Melden

Melden is a village belonging partly to the municipality of Oudenaarde and partly to the municipality of Kluisbergen. It is located in the Flemish Ardennes, the hilly southern part of the province of East Flanders, Belgium.

Melden
Village
Church of Melden (2009)
Melden Location in Belgium
Coordinates: 50°49′N 3°34′E
Country	Belgium
Region	Flemish Region
Province	East Flanders
Municipality	Oudenaarde Kluisbergen
Area [1]
• Total	9.53 km2 (3.68 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[2]
• Total	938
• Density	98/km2 (250/sq mi)
Time zone	CET

History

The village is located on an elevation near the Scheldt River. During canalisation efforts, remains on a Roman site were discovered. The village was conquered by the Count of Flanders in 1030. The economy was mainly based on animal husbandry and wool production. In 1960, the N8 was widened which resulted in the demolition of many house along the road. Melden was an independent municipality until 1971 when it was merged into Oudenaarde.^[1]

Koppenberg

Main article: Koppenberg

Koppenberg Hill (2009)

The Koppenberg is a hill near Melden which is known for cycling races in general and the Tour of Flanders in particular. The road to the top of the hill is a steep, narrow cobblestone street which is serious challenge often forcing professionals to dismount.^[3]

Notable people

• Jan Verroken (1917–2020), politician.^[4]