Saint-Gilles, Belgium
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Saint-Gilles (French) or Sint-Gillis (Dutch) is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium.
On 1 January 2006 the municipality had a total population of 44,265. The total area is 2.52 km² which gives a population density of 17,533 inhabitants per km². It is a multicultural neighbourhood, and for example the central square (Place Van Meenen/Van Meenenplein) plays host to the annual festival of Brussels' Portuguese community. The population is as mixed as the housing stock, which varies from semi-derelict multi-occupied tenements near Midi/Zuid station in the north, to elegant patrician houses on the southern borders with Uccle/Ukkel and Ixelles/Elsene, to tourist hotels at the inner end of the Chaussée de Charleroi/Charleroisesteenweg. A particular architectural delight is the dozen or more art nouveau houses designed by masters such as Horta and Struyvens that may be found dotted around the upper part of the municipality. The imposing town hall looks larger than it is, and bears a splendid resemblence to a French château with Venetian overtones.
There is not a lot of open space in the municipality, although the Parc de Forest/Vorstpark is on its western side. Its dense population is well served by public transport: Midi/Zuid station with its international high speed connections sits at the northern tip of the municipal territory, and the underground premetro line passes southwards through it. Inhabitants have access to the 3, 55, 18, 81, 82, 90, 91, 92, 93 and 94 trams as well as buses 48 to Stalle, 134 to St-Job, 136/137 to Alsemberg, 365 to Charleroi and W to Waterloo. There are two pods of Cambio shared cars, opposite Horta metro station and outside the Siemens training centre near Place Janssens/Janssensplein.
The local council usually has a socialist majority, and the current mayor, Charles Picqué, is also President of the Brussels Capital region.
Cultural policy includes the annual open day for local artists, Parcours des Artistes.
Saint Gilles has a legendary football club called Royal Union Saint Gilloise which was successful until the 1930s.
Saint Gilles is the hometown of the famous architect Victor Horta. The house that he designed for himself (now the Horta Museum) is located there, on Rue Americaine/Amerikaansestraat.
[edit] External link
- Official web page (in French or Dutch only)
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