Affligem is a municipality

Municipality

A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...

 located some 20 km (12 mi) west-north-west of Brussels

Brussels

Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...

 in the Belgian

Belgium

Belgium , 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 Flemish Brabant

Flemish Brabant

Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Belgian provinces of Antwerp, Limburg, Liège, Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and East Flanders. Flemish Brabant also completely surrounds the Brussels-Capital Region. Its capital is Leuven...

, not far from the town of Aalst

Aalst, Belgium

Aalst is a city and municipality on the Dender River, 19 miles northwest from Brussels. It is located in the Flemish province of East Flanders in the Denderstreek. The municipality comprises the city of Aalst itself and the villages of Baardegem, Erembodegem, Gijzegem, Herdersem, Hofstade,...

 and the important railway junction of Denderleeuw

Denderleeuw

Denderleeuw is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders in the Denderstreek. The municipality comprises the towns of Denderleeuw proper, Iddergem and Welle. On January 1, 2006 Denderleeuw had a total population of 17,357. The total area is 13.77 km² which gives a...

.

The municipality comprises the villages of Essene, Hekelgem and Teralfene

Teralfene

Teralfene is a village which makes part of the municipality Affligem, together with Hekelgem and Essene. It has an area of 244 ha -Name:The name "Teralfene" originates from the brook Alfene which flows into the Dender...

 (note that there is no village called Affligem proper). On 1 January 2006 it had 11,956 inhabitants. The total area is 17.7 km² (7 sq mi), giving a population density of 676 inhabitants per km².

Historically, the village is best known for the Benedictine Affligem Abbey

Affligem Abbey

Affligem Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in the municipality of Affligem, Flemish Brabant, Belgium, twelve miles to the north-west of Brussels...

, founded in 1062.

Affligem abbey beers

The abbey of Affligem

Affligem Abbey

Affligem Abbey is a Benedictine monastery in the municipality of Affligem, Flemish Brabant, Belgium, twelve miles to the north-west of Brussels...

 was founded in 1074, and was known to have been brewing beer in 1574. The brand name is used under licence from the monks of Affligem, by the Op-Ale brewery in the neighbouring village of Opwijk

Opwijk

Opwijk is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Mazenzele and Opwijk proper. On January 1, 2006 Opwijk had a total population of 12,239. The total area is 19.69 km² which gives a population density of 622 inhabitants per...

. The brewery is now owned by Heineken International, who have renamed it the Affligem brewery and market the beers internationally.

External links and sources

• Affligem Municipality Official site