Erpe-Mere
Erpe-Mere is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders in the Denderstreek. The municipality comprises the towns of Aaigem, Bambrugge, Burst, Erondegem, Erpe, Mere, Ottergem and Vlekkem. There is also a hamlet in Bambrugge: Egem. Erpe-Mere is crossed by 2 brooks, the Molenbeek and the Molenbeek-Ter Erpenbeek. On January 1, 2010 Erpe-Mere had a total population of 19,280. The total area is 34.03 km² which gives a population density of 567 inhabitants per km². The current mayor of Erpe-Mere is Hugo De Waele, from the CD&V party.
History
The municipality was formed in 1975 by the merger of the eight sub-municipalities of today, but the sub-communities Erpe and Mere initially disagreed on the new name for the merged municipality. While Erpe had the largest area, Mere was central in the entire area and had more inhabitants. As a compromise they choose the double name Erpe-Mere.Geography
The municipality is bordered to the north by Lede, in the east by Aalst and Haaltert, in the south by Herzele and in the west by Sint-Lievens-Houtem. Erpe-Mere is located north of the foothills of the Flemish Ardennes, in the region Denderstreek. The area north of the N9 is between 10 and 30 meters high, the area between the N9 and E40 is between 25 and 50 meters high and the area south of it has hills peaks up to 80 meters. The most famous of them is the Gotegemberg in Mere, not for his height of 68 meters, but for its slope of 18% making it a popular challenge for cyclists.The territory is traversed by two brooks that both bear the name Molenbeek. The Molenbeek from the Upper Scheldt crosses Burst, Bambrugge, Ottergem, Vlekkem and Erondegem before it flows into the Scheldt. The Molenbeek-Ter Erpenbeek flows into the Dender.
The Romans knew early there was white natural stone called Vlaamse Arduin or Lediaanse Steen in Steenberg of Bambrugge. This white natural stone was suitable as a foundation for the masonry of Roman villas and as building material for columns and capitals of the Roman temples. From about the 11th or 12th century there was already extracted white sandstone in Bambrugge. The common types of white natural stone in Brabant in the 16th to 17th Century were extracted in Steenberg. Extraction continued until after World War II. Today it is the administrative center of Erpe-Mere.
There is a 205 hectare nature reserve called Den Dotter in the sub-municipalities of Aaigem and Heldergem.
Transportation
Erpe-Mere has an exit to the A10/E40 and a regional railway station on the railway line Kortrijk–Oudenaarde–Zottegem–Erpe-Mere–Aalst–Brussels. Also the N9, the N442 and the N46 cross the municipality.Landmarks
- The water tower of the Tussengemeentelijke Maatschappij der Vlaanderen voor Watervoorziening.
Mills
| Place | Name | Address | Type | Protected | Info |
| Aaigem | Engelsmolen Molen te Dalhem Molen te Dalme | Engelsmolen 1 | Overshot watermill | It was originally a wheat mill, oil mill and a flax attrition mill Later on it was only a wheat mill | |
| Aaigem | Ratmolen Waterrat | Ratmolenstraat 42 | Overshot watermill | It was originally a wheat mill and an oil mill Later on it was only a wheat mill | |
| Aaigem | Zwingelmolen | Aaigembergstraat 10 | Overshot watermill | No | It was originally a flax attrition mill Later on it became a chicory mill The mill wheel has been removed It has been renovated as a house |
| Bambrugge | Egemmolen Meuleken Tik Tak | Everdal 21 | Overshot watermill | No | Wheat mill The mill wheel has been removed The mill house is used as a country cottage |
| Bambrugge | Molens Van Sande Kasteelmolen Celindermolen | Prinsdaal 33 | Overshot watermill | No | It was originally a wheat mill and a compulsion mill Later on it was just a wheat mill The mill wheel has been removed It is now an industrial flour mill |
| Erpe | Cottemmolen | Molenstraat 36 | Overshot watermill | It was originally a wheat mill and an oil mill Later on it was only a wheat mill | |
| Erpe | Van Der Biestmolen | Dorpsstraat 3 | Overshot watermill | No | Wheat mill |
| Mere | De Graevesmolen | Bosstraat 25 | Overshot watermill | Wheat mill and an oil mill | |
| Mere | Gotegemmolen | Gotegemstraat 1 | Overshot watermill | Wheat mill | |
| Mere | Kruiskoutermolen Jezuïtenmolen Molen Van Der Haegen | Schoolstraat | Post windmill with open foot | Wheat mill | |
| Mere | Molen te Broeck 't Hof Schuurke | Wilgendries 6 | Overshot watermill | Wheat mill | |
| Ottergem | De Watermeulen | Ruststraat 10-12 | Overshot watermill | It was originally a wheat mill and an oil mill Later on it was only a wheat mill |
File:Engelsmolen Aaigem.JPG|Engelsmolen at Aaigem
File:Ratmolen Aaigem.JPG|Ratmolen at Aaigem
File:Zwingelmolen Aaigem.jpg|Zwingelmolen at Aaigem
File:Cottemmolen Erpe vooraanzicht.JPG|Front view of the Cottemmolen at Erpe
File:De Graevemolen Mere vooraanzicht.jpg|Front view of the De Graevesmolen at Mere
File:Kruiskoutermolen Mere.JPG|Kruiskoutermolen at Mere
Sports
Erpe-Mere once had seven football clubs that belonged to the Royal Belgian Football Association. There are still four left: KRC Bambrugge, KFC Olympic Burst, FC Mere and SK Aaigem. FC Edixvelde was absorbed by FC Mere. FC Oranja Erpe and KFC Olympia Erondegem merged into KVC Erperondegem that was some years later also absorbed by FC Mere.Each year the Steenbergcross, the first international cyclo-cross race of the season, is held at Steenberg in Bambrugge. The national clubhouse of the motorcycle club Blue Angels in Belgium is located in Erpe.
Image gallery
File:Sporthal Erpe-Mere.jpg|The sports hall of Erpe-Mere, at Steenberg in Bambrugge
File:Vijver Steenberg Erpe-Mere.jpg|The pool of Steenberg in Bambrugge
File:Autosnelwegbrug Mere.jpg|The motorway bridge of Mere over the Oudenaardsesteenweg
File:AaigemKerk2.JPG|Church of Aaigem
File:Kerk Mere 1.jpg|Church of Mere