Where is the city of Aalst in Belgium?

Aalst (Dutch pronunciation: [aːlst]; French: Alost, Brabantian: Oilsjt) is a city and municipality on the Dender River, 31 kilometres (19 mi) northwest from Brussels.

What kind of industry does Aalst have?

The textile industry is still vibrant in Aalst, in part because of the French occupation. Aalst produces not only the textiles themselves, clothing and footwear, but manufactures many of the needed machines. The more rural regions are noted for their production of hops, which are sold to the old breweries there.

What was the history of Aalst in the Middle Ages?

Aalst on the Ferraris map (around 1775). The first historical records on Aalst date from the 9th century, when it was described as the villa Alost, a dependency of the Abbey of Lobbes. During the Middle Ages, a town and port grew at this strategic point, where the road from Bruges to Cologne crossed the Dender.

What kind of church is St Martin’s in Aalst?

The famous “unfinished” St. Martin’s Collegiate Church, in Gothic style, dates back to 1480. It contains a painting by Rubens, Saint Roch beseeching Christ to terminate the Plague at Aalst, and it also has a tabernacle (dated 1605), which features sculptures made by Hiëronymus Duquesnoy the Elder, whose most famous creation is Manneken Pis.

How is the carnival celebrated in Aalst, Belgium?

They also have a large active cut flower business in the region. Aalst is known for its carnival festivities, celebrated every year before Lent. During this celebration, the former town hall belfry is the site of the traditional “throwing of the onions”. A Prince Carnival is elected, who is allowed to “rule” the city for three days.

When was Aalst destroyed in the Hundred Years War?

During the Hundred Years War the town of Aalst allied themselves with Louis de Male against Philip van Artevelde and sent troops in the victorious Battle of Roosebeke. The town hall, and the city itself, were almost entirely destroyed by fire in 1360. The town was soon rebuilt and a new belfry in gothic style was built in the 15th century.

When did Aalst become a part of France?

Aalst suffered considerably under the Eighty Years’ War (1568–1648). It was later taken by the French Marshal Turenne in the War of Devolution of 1667, then occupied by France until 1706, when it became independent once more following the Battle of Ramillies, along with Southern Flanders in general.