different historical buildings and museums in the city
• The nature field Kiewit
• The Kapermolenpark
• The town park, to the cultural centre

• National jenever museum
• Urban Fashion museum

• Hendrik van Veldeke, first writer from the Low Countries known by name (c. 1140-c. 1190)
• Adrien de Gerlache, officer of the Belgian Navy and leader of two Belgian Antarctic Expeditions (1866-1934)
• Willy Claes, politician and former Secretary General of NATO (b. 1938)
• Guy Bleus, artist (b. 1950)
• Steve Stevaert, politician (b. 1954)
• Axelle Red, singer-songwriter (b. 1968)

• The Kermesse, now only septennial, not only commemorates the Christian story of the foundation of the town, but also preserves traces of a pagan festival.
• Kiewit is the location of the yearly Pukkelpop (Pimplepop) festival, one of Europe's largest alternative music festivals with over a hundred concerts, at the end of August. Rimpelrock (Wrinklerock), a festival with music for people over fifty, is held at the same location.
• Also many events take place in the Ethias Arena, the largest arena in Belgium.

•  Germany: Detmold
•  Japan: Itami, Hyogo
•  Netherlands: Sittard
•  United States: Mountain View, California

• Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2005
• Speculaas

• Hasselt (official site of Hasselt).
• Fair Trade City Hasselt (campaign site).
• Ethias Arena
• Abbey of Herckenrode
• Pukkelpop
• Universiteit Hasselt (University of Hasselt)
• Tourism Flanders
• Tourism Limburg
• HasseltLokaal - citizen journalists providing news of Hasselt

	Municipalities in the Province of Limburg, Flanders, Belgium
Hasselt: As | Beringen | Diepenbeek | Genk | Gingelom | Halen | Ham | Hasselt | Herk-de-Stad | Heusden-Zolder | Leopoldsburg | Lummen | Nieuwerkerken | Opglabbeek | Sint-Truiden | Tessenderlo | Zonhoven | Zutendaal |
Maaseik: Bocholt | Bree | Dilsen-Stokkem | Hamont-Achel | Hechtel-Eksel | Houthalen-Helchteren | Kinrooi | Lommel | Maaseik | Meeuwen-Gruitrode | Neerpelt | Overpelt | Peer
Tongeren: Alken | Bilzen | Borgloon | Heers | Herstappe | Hoeselt | Kortessem | Lanaken | Maasmechelen | Riemst | Tongeren | Voeren | Wellen |