Editing Kraainem

{{Short description|Municipality in Flanders, Belgium}}
{{Infobox Belgium municipality
|name             = Kraainem
|picture          = Avenue Baron Albert d'Huartlaan.jpg
|picture-legend   = Avenue Baron Albert d'Huart
|map              = Kraainem Flemish-Brabant Belgium Map.svg
|map-legend       = Location of Kraainem in Flemish Brabant
|arms             = Kraainem wapen.svg
|flag             = Kraainem vlag.svg
|arrondissement   = [[Halle-Vilvoorde administrative Arrondissement|Halle-Vilvoorde]]
|nis              = 23099
|pyramid-date=
|0-19=
|20-64=
|65=
|foreigners=
|foreigners-date=
|mayor            = Bertrand Waucquez (Kraainem-Unie)
|majority         = Kraainem-Unie, LB
|postal-codes     = 1950
|telephone-area   = 02
|web              = [http://www.kraainem.be/ www.kraainem.be]
|coordinates      = {{coord|50|52|N|04|28|E|region:BE|display=inline,title}}
}}
'''Kraainem''' ({{IPA|nl|ˈkraːinɛm|-|Nl-Kraainem.ogg}}){{efn|Sometimes unofficially spelt ''Crainhem'' in [[French language|French]], {{IPA|fr|kʁajnɛm|pron|small=no}}.}} is a [[Municipalities of Belgium|municipality]] in the [[Provinces of Belgium|province]] of [[Flemish Brabant]], in the [[Flemish region]] of [[Belgium]]. The municipality only comprises the town of Kraainem proper. On January 1, 2006, Kraainem had a total population of 13,150. The total area is {{convert|5.80|km2|2|abbr=on}}, which gives a [[population density]] of {{convert|2266|PD/km2|abbr=on}}. A suburb of [[Brussels]], it directly borders the Stockel and Kapelleveld neighbourhoods ([[Woluwe-Saint-Pierre]] municipality) within the city, and was a component of the short-lived [[Arrondissement of Brussels-Periphery]].

Kraainem is a [[Municipalities with language facilities|municipality with language facilities]] within Flanders, where the sole official language is [[Dutch language|Dutch]]. In 1954, however, special [[Municipalities with linguistic facilities|linguistic ''facilities'']] were given to local French-speakers, when those were still a minority. They can request official documents from the local administration in French. Today, a majority of the inhabitants are French-speaking.

== Urbanisation ==
The forest of Stokkel belonged to the d'Huart family until the 1920s. When grandfather d'Huart died in 1927, his family decided to found "la Société Immobilière de Stockel" and built a lane through the forest. This lane is the current Albert d'Huartlaan that used to be covered with gravel until 1960. <!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:Crainhem1930.jpg|thumb|right| City Hall of Kraainem in 1930.]] -->

The homes surrounding the "Hurlevent" were built and afterwards those of the society of Utrecht. The real construction started in 1930 and accelerated after the [[world War II|second world war]]. Approximately 2800 people lived in Kraainem in 1940, 3254 in 1945 and 5190 in 1954, which was the year in which [[urbanization|urbanisation]] really experienced its surge.

In 1949 the social housing of Eigen Haard were built followed by the Josephine Charlotte neighbourhood in 1954. Over 11,000 persons lived in the Kraainem region in 1967. In 1993, of a total population of 12,780 residents, 2,623 were immigrants. Despite being located in Flanders, Kraainem became [[Frenchification of Brussels|increasingly francophone]] during the 20th century, reducing the Dutch-speakers to a minority. Communal politics is centred upon the language issue. Given the commune's proximity and good transport links to the airport, to NATO and to the European Quarter, an increasing number of non-Belgians have settled in the municipality and this trend looks set to continue as the few remaining greenfield sites are developed.{{cn|date=September 2023}}

The commune has two state schools, one [[Dutch language|Dutch]] and one [[French language|francophone]], and in 1968 the new St-Dominicus [[chapel]] was inaugurated.{{cn|date=September 2023}}

The southern end of the Albert d'Huartlaan boulevard feeds onto the [[Quatre Bras]] road intersection, where the [[Brussels Ring]] (R0) and [[Avenue de Tervueren]] (N3) meet (alongside a stop on the [[Brussels tram route 44]]). Other parts of the municipality are served by [[Brussels tram route 39]], while three stations on [[Brussels Metro line 1]] (including the [[Kraainem metro station|one named Kraainem]]) are situated just over the boundary into the Brussels city-region.

== Tourism ==
Its rich industrial and cultural legacy, in addition to its favorable location next to [[Brussels]] and the [[Brussels Airport|Zaventem Airport]], have enabled Kraainem to develop its position as a touristic destination in recent years. The 8th century [[Pancras of Rome|St. Pancras]] Church, the 20th century [[Bouvier-Washer Cité]] and its Salesian monastery are popular attractions for tourists.{{cn|date=September 2023}} A lack of local lodging infrastructure has slowed touristic development until the early 2000s, when guest houses and AirBnB resolved this shortcoming.{{cn|date=September 2023}}
[[File:"Balance" in Kraainem.jpg|thumb|"Balance" in Kraainem, a memorial to the town's rich industrial legacy]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Wikivoyage-inline|Kraainem}}
* {{Commons category-inline}}
*[http://www.kraainem.be Official website] (in Dutch and French)

{{Geographic location
|Centre = Kraainem
|N = [[Zaventem]]
|E = [[Wezembeek-Oppem]]
|S = [[Tervuren]]
|W = [[Woluwe-Saint-Lambert]] ([[Brussels-Capital Region|BRU]])<br/>[[Woluwe-Saint-Pierre]] ([[Brussels-Capital Region|BRU]])
}}
{{Municipalities in Flemish Brabant}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Kraainem| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Flemish Brabant]]