Hamont-Achel

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources:  –  ·  ·  · scholar · JSTOR (January 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Hamont-Achel
Municipality
Flag Coat of arms
Hamont-Achel Location in Belgium show Location of Hamont-Achel in Limburg
Coordinates: 51°15′N 05°33′E / 51.250°N 5.550°E / 51.250; 5.550Coordinates: 51°15′N 05°33′E / 51.250°N 5.550°E / 51.250; 5.550
Country	Belgium
Community	Flemish Community
Region	Flemish Region
Province	Limburg
Arrondissement	Maaseik
Government
• Mayor	Rik Rijcken (PRO Hamont-Achel)
• Governing party/ies	PRO Hamont-Achel, N-VA
Area
• Total	43.66 km2 (16.86 sq mi)
Postal codes	3930
Area codes	011
Website	www.hamont-achel.be

Hamont-Achel (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɦaːmɔnt ˈɑxəl]; Limburgish: Haëmet-Achel) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. It was founded in 1977 by a fusion of the city Hamont and the village Achel. On January 1, 2006, Hamont-Achel had a total population of 13,770. The total area is 43.66 km² which gives a population density of 315 inhabitants per km². The municipality houses the Trappist Abbey of Achel, part of which is Brouwerij de Achelse Kluis, one of the 11 Trappist breweries.

The professional tennis player Elise Mertens (WTA 35 - 2017) lives in Hamont-Achel.

Demographics[]

Languages[]

• Dutch in Hamont-Achel is often spoken with a distinctive Limburgish accent, which should not be confused with the Limburgish language.
• Limburgish (or Limburgian) is the overlapping term of the tonal dialects spoken in the Belgian and Dutch provinces of Limburg. The Hamont-Achel dialect is only one of many variants of Limburgish.^[1]

Deadly explosion[]

This section does not cite any sources. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

On 18 November 1918, the municipality was the site of one of the worst train explosions in history, when two German munitions trains caught fire and exploded. Not only were the trains destroyed, but three German ambulance trains were also wiped out, along with most of the town. More than 1,000 individuals were killed.

Tumulus on Haarterheide[]

Tumulus (2000-1000 BC)

References[]

Bibliography[]

External links[]

• Media related to Hamont-Achel at Wikimedia Commons
• Website about Hamont-Achel (in Dutch)
• The Pessimist's Guide to History
• sporza.be report on Jelle Vanendert's return home after the 2011 Tour de France