Limbourg

For other uses, see Limburg (disambiguation).
Limbourg
Limburg  (Dutch)
Limburg  (German)
Municipality

Old centre of Limbourg

Flag
Limbourg

Location in Belgium

Coordinates: 50°37′N 05°56′E / 50.617°N 5.933°E / 50.617; 5.933Coordinates: 50°37′N 05°56′E / 50.617°N 5.933°E / 50.617; 5.933
Country Belgium
Community French Community
Region Wallonia
Province Liège
Arrondissement Verviers
Government
 • Mayor Valérie Dejardin (PS)
 • Governing party/ies PS and MR-IC
Area
 • Total 24.63 km2 (9.51 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2016)[1]
 • Total 5,976
 • Density 240/km2 (630/sq mi)
Postal codes 4830-4834
Area codes 087
Website www.ville-limbourg.be

Limbourg[2] (German and Dutch: Limburg) is a city located in the province of Liège, Wallonia, Belgium.

On 1 January 2008 Limbourg had a total population of 5,680. The total area is 24.63 km² which gives a population density of 231 inhabitants per km². The present municipality Limbourg was formed in 1977 by the merger of the old municipalities Limbourg, Bilstain and Goé.

The second part of the name Limbourg is from burg meaning a "borough", which is common in many parts of Europe where Germanic languages are spoken or have been spoken historically (see Germanic placename etymology). Concerning the first part of the name there are various theories. One is lint meaning "dragon". Another is that it refers back to the Roman-era limes, situated at boundaries of the Empire. It may also have been related to the material lim or lime.[3]

Limbourg is located on top of a hill which in its turn is surrounded by the river Vesdre. This was a strong military advantage in the Middle Ages and allowed the city to defend itself against foreign invaders. In the Middle Ages, the ruling family came to have the rank of duke and so the town was the seat of the Duchy of Limburg, which was a part of the Lower Lorraine region of the Holy Roman Empire.

The town featured in the War of the Spanish Succession, falling in 1703 to British and Dutch Republican forces led by the Duke of Marlborough. The lower part of the town, along the Vesdre, is called Dolhain.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Population per municipality as of 1 January 2016 (XLS; 397 KB)
  2. ↑ Occasionally formerly "Lambourg", as in the 1584 Treaty of Joinville.
  3. ↑ Berkel and Samplonius, "Het Plaatsnamenboek", 1989, Unieboek, Houten

Media related to Limbourg at Wikimedia Commons

 Welkenraedt
Dison
Verviers		 Baelen
   Limbourg  
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