Mesen

For places in Iran, see Mesen, Iran.

Mesen
City and municipality
Flag of Mesen
Flag
Coat of arms of Mesen
Coat of arms
Location of Mesen
Map
Mesen is located in Belgium
Mesen
Mesen
Location in Belgium
Location of Mesen in West Flanders
Coordinates: 50°46′N 02°54′E / 50.767°N 2.900°E / 50.767; 2.900
Country Belgium
CommunityFlemish Community
RegionFlemish Region
ProvinceWest Flanders
ArrondissementYpres
Government
 • MayorSandy Evrard (MLM)
 • Governing party/iesMesense Liberalen/Libéraux Messinois (MLM)
Area
 • Total
3.6 km2 (1.4 sq mi)
Population
 (2022-01-01)[1]
 • Total
1,062
 • Density300/km2 (760/sq mi)
Postal codes
8957
NIS code
33016
Area codes057
Websitewww.mesen.be

Mesen (Dutch: [ˈmeːsə(n)] ⓘ; French: Messines [mɛsin], historically used in English) is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. On January 1, 2006, Mesen had a total population of 988. The total area is 3.58 km2 which gives a population density of 276 inhabitants per km2.

The municipality comprises only one main settlement, the town of Mesen proper. An exclave to the west of the main territory is surrounded by the municipalities of Heuvelland and Comines-Warneton.

The territory of Mesen (marked 'I') and its immediate neighbours. Built-up areas are shown in yellow.

Villages neighbouring the municipality:

Mesen is the smallest city in Belgium. It is a municipality with language facilities.

Mesen is twinned with Featherston in New Zealand in part due to the location of the New Zealand World War I Memorial, which has annual Anzac Day commemorations on 25 April.

History

In 1062, Adela, wife of Baldwin the Pius, count of Flanders, translated the bones of Saint Sidronius from Rome to Messines.[2]

Three battles were fought over the town during World War I (1914–1918):

References

  1. ^ "Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2022". Statbel.
  2. ^ Baring-Gould, Sabine (1897), The Lives Of The Saints, vol. 7, July Pt. 1, London: J. C. Nimmo, p. 277, retrieved 4 August 2021