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Genappe
City in Walloon Brabant province, Wallonia, Belgium From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Genappe (French pronunciation: [ʒənap] ⓘ; Dutch: Genepiën, Dutch pronunciation: [ɣeːˈneːpijə(n)] ⓘ; Walloon: Djinape) is a municipality and city[2] of Wallonia located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant.
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Demographics
As of 2023, the municipality of Genappe boasted a population of 14,266 residents.[3] Spanning a total area of 89.57 km2 , the region has a population density of 15,26 inhabitants per km2.
History
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Genappe’s territory has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with archaeological finds such as tumuli in Bousval and Merovingian burials in ways and Baisy‑Thy showing early human activity.[4]
During the Middle Ages, the area known as Genappia nova (New Genappe) emerged around a fortress built by the Dukes of Brabant on the right bank of the Dyle river. A charter was reportedly granted to Nova Genappia in 1211, giving it town‑rights, while the older settlement became Vieux‑Genappe (Old Genappe).[5]
In 1302 a further charter expanded civic rights: tax exemptions, self‑governance, and a market hall in the town were granted by the Duke of Brabant. The town also joined the charter of Cortenberg in 1312 and the Urban Alliance in 1355, signalling its integration into broader regional civic networks.[6]
Early Modern Period
Under the Duchy of Brabant, Genappe served as an administrative centre: its castle (“château du Lothier”) housed ducal courts, and the town held market rights and a weight house, positioning it as a modest market town on the route between Brussels and Namur.[7]
In the 15th century, for instance around 1456‑1461, the future King Louis XI of France stayed at the Château du Lothier in Genappe when he was Dauphin.[8]
Napoleonic Era & 1815
Genappe is notable for its place in the events surrounding the Battle of Waterloo (18 June 1815). On the night of 16–17 June 1815, the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte used the “Ferme du Caillou” (in Vieux‑Genappe) as his last headquarters before the battle.
The nearby Auberge du Roy d’Espagne in Genappe served as lodgings for the Duke of Wellington and other allied commanders.[9]
19th & 20th Centuries
With the advent of industrialisation in the 19th century, Genappe’s economy diversified. The arrival of the Wavre‑Manage railway line in 1855 opened the region to industrial uses such as papermills, forges, distilleries and a sugar refinery founded circa 1870.[10]
The local municipality structure underwent reform when, during the Belgian municipal reorganisations of the 1970s, the eight former communes were merged to form the present entity of Genappe.[11]
Modern Era & Demographics
Today, Genappe is a largely residential and semi‑rural municipality, benefitting from its proximity to Brussels while retaining local heritage sites tied to its medieval and Napoleonic past. Population‑data indicate steady growth: for example, from ~13,874 in 2001 to an estimated ~16,160 by 2025.[12]
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Postal history
The Genappe post-office opened before 1830. It used a postal code 48 with bars (before 1864), and 145 with points before 1870. BOUSVAL opened on 8 April 1880.[13]
Postal codes in 1969 (before the merger of municipalities in 1977):[14] - 1470 Genappe - 1471 Loupoigne - 1472 Vieux-Genappe - 1473 Glabais - 1474 Ways - 1475 Baisy-Thy - 1476 Houtain-le-Val - 1488 Bousval.
Twinned cities
- Narborough, United Kingdom
- Littlethorpe, United Kingdom
- Franklin, Louisiana, United States
See also
References
External links
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