![[Flag of Tubize]](../images/b/be-wbrtb.gif)
Last modified: 2015-07-28 by ivan sache
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Municipal flag of Tubize - Image by Arnaud Leroy, 13 May 2007
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The municipality of Tubize (in Dutch, Tubeke; 22,713 inhabitants on 1 January 2007; 3,266 ha) is located 25 km south-west of Brussels, on the linguistic border between French and Dutch. The municipality of Tubize is made since 1976 of the former municipalities of Tubize, Clabecq (Klabbeek), Oisquercq (Oostkerk) and Saintes (Sint-Renelde).
The name of Tubize comes from the Dutch twee beken, two rivers, Tubize being located on the confluency of the Senne and the Sennette. Tubize is known for the decentered clock of its church, the ponds of Cœurcq, and their natural cascade.
Clabecq is mostly known for the steelworks Forges de Clabecq. In
1841, Goffin purchased a water-mill and a small iron-making factory and
transformed them into modern steelworks. In the late XIXth century, the
Forges purchased the castle of Clabecq, built in the XVIIth century,
and transformed it in flats for the immigrant workers, therefore its
nickname of Château des Italiens (Italians' Castle). In 1975, the
Forges de Clabecq employed 6,000 workers, operating a series of
smelting furnaces, rolling mills, a continuous casting chain, smelting
and steelworks. In December 1996, the Forges de Clabecq were declared
bankrupted, so that 1,803 workers became unemployed. On 2 February
1997, the trade unions organized a national Marche pour l'emploi
(March for Employment) in Clabecq, that grouped 70,000 demonstrators
led by Robert d'Orazio, nicknamed "the Red Pope", and ended with some
violent acts. In 1998, the Swiss-Italian Duferco group reopened the
site.
In the park of Clabecq, a stele is engraved with a horse's head and the
writing "La Moskowa"; it recalls the horse Bayard on which Marquis de
Sayve, Lord of Clabecq, managed to cross the river Moskowa during the
retreat of Napoléon's army from Russia in 1812.
Oisquercq has a Breton calvary, brought back from Plourin, near Morlaix, by Mr and Mrs des Grées du Loë, once owners of the castle of Oisquercq. The castle was demolished during the building of the Brussels-Charleroi canal.
Saintes is dedicated to St. Renelde, St. Gudule's sister, who was beheaded by barbarians. Her relics were already venerated in a shrine in the XIth century, whereas the today's shrine dates back to the XIVth century. The St. Renelde procession, during which the shrine is transported in the village streets on a historical cart drawn by four horses and escorted by riders, takes place on the first Sunday following Whit. The miraculous St. Renelde fountain, located in the pastures near the village, recalls that the saint once planted her staff here to get water. The fountain topped by the saint's statue was built in 1861.
Source: Régionale Brabant Wallon - FUNDP website
Ivan Sache, 13 May 2007
Arnaud Leroy, Pascal Vagnat & Ivan Sache, 13 May 2007
