Arrondissement of Aalst

Haaltert (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɦaːltərt]) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders in the Denderstreek. The municipality comprises the towns of Denderhoutem, Haaltert proper, Heldergem and Kerksken. In 2021, Haaltert had a total population of 18,892. The total area is 30.30 km². The current mayor of Haaltert is Veerle Baeyens, from the N-VA. There is a 205 hectare nature reserve Den Dotter in the sub-municipalities of Aaigem (municipality Erpe-Mere) and Heldergem (municipality Haaltert). Haaltert is crossed by the Molenbeek-Ter Erpenbeek creek in Heldergem, Kerksken, and Haaltert.

Ninove Abbey (Dutch: Abdij van Sint-Cornelius en Sint-Cyprianus) was a monastery of the Premonstratensian Order in the center of Ninove, in the province of East Flanders, Belgium. Only the abbey church now remains. The parish church at Ninove was converted into a Premonstratensian Abbey in 1137 by Gerard I, Lord of Ninove, in remembrance of his wife Gisela and himself. The abbey was a filiation from Park Abbey outside Leuven.The monks settled on uncultivated lands which had been offered to them by the lord of Ninove which were near the town, on the banks of the river Dender. The community continued to grow and its financial position soon allowed it to occupy the adjacent parishes. The lay brothers undertook the farm work. The original abbey church was dedicated in 1174 and was built in Romano-Gothic style. Between 1578 and 1580, the church and abbey buildings were severely damaged. The remains of the church were demolished in 1623. A temporary chapel was built in 1635. The construction of the current Baroque church started in 1640, after Abbot Jan David brought back the plan for construction from Rome in 1628. Due to financing problems, however, the works did not progress for decades. It was not until 1716 that construction was resumed. The church was consecrated on 27 April 1727. The organ was manufactured in 1728 by the famous organ builder Jean-Baptiste Forceville. The 16th and 17th centuries were difficult times because of the political troubles and the effects of the Eighty Years' War. The 18th century brought a period of calm and prosperity. All the abbey buildings were reconstructed to the plans of Ghent architects Jan Baptist Simoens and Frans Drieghe, advised by Laurent-Benoît Dewez.The Abbey was suppressed on 1 February 1796 during the French period. At the request of the local people, the abbey church was converted for use as a parish church in 1813, with a dedication to the Assumption of Mary. Most of the abbey buildings were demolished in the 1820s, with the main remnant being a monumental gate.

Mere is a sub-municipality of Erpe-Mere in Flanders. It is located on the Molenbeek-Ter Erpenbeek in the Denderstreek in the southeast of East Flanders and belongs to Arrondissement of Aalst. It is bordered by the sub-municipalities of Erpe, Ottergem, Bambrugge and Aaigem and the municipalities Haaltert (sub-municipality Haaltert) and Aalst (sub-municipality Nieuwerkerken). Mere has 5033 inhabitants as of 1 January 2003 and an area of 5.77 km. The population density is 873 inhabitants / km ².

Denderhoutem is a village, located in the Denderstreek in the Flemish province of East Flanders (Belgium). Since 1977 it is part of the municipality of Haaltert. The arms show a garb, most likely a symbol for agriculture. The old seals of the local council, dating from the 15th and 16th century, showed a tree, with on the sides two small shields, one with the lion of Flanders, the other with the arms of Burgundy. Why the council in the early 19th century applied for the garb instead is not known.

Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Meuleschettekapel, also known as The Meuleschettekapel, is a chapel in the Dirk Martensstraat in Aalst, Belgium. It was designed by Jules Goethals in 1894.

Erpe-Mere (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌɛrpəˈmeːrə]) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders in the Denderstreek. The municipality comprises the towns of Aaigem, Bambrugge, Burst, Erondegem, Erpe, Mere, Ottergem and Vlekkem. There is also a hamlet in Bambrugge: Egem. Erpe-Mere is crossed by 2 brooks, the Molenbeek and the Molenbeek-Ter Erpenbeek. In 2022 Erpe-Mere had a total population of 20,127. The total area is 34.03 km². The current mayor of Erpe-Mere is Hugo De Waele, from the CD&V (Christian Democratic) party.

The Saint-Joseph Church (Dutch: Sint-Jozefkerk) is a neo-Gothic church with basilical construction, located in the Belgian city of Aalst (province of East Flanders). Work on the church started in 1868 and was completed in 1908. The future of the church is currently uncertain due to serious stability problems however in 2023 it was decided to restore the building. It is the tallest building in the city of Aalst (91 m). The restoration will cost 36 million euros and will get subsidisation from the Flemish government.

The Grote Markt (Dutch, pronounced [ˌɣroːtə ˈmɑr(ə)kt] (listen), Aalsters: Groeite Mert; meaning "Big Market") is the central square of Aalst, East Flanders, Belgium. The Aldermen's House, the Town Hall, the Beurs van Amsterdam, Herberg Graaf van Egmont and the Belfry/Schepenhuis are located there. The large square is broken by the protruding position of the Aldermen's House and the Herberg Graaf van Egmont, and is partly divided into several parts. The square behind the Aldermen's House (on Kattestraat) and the connecting street to Hopmarkt and Nieuwstraat are also referred to as part of the Grote Markt. The statue of printer Dirk Martens is also located on the square.The Grote Markt witnessed many tragic events unfold during its history. In 1524, the first female Protestant martyr Clara 't Roen was executed on the square. More than two centuries later, in 1748, the outlaw and gang leader Jan de Lichte suffered the same faith.

The Schepenhuis (Aldermen's House) of Aalst, Belgium, is a former city hall, one of the oldest in the Low Countries. Dating originally from 1225, it was partially rebuilt twice as a result of fire damage, first after a 1380 war and again after a fireworks accident in 1879. The belfry tower at one corner of the building was completed in 1460, and in the next year was equipped with a carillon built by master craftsmen from Mechelen. The current carillon, the sixth installed since the original, has 52 bells. Inscribed on the tower are the Latin words nec spe, nec metu ("not with hope, not with fear"). This was the motto of Spain's Philip II, whose domain expanded into the Low Countries in 1555. A small wing of late Gothic style, facing the market square and adorned with five life-size statues, was added in the 16th century. From this annex one can access the cellars, which originally served as torture chambers. The schepenhuis with its belfry is one of an ensemble of related buildings that together have received UNESCO World Heritage status (the Belfries of Belgium and France). The schepenhuis was depicted in the 1915 Wills's Cigarettes Gems of Belgian Architecture set. It is card number 31 of the 50 card set, originally published in the UK.

Aalst (Dutch pronunciation: [aːlst] (listen); French: Alost, French pronunciation: ​[alɔst]; Brabantian: Oilsjt) is a city and municipality on the Dender River, 31 kilometres (19 mi) northwest from Brussels in the Flemish province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Aalst itself and the villages of Baardegem, Erembodegem, Gijzegem, Herdersem, Hofstade, Meldert, Moorsel and Nieuwerkerken; it is the tenth largest city by population with nearly 90,000 inhabitants. Aalst is crossed by the Molenbeek-Ter Erpenbeek in Aalst and Hofstade. The current mayor of Aalst is Christoph D'Haese, from the New-Flemish Alliance party. The town has a long-standing (folkloric) feud with Dendermonde (north along the river), which dates from the Middle Ages.

The Groot park or Park schepen de Wolf or city park of Aalst (stadspark) is a park in the Belgian city of Aalst. It can be regarded as an artificial nature domain with a recreational-educational function. The park covers an area of approximately 15 hectares (37 acres). The city park is located south of the city center. It is bordered by the Parklaan, Désiré De Wolfstraat and Erembodegemstraat. The park is protected by the Flanders Heritage Agency.It is located between the urban sports fields and the industrial zone on the Dender. In the south, the park flows into the Osbroek nature reserve, which covers almost 25 hectares (62 acres). The park is 800 meters away from De grote markt of Aalst.The park was built in 1915 and the construction was a way to give jobless people a job. In the park there's the Melkhuisje (milk-house), a restaurant that is open since 1916, originally selling milk, now a restaurant. Since 2023 they're searching for a new owner of het Melkhuisje, it's future is therefore uncertain.

St Joseph's College (Dutch, Sint-Jozefscollege) is a Roman Catholic subsidized free school for general secondary education founded by the Society of Jesus in Aalst. The school building is a protected monument.