Zonhoven

Zonhoven is a municipality located in the Belgium province of Limburg, in the Northern Hasselt. The total population of the municipality is around 20,000 inhabitants.

History

 Etymology

Zonhoven bore the name of Sonuwe in the past (about 1280). The region which is rich in water had a stream called (former name of the watercourse Roosterbeek) Zonhoven name appeared only for the first time around the middle of the 16th century. For this reason, it is believed that the origin of the name of Zonhoven has nothing to do with the Sun (Zon in Dutch) although this one was present on the flag of the town...

Prehistory

The region was populated very early according to the archaeological discoveries (weapons and tools made of polished stones) that are unique for Flanders.

From the eleventh century, Zonhoven belonged to the County of Looz. Mathilde of Looz, who was the daughter of Arnoul V of Looz, received in the year 1308 as a dowry of his father for his marriage with the Godefroy of Heinsberg the country of Vogelsanck, which corresponded to the territories of Zonhoven, Zolder, Houthalen and the southern part of Heusden. Before its period under the French administration, Zonhoven became part of the barony, the country of Vogelsanck until about 1600.

The border Limit

In the year 1330, Louis IV of Looz conceded the Heathers land between Zonhoven and Hasselt to the latter. Zonhoven was of the opinion that the Heather land did not belong to the County and that he could not give them to Hasselt. This led to a great battle with a heavy damage bringing long and costly trials. As a result of these skirmishes, Maximilian Henry of Bavaria of the Principality of Liège ordered 21 bollards on the 23^rd of July 1666 to definitively delimit the boundaries. But these bollards were quickly removed, and the trial restarted. The prince sent a military detachment to calm things down. In the year 1761, a group of 600 inhabitants of Zonhoven resumed clashes following the purchase of the land contested by Hasselt. In the year 1811, the solution was found. The land depended administratively on Hasselt but the municipality of Zonhoven owned it... This situation is still applicable currently and in particular with the airport of Kiewit (The North of Hasselt) which administratively belongs to Hasselt while land belongs to Zonhoven...

Ecclesiastical history

Zonhoven was from the eighth century, a dependent Hasselt parish with its own church. The patron saint was the saint Quentin as at Hasselt. The parish became an independent parish in the twelfth century. Zonhoven fell under the protection of the Abbey of Herkenrode until it was closed by the French in the year 1797. The parish which was alone until the twentieth century formed three new parishes as a  result of the increased population (Halveweg in the year 1938, Termolen in the year 1950 and Terdonk in the year 1965).

Treaty of Zonhoven                   

The Treaty of Zonhoven is a treaty between the Netherlands and the Belgium signed on the 18^th of November 1833 in the House called De Franse Kroon. The Treaty enabled the Belgium to have free access on the Meuse.

Recent History

In the 18th century, there was a large textile industry with linen cultures and hemp. In the 19th century, the textile industry declined and the population stagnated for a long time. At the beginning of the twentieth century, a cigar factory and an iron mine enabled employment for more than 100 workers and the population began to increase. But the great change began at the opening of the coal industry in the region of Houthalen, Zolder and Winterslag. After the second world war, there appeared much smaller companies which allowed the population to triple between the year 1930 and the year 1980. During the merger of the communes in the year 1977, Zonhoven gained 520 inhabitants and an area of 8.35 km² on its neighboring communities.

Curiosities

• St. Quentin Church, built between the year 1785 and the year 1788 and was protected since the year 1983. The Interior is classical in style. The Church also has:
  • The Gothic tower of the first half of the fifteenth century with a Bell of the year 1443.
  • The baptismal font of the Roman style, dating from the twelfth century.
  • An organ whose oldest part dates to the year 1664. With its 2446 pipes and 40 records, it is the second largest in the province of Limbourg.
• Our lady chapel (in French: Notre-Dame) (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwkapel) was built around the year 1483 and was extended in the 16th century and around the year 1900. The chapel was restored in the year 1980 and has been protected since the year 1971.
• The old communal house, located near the Church. Its façade has a double staircase and a triangular pediment with a Golden Sun in relief which dates from the year 1788. The was Monument protected since the year 1983, it is currently used as a tourism House.
• The House of French Kroon, dating from 1782 and protected since the year 1985.
• The Holsteen: A polishing stone dating back to the prehistoric times.
• The Vrankenschans, a defence system consisting of the seventeenth century moats protected since 1981.
• The Paalsteen, a bollard frontier in the year 1666.

source https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zonhoven