Last modified: 2007-12-22 by ivan sache
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Municipal flag of Kapelle-op-den-Bos - Image by Ivan Sache, 29 October 2001
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The municipality of Kapelle-op-den-Bos (8,916 inhabitants on 1 January 2007; 1,525 ha) is located 20 km north of Brussels on the Willebroek canal, in the region known as Little Brabant (Klein-Brabant, aka Smal-Brabant), on the border with the Province of Antwerp. The municipality of Kapelle-op-den-Bos is made since 1976 of the former municipalities of Kapelle-op-den-Bos, Nieuwenrode and Ramsdonk.
Kapelle-op-den-Bos (482 ha) was mentioned for the first time in 1270, as Capelle, when the Duke of Brabant granted a chart to the village. The settlement emerged around a chapel (in Dutch, kapelle) built in a wood (bos), according to a local legend by a noble who had lost his way, had invoked St. Nicholas, and had been miraculously saved. The St. Nicholas church, built in 1564 and revamped in 1886, was completely burned by the Germans in May 1914, and completely rebuilt in 1926 in Neo-Romanesque style.
Nieuwenrode (582 ha) was mentioned for the first time in 1155, as Nuenroth, lit., "a new clearing". The origin of the village is the building of a nuns' convent on the border with the parishes of Wolvertem and Meise. The convent was expected to be built in the Grimbergen abbey as a double convent with canons and sisters; however, the Norbertine chapter decided in 1137 that no new convent should be built in the already crowdy region of Grimbergen. In spite of its short life, the convent, suppressed in 1270, dramatically contributed to the development of the region. In 1874, the village of Nieuwenrode seceded from Meise to form an independent municipality.
Ramsdonk (431 ha) was mentioned for the first time in 1211, as Ramesdonc, from hram, "a raven", and donk, "a small height". The name of the village recalls it was built in a hilly region between the rivers Rupel and Zenne. Ramsdonk was part of the domain known as "wastina in Hoxdonk", from which it is the oldest settlement.
Source: Municipal website
Ivan Sache, 5 August 2007
The flag of Kapelle-op-den-Bos is vertically divided blue-white-blue
(1:2:1) with the municipal shield (crest omitted) in the middle.
According to Gemeentewapens in België - Vlaanderen en Brussel, the flag was adopted by the Municipal
Council on 24 September 1987, confirmed by the Executive of Flanders on
1 March 1988 and published in the Belgian official gazette on 16
September 1988.
Blue and yellow are the traditional colours of Kapelle-op-den-Bos.
According to Servais, the arms of Kapelle-op-den-Bos were granted by
Royal Decree on 30 October 1946 as "Sable a lion or armed and langued gules. The shield supported by a St. Nicholas or".
The use of the lion of Brabant in Kapelle-op-den-Bos dates back to the
XIVth century; all the further municipal seals and arms incorporate the
lion.
Pascal Vagnat, 5 August 2007
