Gistel

Gistel (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɣɪstəl]) is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders.

This article is about the Belgian municipality. For the zoologist, see Johannes von Nepomuk Franz Xaver Gistel.
Gistel
City and municipality
Flag of Gistel
Flag
Coat of arms of Gistel
Coat of arms
Location of Gistel
Gistel is located in Belgium
Gistel
Gistel
Location in Belgium
location within arrondissement Ostend
and in the province West Flanders
Coordinates: 51°09′N 02°58′E
Country Belgium
CommunityFlemish Community
RegionFlemish Region
ProvinceWest Flanders
ArrondissementOstend
Government
 • MayorGauthier Defreyne (VLD)
 • Governing party/iesVLD, N-VA, Vooruit
Area
 • Total42.84 km2 (16.54 sq mi)
Population
 (2022-01-01)[1]
 • Total12,106
 • Density280/km2 (730/sq mi)
Postal codes
8470
NIS code
35005
Area codes059
Websitewww.gistel.be

Following local government boundary reforms in 1971 and 1977, the municipality has comprised not only Gistel, but also the towns of Moere, Snaaskerke and Zevekote.

On January 1, 2006 the Gistel municipality had a total registered population of 11,125, of whom more than 8,000 were in Gistel itself. The total area is 42.25 km² which gives a population density of 263 inhabitants per km². The German town of Büdingen is its twin town.

Celebrity connections

The most famous inhabitant of Gistel was Sylvère Maes, winner of the Tour de France in 1936 and 1939.

Another former resident of Gistel is Johan Museeuw, also famous cyclist, but now retired. He won Paris–Roubaix three times.

In 2011, a museum opened in Gistel, in honor of Maes and Museeuw.[2]

A former mayor, Bart Halewyck, was the first hacker ever convicted in Belgium after the 'Bistel Trial' in 1990. He was already alderman and had to resign after his conviction.[3]

Images
  • Administration Centre
    Administration Centre
  • Church of Our Lady (Onze Lieve Vrouw)
    Church of Our Lady (Onze Lieve Vrouw)
  • Gistel is the origin of the veneration of Saint Godelieve
    Gistel is the origin of the veneration of Saint Godelieve
  • Oostmolen windmill in full sail
    Oostmolen windmill in full sail

References
  1. "Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2022". Statbel.
  2. "Museum Gistelse Flandriens". De Standaard (in Dutch). 8 April 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  3. (in French) Joëlle Meskens, "Les pirates du Bistel s'en tirent bien: la farce n'était pas très méchante...", Le Soir, 9 November 1990


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