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Pont-à-Celles

Coordinates: 50°30′N 04°21′E / 50.500°N 4.350°E / 50.500; 4.350
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Pont-à-Celles
Pont-a-Cele (Walloon)
Saint-Pierre church in Liberchies
Saint-Pierre church in Liberchies
Flag of Pont-à-Celles
Coat of arms of Pont-à-Celles
Location of Pont-à-Celles
Map
Pont-à-Celles is located in Belgium
Pont-à-Celles
Pont-à-Celles
Location in Belgium
Location of Pont-à-Celles in Hainaut
Coordinates: 50°30′N 04°21′E / 50.500°N 4.350°E / 50.500; 4.350
Country Belgium
CommunityFrench Community
RegionWallonia
ProvinceHainaut
ArrondissementCharleroi
Government
 • MayorPascal Tavier (PS)
 • Governing party/iesPS - IC
Area
 • Total56.1 km2 (21.7 sq mi)
Population
 (2018-01-01)[1]
 • Total17,287
 • Density310/km2 (800/sq mi)
Postal codes
6230, 6238
NIS code
52055
Area codes071
Websitewww.pontacelles.be

Pont-à-Celles (French pronunciation: [pɔ̃.t‿a sɛl] ; Walloon: Pont-a-Cele) is a municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium.

On January 1, 2018, Pont-à-Celles had a total population of 17,287. The total area is 55.73 km2 which gives a population density of 310 inhabitants per km2.

Administration

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The municipality consists of the following districts: Buzet, Liberchies, Luttre, Obaix, Pont-à-Celles, Thiméon, and Viesville.

Origin of the name

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Pont-à-Celles draws its name from Latin Cella, meaning room or cell of monk, probably because of the presence of the monastery founded in the 7th century, by Saint Amand (apostle of Belgium). The jurisdiction on which this primitive monastery was established, and then the priory of the Park, was called Celles, and later Pont-à-Celles.

The name of Pont-à-Celles appears for the first time during the 16th century, when the monks of the Park built a bridge over the Pieton river near the church. The parishioners of Luttre and Hairiamont then had to cross the bridge for going to service (hence bridge to Celles, or Pont-à-Celles in French). Gradually, this name extended to all the parish whose territory covered six seigniories.

When in 1795, the French replaced these six seigniories by a newly created municipality, they adopted the name of the parish (Pont-à-Celles). In 1815, after the defeat of Napoleon in Waterloo, its territories were annexed to the Netherlands. With this occasion, the department of Jemappes (to which Pont-à-Celles belonged) became the province of Hainaut.

Notable people from Pont-à-Celles

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The famous Jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt was born in Liberchies. Every May, the community honors him with the open air Django Reinhardt Jazz Festival.

References

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  1. ^ "Wettelijke Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2018". Statbel. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
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