Beersel
Beersel | |
|---|---|
Beersel Castle, one of the municipality's notable monuments | |
Location of Beersel | |
| Coordinates: 50°46′N 04°18′E / 50.767°N 4.300°E | |
| Country | Belgium |
| Community | Flemish Community |
| Region | Flemish Region |
| Province | Flemish Brabant |
| Arrondissement | Halle-Vilvoorde |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Jo Vander Meylen (CD&V) |
| • Governing party/ies | Lijst Burgemeester, N-VA, Open VLD |
| Area | |
• Total | 30.4 km2 (11.7 sq mi) |
| Population (2018-01-01) | |
• Total | 25,069 |
| • Density | 820/km2 (2,100/sq mi) |
| Postal codes | 1650, 1651, 1652, 1653, 1654 |
| NIS code | 23003 |
| Area codes | 02 |
| Website | www.beersel.be |
Beersel (Dutch: [ˈbeːrsəl] ⓘ) is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in the Flemish region of Belgium, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) south-west of the centre of Brussels. The municipality comprises the towns of Alsemberg, Beersel proper, Dworp, Huizingen and Lot. On 1 January 2023, Beersel had a total population of 26.473. The total area is 30.01 km2 (11.59 sq mi), which gives a population density of 856/km2 (2,220/sq mi).
Beersel is perhaps best known for Beersel Castle, built between 1300 and 1310 by Jean II, Duke of Brabant, as a defense for Brussels. Guillaume Dufay, a notable 15th-century Franco-Flemish composer, was likely born in Beersel. In terms of gastronomy, Beersel is known for its boterham met plattekaas en radijzen (sandwich with white cheese and radishes), usually served with a geuze beer, and for its mandjeskaas (literally 'basket cheese'), which is a white cheese stored in little baskets. Beersel also has two traditional, authentic geuze breweries, Oud Beersel and 3 Fonteinen.