Editing Lovendegem

{{Infobox settlement
|official_name          = Lovendegem
|other_name             = 
|motto                  = 
|settlement_type        = Village and former municipality
|image_skyline          = 5662lovendegem.jpg
|image_caption          = Lovendegem, seen across the Ghent-Bruges Canal
|image_flag             = Lovendegem vlag.svg
|image_seal             = Blason ville be Lovendegem.svg
|image_map              =
|pushpin_map            = Belgium
|pushpin_label_position = right
|pushpin_map_caption    = Location in Belgium
|pushpin_mapsize        = 250
|subdivision_type       = [[Countries of the world|Country]]
|subdivision_type1      = [[Communities and regions of Belgium|Region]]
|subdivision_type2      = [[Provinces of regions in Belgium|Province]]
|subdivision_type3      = [[Arrondissements of Belgium|Arrondissement]]
|subdivision_type4      = Municipality
|subdivision_name       = {{flagcountry|Belgium}}
|subdivision_name1      = [[Flemish Region]]
|subdivision_name2      = [[East Flanders]]
|subdivision_name3      = [[Arrondissement of Ghent|Ghent]]
|subdivision_name4      = [[Lievegem]]
|established_title      = 
|established_date       = 
|government_type        = 
|leader_title           =
|leader_name            = 
|area_footnotes         = <ref name="stat"/>
|area_magnitude         = 
|area_total_sq_mi       = 
|area_total_km2         = 19.55
|area_land_sq_mi        = 
|area_land_km2          = 
|area_water_sq_mi       = 
|area_water_km2         = 
|area_urban_sq_mi       = 
|area_urban_km2         = 
|area_metro_km2         = 
|area_metro_sq_mi       = 
|population_as_of               = 2021
|population_footnotes           = <ref name="stat">{{cite web|url=https://statbel.fgov.be/sites/default/files/files/opendata/bevolking/sectoren/OPENDATA_SECTOREN_2021.xlsx |title=Bevolking per statistische sector - Sector 44036 |quote=Includes Vinderhoute |website=Statistics Belgium |access-date=6 May 2022 }}</ref>
|population_total               = 9,703
|population_density_km2         = auto
|population_density_sq_mi       =
|population_metro               =
|population_density_metro_km2   =
|population_density_metro_sq_mi =
|population_urban               =
|population_density_urban_km2   =
|population_density_urban_sq_mi =
|timezone            = [[Central European Time|CET]]
|utc_offset          = 
|coordinates         = {{coord|51|06|N|03|36|E|region:BE|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes = 
|elevation_ft        = 
|elevation_m         = 
|postal_code_type    = Postal code
|postal_code         = 9920, 9921
|area_code_type      = [[Telephone numbers in Belgium|Dialing code]]
|area_code           = 09
|telephone-area      = 
|website             = [http://www.lievegem.be/ www.lievegem.be]
|footnotes           =
}}

'''Lovendegem''' ({{IPA|nl|loːˈvɛndəɣɛm}}) is a town and former [[Municipalities of Belgium|municipality]] located in [[Flanders]], one of the three regions of [[Belgium]], and in the province of [[East Flanders]]. The municipality comprised the towns of Lovendegem proper and [[Vinderhoute]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~noemeetjesland/meetjesland/vinderhoute.htm
|title=Vinderhoute}}</ref> In 2018, Lovendegem had a total population of 9,574. The total area is 19.48&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://statbel.fgov.be/sites/default/files/files/documents/bevolking/5.1%20Structuur%20van%20de%20bevolking/Wettelijke_bevolking_per_gemeente_2011_2017.xls |title="Wettelijke Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2018" |website=StatBel |access-date=9 March 2019}}</ref>

== History ==
The name of the town was first recorded as ''Lovendenghiem'' in 1150,<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~noemeetjesland/meetjesland/lovendegem.htm
|title=Lovendegem}}</ref> but there are traces of human settlements back to the [[Iron Age]]. The name means "settlement of the people of Lubantos (person)". Lovendegem used to be a complicated patchwork of ''[[heerlijkheid|heerlijkheden]]'' (landed estates) and one barony. The religious wars of the late 16th century and the subsequent repression by the [[Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba|Iron Duke]] caused a near abandonment of Lovendegem. For most of its history, it was an agricultural community. From the 1960s onwards, Lovendegem developed into a residential town. and experienced a steady population growth.<ref name="plat">{{cite web|url=https://mijnplatteland.com/meetjesland/lovendegem/nl/ |title=Lovendegem |website=Mijn platteland |access-date=7 May 2022 |language=nl}}</ref>

The [[Ghent-Bruges Canal]] crosses the municipality, with the town of Lovendegem to the north of the canal, and Vinderhoute to the south.

Effective 1 January 2019, [[Waarschoot]], Lovendegem and [[Zomergem]] were [[Fusion of the Belgian municipalities|merged]] into the new municipality of [[Lievegem]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20171221_03256786 |title=Drie kleintjes zijn liever samen groot: in 2019 worden inwoners wakker in Lievegem |website=Nieuwsblad |access-date=7 May 2022 |language=nl}}</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Lovendegem, monumentaal pand positie3 foto2 2011-10-03 11.01.JPG|Lovendegem, townhall
Image:Lovendegem, Sint Martinuskerk foto6 2010-10-08 16.19.JPG|Lovendegem, church: Sint Martinuskerk
File:Lovendem 001.JPG|Industry
File:Rode Poort Appensvoordestraat Lovendegem.jpg|Villa in Lovendegem
</gallery>

==Famous inhabitants==
*[[Maurice De Waele]], cyclist, winner of the [[Tour de France]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline}}
*[http://www.lievegem.be Official website] {{in lang|nl}}

{{Geographic location
|Centre = Lovendegem
|North     = [[Waarschoot]]
|East      = [[Evergem]]
|South     = [[Ghent]]
|Southwest = [[Nevele]]
|Northwest = [[Zomergem]]
}}
{{Belgian municipality Lievegem}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Lovendegem| ]]
[[Category:Lievegem]]
[[Category:Former municipalities of East Flanders]]
[[Category:Populated places in East Flanders]]