Lommel

Lommel
Municipality
Flag Coat of arms
Lommel Location in Belgium
Location of Lommel in Limburg
Coordinates: 51°14′N 05°18′E / 51.233°N 5.300°E / 51.233; 5.300Coordinates: 51°14′N 05°18′E / 51.233°N 5.300°E / 51.233; 5.300
Country	Belgium
Community	Flemish Community
Region	Flemish Region
Province	Limburg
Arrondissement	Maaseik
Government
• Mayor	Peter Vanvelthoven (sp.a)
• Governing party/ies	sp.a, Open Vld
Area
• Total	102.37 km2 (39.53 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2016)
• Total	33,957
• Density	330/km2 (860/sq mi)
Postal codes	3920
Area codes	011
Website	www.lommel.be

Lommel is a municipality and a city in the Belgian province of Limburg. The Kempen city has about 33,000 inhabitants and is part of the electoral district and the judicial district Lommel Neerpelt.

Besides residential town of Lommel also has a number of nature reserves, such as the nature reserve De Watering, the Lommel Sahara, and numerous forests and heathlands. Lommel is the third shopping city in Belgian Limburg with a commercial and shopping center De Singel. Importantly, the silver sand that is mined here for the benefit of the glass industry. Some sand mining quarries are transformed into nature reserves and recreational areas, including Lommel Sahara.

The city of Lommel is the watershed of the basins of the Scheldt, and Meuse, and within these basins Nete Dommel respectively.

The dialect of Lommel - the Lommel - is part of the East Brabant, and not to the West Limburg dialects, reflecting the particular history of the place.

The name comes from Lommel Loemelo. Loem means moist, swampy and Lo is forest or woodland.

All historical data relating to the current municipality, including towns such as arose after the merger of January 1, 1977.

In 1990 fourth Lommel its 1000 anniversary. In the earliest period Lommel was part of the so-called Eninge of the Kempen, a certain territory in the Kempen where applied the same law. All come under a vague Utrecht majesty and authority was in feudal held by Brabant. In 1203 the Eninge came under the supremacy of the dukes of Brabant.

The Brabant expansion northward was Lommel part of the bailiwick of 's-Hertogenbosch and continued to come under the quarter Kempenland. In 1332 was Lommel city rights Duke John III, Duke of Brabant. Lommel was a freedom. Late 16th century it went bad with the Bailiwick. During the Gelderland Wars looted and burnt estimated the headman Gelderland Maarten van Rossum the Bailiwick. During the Eighty Years' War suffered under the bailiwick of war.