Battle of Halen

Halen (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɦaːlə(n)] ), formerly Haelen (Limburgish: Hôle), is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg, to the west of Hasselt. On January 1, 2018, Halen had a total population of 9,461. The total area is 36.29 km² which gives a population density of 261 inhabitants per km². The municipality consists of the following sub-municipalities: Halen proper, Loksbergen, and Zelem. During the First World War, on August 12, 1914, the Battle of Halen took place here near the river crossing of the Gete.

The Gete (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɣeːtə]; French: Gette) is a river in Belgium which flows south to north. It is a left tributary of the Demer. The Gete is formed by the confluence of the rivers Grote Gete ("Large Gete") and Kleine Gete ("Small Gete") near Budingen. From Budingen the river continues for 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) to the city of Halen, where it flows into the Demer. The river was the historical border between the Prince-Bishopric of Liège and the Duchy of Brabant. The source of the Grote Gete is situated in the village of Perwez. The length of the river to Budingen is 51 kilometres (32 mi). The river flows through Jodoigne, Hoegaarden and Tienen. The source of the Kleine Gete is in the village of Ramillies. It flows through Orp-Jauche, Hélécine and Zoutleeuw.

Landwijk Castle is a castle in the municipality of Herk-de-Stad, Belgium.

Herk-de-Stad (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɦɛr(ə)ɡ də ˈstɑt] ; French: Herck-la-Ville, French pronunciation: [ɛʁk la vil]) is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On 1 January 2018, Herk-de-Stad had a total population of 12,661. The total area is 42.83 km² which gives a population density of 296 inhabitants per km². Besides the village of Herk-de-Stad itself, the municipality contains the communities of Berbroek, Schulen and Donk. Donk contains two country houses, both of the eighteenth-century, Kasteel Hamont and Kasteel Landwijk, which stands on the site of a castle established in the 12th century.

Kortenaken (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈkɔrtənaːkə(n)]) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Hoeleden, Kersbeek-Miskom, Kortenaken proper, Ransberg and Waanrode. On January 1, 2014, Kortenaken had a total population of 7,881. The total area is 49.06 km² which gives a population density of 160,63 inhabitants per km². Every year in August there used to be a three-day festival in Kortenaken, named Boerenrock, with electro music on Friday, rock music and a party on Saturday, and on Sunday music aimed at children and their parents. The final edition of this festival took place in 2016.

Geetbets (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌɣeːdˈbɛts]) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Geetbets proper, Grazen and Rummen. On January 1, 2006, Geetbets had a total population of 5,765. The total area is 35.17 km2 which gives a population density of 164 inhabitants per km2.

Schaffen Air Base (ICAO: EBDT) is a Belgian Air Force Base, located 2.1 km (1.3 mi) north-northeast of Diest in Flemish Brabant, Belgium. The airfield is currently the Training Center for Parachutists (TrgC Para) of the Belgian ParaCommandos.

Diest (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈdist] ) is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. Situated in the northeast of the Hageland region, Diest neighbours the provinces of Antwerp to its North, and Limburg to the East and is situated around 60 km from Brussels. The municipality comprises the city of Diest proper and the towns of Deurne, Kaggevinne, Molenstede, Schaffen and Webbekom. As of January 1, 2006, Diest had a total population of 22,845. The total area is 58.20 km² which gives a population density of 393 inhabitants per km².

The Taking of Diest (9 June 1580) was a successful surprise assault on the town of Diest, in the Duchy of Brabant, during the Dutch Revolt.

Lummen (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈlʏmə(n)]; Limburgish: Leume [ˈløːmə] or Lumme [ˈlʏmə]) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. On January 1, 2006, Lummen had a total population of 13,691. The total area is 53.38 km² which gives a population density of 256 inhabitants per km². The municipality consists of the following sub-municipalities: Lummen proper, Meldert en Linkhout. In addition, it includes the following hamlets: Geneiken, Genenbos, Gestel, Goeslaar, Groenlaren, Laren, Mellaer, Molem, Oostereinde, Rekhoven, Schalbroek, and Thiewinkel. Kasteel Lagendal is situated in this municipality. The historic coat of arms features the crests of the Houses of Arenberg, La Marck and Arrazola de Oñate. In 2008 however, the municipality chose to use a new logo on its official documents instead. Originally this was an estate ("villa") of the Prince Bishop of Liège. The core of this (Lummen-Koersel) was one parish until 1180. From the 10th to the 12th centuries, the County of Loon expanded in a northerly direction and seized the villa and the Counts founded an allodium, but in 1203 this area was again transferred to the Prince Bishop and taken on loan. It was given to Lodewijk van Walcourt afterwards. In 1350 Lummen came into possession of the Huis van der Mark-Arenberg. This family remained in possession of the glory until the French period (1794). However, the Dukes of Brabant also claimed to be entitled to a part of Lummen, while the (Loon) lords of Lummen sometimes attempted to found a free state in the area, whereby the Dukes of Brabant tried to sell their rights to these Loon lords several times. . The Heren van Lummen also owned the patronage rights of the parishes in their area, which also included Linkhout and Koersel, and from 1260 also Schulen. On August 17, 1943, a German fighter plane downed an American B17 bomber of the 94th bomber group over Lummen. The debris of the aircraft ended up in the area of the current Kanadastraat. Six crew members died, two were taken to Germany as prisoners of war and two escaped. A memorial was unveiled on 17 August 2013 in the parking lot of the Oosterhof, near the crash. On February 21, 1945, an Avro Lancaster bomber of the Royal Australian Air Force crashed in the Goeren in Linkhout after being shot by a German night fighter. There was only 1 survivor of the 7 crew members, namely Alex Jenkins, the pilot. There is now a memorial at the site of the crash.

Paal (Limburgish: Poël) is a town and borough in the municipality of Beringen, in the Belgian Limburg Campine. Once known as Pael, the town has a long history.The town plays an important role in both the industry and tourism of Beringen. The town has a recreational area, the "Paalse Plas", with ponds, a sailing lake and a golf course. The annual Paal op Stelten music festival attracts 20,000 visitors to the town each August.The industrial area along the A13 motorway houses the facilities of a number of multinational companies. The studio of Radio Benelux, the local radio station for Beringen and surroundings, is located in Paal.

The Saint Leonard's Church (Dutch: Sint-Leonarduskerk) in Zoutleeuw, Belgium, stands on the former site of a Romanesque chapel erected in 1125 by Benedictines from Vlierbeek Abbey near Leuven. Construction of the present church began around 1231, and additions continued into the 16th century. Rendered mainly in the Gothic style, the building in its oldest parts shows traces of the Romanesque architectural style. The two heavy square towers flanking the west facade are connected with each other by means of a gallery over the nave. The slender central tower, octagonal in cross-section, contains a carillon with 24 bells. In 1999, UNESCO included the towers and church as part of the World Heritage Site Belfries of Belgium and France.Few, if any other medieval churches in Belgium remain in such an excellent state of preservation as St. Leonard's, which stayed clear of the widespread iconoclasm during the Protestant Reformation. It also survived the French Revolution intact, because three canons took an oath of allegiance to the French regime. The interior thus offers an authentic glimpse of how the churches of Brabant were furnished centuries ago.