Editing Gistel

{{About|the Belgian municipality|the zoologist|Johannes von Nepomuk Franz Xaver Gistel}}
{{Infobox Belgium municipality
|name             = Gistel
|type             = city
|picture          = Gistel - Groene 62 - Crossing.jpg
|picture-legend   =
|map              = Gistel West-Flanders Belgium Map.svg
|map-legend       = location within arrondissement Ostend<br/> and in the province West Flanders
|arms             = Blason Gistel.svg
|flag             = GistelFlag.svg
|region           = {{BE-REG-FLE}}
|community        = {{BE-NL}}
|province         = {{BE-PROV-WV}} 
|arrondissement   = [[Arrondissement of Ostend|Ostend]]
|nis              = 35005
|male=5499 (49.43%)
|female=5626 (50.57%)
|pyramid-date=01/01/06
|0-19=25.1
|20-64=58.04
|65=16.86
|foreigners=0.89
|foreigners-date  = 01/07/05
|unemployed       = 6,82
|sections-postal  = 8470<br />8470<br />8470<br />8470 
|sections-name    = Gistel<br />[[Moere]]<br />[[Snaaskerke]]<br />[[Zevekote]]
|mayor            = Gauthier Defreyne ([[Flemish Liberals and Democrats|VLD]])
|majority         = [[Flemish Liberals and Democrats|VLD]], [[New-Flemish Alliance|N-VA]], [[Vooruit (political party)|Vooruit]]
|parties          = [[Flemish Liberals and Democrats|VLD]]<br />[[Christian Democratic and Flemish|CD&V]]<br />[[Socialist Party - Different|sp-a]]<br />[[New-Flemish Alliance|N-VA]]
|seats            = '''23'''<br />10<br />7<br />2<br />2<br />1<br />1
|postal-codes     = 8470
|telephone-area   = 059
|web              = [http://www.gistel.be/ www.gistel.be]
|datum1=Jan 2006
|datum2=Jan 2004
|datum3=Jul 2005
|datum4=Jan 2006
|polz=Kouter
|coordinates      = {{coord|51|09|N|02|58|E|region:BE|display=inline,title}}
}}
'''Gistel''' ({{IPA|nl|ˈɣɪstəl}}) is a [[Municipalities of Belgium|municipality]] and [[City status in Belgium|city]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wet tot toekenning van de titel van stad aan de gemeenten Beringen, Bilzen, Blankenberge, Borgloon, Ciney, Couvin, Damme, Geel, Genepiën, Gistel, Halen, Hamont-Achel, Hannuit, Harelbeke, Herk-de-Stad, Lo-Reninge, Mesen, Oudenburg, Peer, Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, Vilvoorde en Walcourt |url=https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/wet/1985/07/19/1985001298/staatsblad |date=19 July 1985 |lang=nl |website=www.ejustice.just.fgov.be |publisher=[[Belgian Official Gazette]] |access-date=22 April 2025}}</ref> located in the [[Belgium|Belgian]] [[Provinces of Belgium|province]] of [[West Flanders]].

Following local government boundary reforms in 1971 and 1977, the municipality has comprised not only Gistel, but also the towns of [[Moere]], [[Snaaskerke]] and [[Zevekote]].

On January 1, 2006 the Gistel municipality had a total registered population of 11,125, of whom more than 8,000 were in Gistel itself. The total area is 42.25&nbsp;km² which gives a [[population density]] of 263 inhabitants per km². The [[Germany|German]] town of [[Büdingen]] is its [[Twin towns and sister cities|twin town]].

==Celebrity connections==
The most famous inhabitant of Gistel was [[Sylvère Maes]], winner of the [[Tour de France]] in 1936 and 1939.

Another former resident of Gistel is [[Johan Museeuw]], also famous cyclist, but now retired. He won [[Paris–Roubaix]] three times.

In 2011, a museum opened in Gistel, in honor of Maes and Museeuw.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.standaard.be/artikel/detail.aspx?artikelid=4438IFTP|title=Museum Gistelse Flandriens|language=nl|date=8 April 2011|access-date=17 January 2012|newspaper=[[De Standaard]]}}</ref>

A former mayor, Bart Halewyck, was the first hacker ever convicted in Belgium after the '[[Bistel]] Trial' in 1990. He was already alderman and had to resign after his conviction.<ref>{{in lang|fr}} Joëlle Meskens, "[http://archives.lesoir.be/les-pirates-du-bistel-s-en-tirent-bien-la-farce-n-etait_t-19901109-Z039A1.html Les pirates du Bistel s'en tirent bien: la farce n'était pas très méchante...]", ''[[Le Soir]]'', 9 November 1990</ref>

==Images==
<gallery>
File:Gistel Administration Center.jpg|Administration Centre
File:Church of Gistel.jpg|Church of Our Lady (Onze Lieve Vrouw)
File:Strangulation of Godelieve.jpg|Gistel is the origin of the veneration of [[Saint Godelieve]]
File:Gistel - Oostmolen met vier volle zeilen.jpg|Oostmolen windmill in full sail
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline}}
*[http://www.gistel.be Official website ] - Available only in [[Dutch language|Dutch]]

{{Geographic location
|Centre = Gistel
|North     = [[Ostend]]
|Northeast = [[Oudenburg]]
|Southeast = [[Ichtegem]]
|South     = [[Koekelare]]
|West      = [[Middelkerke]]
}}
{{Municipalities in West Flanders}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Gistel| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities of West Flanders]]


{{WestFlanders-geo-stub}}