Vilvoorde
| Vilvoorde | |||
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| Municipality | |||
Town Hall
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 Vilvoorde
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Location of Vilvoorde in Flemish Brabant
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| Coordinates: 50°56′N 04°25′E / 50.933°N 4.417°ECoordinates: 50°56′N 04°25′E / 50.933°N 4.417°E | |||
| Country | Belgium | ||
| Community | Flemish Community | ||
| Region | Flemish Region | ||
| Province | Flemish Brabant | ||
| Arrondissement | Halle Vilvoorde | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Hans Bonte (SP.A) | ||
| • Governing party/ies | SP.A-Groen!, N-VA, VLD | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 21.48 km2 (8.29 sq mi) | ||
| Population (1 January 2016) | |||
| • Total | 43,017 | ||
| • Density | 2,000/km2 (5,200/sq mi) | ||
| Postal codes | 1800 | ||
| Area codes | 02 - 015 | ||
| Website | www.vilvoorde.be | ||
Vilvoorde (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈvɪlvoːrdə], French: Vilvorde, historically known as Filford in English) is a Belgian municipality in the Flemish province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the city of Vilvoorde proper with its two outlying quarters of Koningslo and Houtem and the small town of Peutie. The nickname for inhabitants of Vilvoorde is Pjeirrefretters (horse eaters) because horse meat (specially steak) is a beloved food in Vilvoorde.
The official language of Vilvoorde is Dutch. There is a French-speaking minority of about 20%, (citation needed) concentrated especially in the Koningslo quarter bordering Brussels. The French-speaking minority is represented by 3 members on the 33-seat local council. The city is also home to a large Spanish minority. In the center of the city, 1 out of 10 inhabitants have Spanish nationality and the proportion of Belgians with Spanish roots is even greater. Most immigrated after World War II, from Peñarroya-Pueblonuevo in Andalusia. There is also a large Moroccan community, and many smaller communities of more recent immigrants including Turks, Macedonians and Portuguese.
From 2000 until August 1, 2007, the mayor of Vilvoorde was former Belgian prime minister Jean-Luc Dehaene. The mayor since 2013 is Hans Bonte, also a member of the federal House of Representatives.
The Nervii, and later the Romans, probably already settled in this strategic place near the river Zenne. The name Filfurdo was first mentioned in a 779 document whereby Pippin of Herstal ceded this territory to the Abbey of Chèvremont, near Liège. This name presumably derived from the word equivalents villa at the ford or river crossing.
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Wikipedia