Abele is a small
villageA village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
or
hamletThe Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
in the city of
PoperingePoperinge is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders, Flemish Region, and has a history going back to mediaeval times. The municipality comprises the town of Poperinge proper and surrounding villages. The area is famous for its hops and lace.-The town:Poperinge is situated...
, in the
BelgianBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
province of West-Flanders. The village is located on the territory of Poperinge proper and its "
deelgemeenteA deelgemeente is a subdivision of a gemeente in Belgium and the Netherlands.-Belgium:...
" Watou, but is also partly located on
FrenchThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
territory. Abele has about 600 inhabitants, of whom about 100 are French. The main street coincides with the border between Belgium and France, so houses located on different sides of the street are located in a different country.
The church of Abele is located on French territory, but the services are organized by the Diocese Brugge. The church-fabric of Watou and the local authorities of
BoeschepeBoeschepe is a commune in the Nord department in northern France, next to the Belgian border.-Heraldry:-References:*...
are responsible for its maintenance.
Abele used to be an import border crossing. In 1713, a tollhouse was set up, but it disappeared during the
French RevolutionThe French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. The old Belgian customs office was renovated and now serves as a retro-café with a small exhibition.
Abeele Aerodrome Military Commonwealth War Graves Commission CemeteryAbeele Aerodrome Military Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground for the dead of the First World War located in the Ypres Salient on the Western Front....
is outside the village, on the site of a
World War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
military airfield.
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