Aarschot is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. The municipality comprises the city of Aarschot proper and the towns of Gelrode , Langdorp and Rillaar . On January 1st, 2004 Aarschot had a total population of 27,701 (13,600 males and 14,101 females). The total area is 62.52 km² which gives a population density of 443.11 inhabitants per km².
It is located in the part of Flemish Brabant called Hageland , located to the east of Leuven. Aarschot is a very typical town with a long history, dating back to the era of the Roman emperors, according to myths. The church, which dominates the look of the city, is built with the typical brown stone harvested from the hills in the neighborhood. The same hills that, in the middle ages, were home to some of the most well-regarded vineyards of Europe. Today the chain hills, which originate in Diest and continue as far as Calais in France, are mainly covered with woods and fruit yards.
While the church definitely leaves its mark on the appearance of the city, nothing defines Aarschot better than the river that passes trough it: the Demer. The brown-colored river carves beautiful landscapes in between the hills and accommodates for a nice bicycle ride to Werchter , where it flows into the river Dijle (which, oddly enough, carries less water than itself).
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Last updated: 10-16-2005 08:00:23
