Editing Tielt

{{Infobox Belgium municipality
|name             = Tielt
|type             = city
|picture          = Belfry of Tielt (DSCF0059).jpg
|picture-legend   = Belfry of Tielt and town hall
|map              = Tielt West-Flanders Belgium Map.svg
|map-legend       = Location of Tielt in West Flanders
|arms             = Tielt wapen.svg
|flag             = Tielt vlag.svg
|region           = {{BE-REG-FLE}}
|community        = {{BE-NL}}
|province         = {{BE-PROV-WV}}
|arrondissement   = [[Arrondissement of Tielt|Tielt]]
|nis              = 37015
|pyramid-date     = 01/01/2006
|0-19=21.64
|20-64=58.96
|65=19.40
|foreigners=1.25
|foreigners-date  = 01/07/2005
|mayor            = Luc Vannieuwenhuyze ([[Christian Democratic and Flemish|CD&V]])
|majority         = [[Christian Democratic and Flemish|CD&V]], Iedereen Tielt
|postal-codes     = 8700
|telephone-area   = 051
|web              = [http://www.tielt.be/ www.tielt.be]
|coordinates      = {{coord|51|00|N|03|19|E|region:BE|display=inline,title}}
}}

'''Tielt''' ({{IPA|nl|tilt}}; {{langx|fr|Thielt}}) is a [[Belgium|Belgian]] [[City status in Belgium|city]] and [[Municipalities in Belgium|municipality]] in the [[Provinces of Belgium|province]] of [[West Flanders]]. The municipality comprises the town of Tielt proper and the villages of [[Aarsele]], Kanegem, and Schuiferskapelle.

==History==
[[File:Stadhuis Tielt (DSCF0061).jpg|thumb|left|upright|Townhall of Tielt]]
Some traces of [[Gallo-Roman]] occupation have been found in this area. The region was invaded by the Viking [[Rikiwulf]] of the [[Wulfing]] dynasty in 880 AD, who built Rikiwulfinga-haim, which survives as the Rijkegem-kouter today. The first written mention of ''Tiletum'', dates from 1105, when [[Baldric of Noyon]], [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Tournai|Bishop of Tournai]], awarded the [[Jus patronatus#Right of presentation|right of presentment]] for the parish church to the chapter of St Salvator in [[Harelbeke]].<ref>K. Maddens, "Schenking van het altaar van Tielt aan het Sint-Salvatorskapittel van Harelbeke, 1105", in ''Doorheen de nationale geschiedenis'' (Brussels, 1980), pp. 15-17.</ref> In 1245, [[Margaret II, Countess of Flanders|Margaret of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders]] gave the city its [[charter]] and decided to found a hospital here. A few years later, a market place and cloth hall were built as well. Like neighbouring [[Roeselare]], Tielt was made part of the [[Kortrijk]] province of [[Flanders (county)|Flanders]]. In the 13th and 14th century, the economy of most [[Flemish Region|Flemish]] cities was based on the cloth industry, while the rural areas lived on the products of agriculture.

In 1393, [[Philip II, Duke of Burgundy|Philip the Bold]] decided to hold an annual fair in Tielt, which resulted in the city becoming the booming centre of the [[flax]] industry until the end of the 16th century. The following decades, however, were hard on Tielt as it suffered two major fires and a couple of epidemics, including the [[Bubonic plague|plague]]. Tielt also went through a severe famine at the end of the 17th century. From about 1700 until the [[Belgian Revolution]] of 1830, the city prospered again, this time as a regional center for the construction industry.

During [[World War I]], the city became the headquarters for the [[Germany|German]] army. The bombing of the [[World War II|Second World War]] was a lot more destructive. Most of the city centre had to be rebuilt. Today Tielt is a typical province town, which offers commercial, medical and educational services to the surrounding region.

==Economy==
Industries:
* [[Seyntex]], textile manufacturer
* Mistubishi Chemical Advanced Materials
* Balta Tielt
Media:
* [[Lannoo]], publishing group

==Sights==
[[File:Sint-Pieterskerk, Tielt (DSCF0047).jpg|thumb|Sint-Pieterskerk]]
[[File:Belforttielt 28-10-2008 17-45-13.JPG|thumb|right|Market square and ''Halletoren'']]
*The [[Belfries of Belgium and France|Belfry (''Hallentoren''), Cloth Hall, and Aldermen's Chamber]] are classified by [[UNESCO]] as a [[World Heritage Site]] because of their architecture and civic importance in the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Baroque periods.<ref name = "unesco">{{cite web |url = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/943 |title= Belfries of Belgium and France  |website = UNESCO World Heritage Centre |publisher = United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization |access-date = 5 November 2021}}</ref>
*The city also houses some interesting churches such as Saint-Peter's.
*From Tielt, there are several strolling and biking paths that allow the visitor to discover the region and see some of the windmills that still dot the landscape.

==Festivities==
Every year, on the first week-end of July, the city celebrates the ''Europafeesten'' (feast of Europe).  This is the occasion for a ''braderie'' (a street clearance sale), street theatre, a blues festival, fireworks and expanded café terraces for further merriment.

==People born in Tielt==
*[[Olivier Le Daim]], originally de Neckere a 15th-century barber and valet to [[Louis XI]], known in France as Olivier le Mauvais
*[[Josse Ravesteyn]], 16th-century theologian
*[[Godfried Danneels]], cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church
*[[Briek Schotte]], two-time World Champion cyclist
*[[Gianni Meersman]], professional road racing cyclist
*[[Enzo Ide]], racing driver
*[[Kurt Martens]], professor and canon lawyer

==International relations==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Belgium}}

===Twin towns — Sister cities===
Tielt is [[town twinning|twinned]] with:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Europastad |url=https://www.tielt.be/product/80/europastad |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=Stad Tielt |language=nl-BE}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Groß-Gerau]], [[Germany]]
*{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Bruneck]], [[Italy]]
||
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Brignoles]], [[France]]
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Szamotuły]], [[Poland]]
|}


==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.tielt.be Official website ] - Information available in [[Dutch language|Dutch]] and limited information available in [[English language|English]]

{{Geographic location
|Centre = Tielt
|North     = [[Ruiselede]]
|Northeast = [[Aalter]] ([[East Flanders|VOV]])
|East      = [[Deinze]] ([[East Flanders|VOV]])
|South     = [[Oostrozebeke]], [[Dentergem]]
|Southwest = [[Meulebeke]]
|West      = [[Pittem]]
|Northwest = [[Wingene]]
}}
{{Municipalities in West Flanders}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Tielt| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities of West Flanders]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in Belgium]]