Editing Puurs

{{more citations needed|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name          = Puurs
|other_name             = 
|motto                  = 
|settlement_type        = Town
|image_skyline          = Station Puurs - Foto 1 (2010).png
|image_caption          = Puurs train station
|image_flag             = Flag of Puurs.svg
|image_seal             = Puurs wapen1.svg
|image_map              =
|pushpin_map            = Belgium
|pushpin_label_position = left
|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      = [[Antwerp (province)|Antwerp]]
|subdivision_name3      = [[Arrondissement of Mechelen|Mechelen]]
|subdivision_name4      = [[Puurs-Sint-Amands]]
|established_title      = 
|established_date       = 
|government_type        = 
|leader_title           =
|leader_name            = 
|area_footnotes         = <ref name="stat"/>
|area_magnitude         = 
|area_total_sq_mi       = 
|area_total_km2         = 33.41
|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 12030 |website=Statistics Belgium |access-date=10 May 2022 }}</ref>
|population_total               = 17684
|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|4|34|N|4|16|49|E|region:BE|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes = 
|elevation_ft        = 
|elevation_m         = 
|postal_code_type    = Postal code
|postal_code         = 2870
|area_code_type      = [[Telephone numbers in Belgium|Dialing code]]
|area_code           = 03, 052
|website             = 
|footnotes           =
}}
'''Puurs''' ({{IPA|nl|pyːrs}}) is a former [[Municipalities of Belgium|municipality]] located in the [[Belgium|Belgian]] province of [[Antwerp (province)|Antwerp]]. It is located in the [[Flanders|Flemish Region]]. The municipality comprised the towns of [[Breendonk]], [[Liezele]], {{ill|Kalfort|nl}}, [[Ruisbroek, Antwerp|Ruisbroek]] (old spelling: ''Ruysbroeck'') and Puurs proper. There is also the [[Hamlet (place)|hamlet]] of [[Kalfort]]. In 2021, Puurs had a total population of 17,684. The total area is {{convert|33.41|km2|0|abbr=on}}.

Puurs sits about 5 meters above mean sea level. Its geography shows only minor elevation differences. Puurs is mainly rural, with some low intensity industry development in the North alongside the N16 expressway. However, because of its proximity to the cities of Antwerp and Brussels (both within a {{convert|25|km|0|abbr=on}} radius) and its excellent accessibility, Puurs is developing increasingly into a residential town.

Effective 1 January 2019, Puurs and [[Sint-Amands]] were [[Fusion of the Belgian municipalities|merged]] into the new municipality of [[Puurs-Sint-Amands]].

==History==
Signs of habitation dating back to the [[Iron Age]], as well as early Roman and [[Merovingian]] times, have been found in Puurs.

Arguably, the [[Benedictine]] abbeys of Saint-Cornelimunster of Aachen were the lords of Puurs in the 10th century A.D. In 1278 the municipality was acquired by the Abbey of Sint-Bernard's upon [[Scheldt]], whose property it would remain until the end of the 18th century.

==Points of interest==

=== Saint-Peter Church ===
Puurs' Saint-Peter Church is quite large and is hence sometimes referred to as the region's "cathedral". It was built in the 15th century, on the remains of a roman-style church. The baroque-style bell tower was added in the late 17th century. The classical center piece was completed in 1744.

===Asparagus===
The lands of Kalfort are widely renowned for producing the most delicious [[asparagus]], and at the beginning of summer a festival is held in honour of this "white gold".

===Beer===
The internationally sold [[Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat|Duvel]] beer is brewed in [[Breendonk]], by the Duvel-Moortgat brewery. Each year in August, a {{convert|100|km|0|abbr=on}} long foot march called the [[Dodentocht]] (Death March) passes by the brewery, and participants and spectators can enjoy Duvel beer for free.

===Nazi Prison Camp===
[[Fort Breendonk]] was used by the Nazis as a political prison camp. It is kept in its World War II state and is open for visiting. Fort Breendonk and its twin sister Fort Liezele (which now serves as a municipal recreational area) were initially built by the Belgian military just before World War I, as part of a string of fortresses (the [[National Redoubt (Belgium)|National Redoubt]]) designed to protect the approaches to [[Antwerp]]. Since 1976, the site of the fort has been part of the municipality of [[Willebroek]].

===Heritage railway===
The [[Dendermonde-Puurs Steam Railway]] is a [[heritage railway|heritage railroad]] that links up Puurs and [[Dendermonde]]. The maintenance road that runs alongside serves as a bicycle track. Bikers can leave the track in [[Sint-Amands]] and follow the scenic route up North on the banks of the river [[Scheldt]].

=== COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing ===
Puurs is the location of [[Pfizer]]'s COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing hub in Europe. Starting in December 2020, vaccine doses were transported by armed cargo trucks and military-escorted planes, to facilities across the planet.

==International relations==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Belgium}}

===Twin towns - sister cities===
Puurs was [[Twin towns and sister cities|twinned]] with:
*{{flagicon|POL}} [[Dębica]] in [[Poland]]<ref name="Dębica twinnings">{{cite web|url=http://www.wrobel-druk.pl/europa/index.php?sId=2&id_cat=6&strona=6|title=Partnerstwo Samorządów Siłą Europy|accessdate=2013-08-13|work=Europa Miast|language=Polish|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809090240/http://wrobel-druk.pl/europa/index.php?sId=2&id_cat=6&strona=6|archive-date=2016-08-09|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Dębica twinnings2">{{cite web|url=http://www.debica.pl/index.php?strona=debica&podstrona=19|title=Dębica -Miasta Partnerskie|accessdate=2013-08-13|work=Rząd Miejski w Dębicy - Współpraca - Europa Miast [Dębica town council in cooperation with Europa Miast]|language=Polish|trans-title=Dębica - Partnership Cities|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011100511/http://debica.pl/index.php?strona=debica&podstrona=19|archivedate=2011-10-11}}</ref>

On 13 November 2020, the municipality of [[Puurs-Sint-Amands]] suspended its 20-year-long partnership with the Polish town of [[Dębica]] because of the town's adoption of the Charter of The Rights of The Family, which, according to the Belgians, discriminates against [[LGBT]] people.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.onet.pl/informacje/korso24pl/belgijska-gmina-zawiesza-20-letnia-wspolprace-z-debica/3vcpp30,30bc1058 |language = pl |title=Belgijska gmina zawiesza 20-letnią współpracę z Dębicą |access-date = 2020-11-14}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Dina Tersago]], former [[Miss Belgium]] (2001)

==See also==
* [[Klein-Brabant]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.puurs.be Official website] - Only available in [[Dutch language|Dutch]]

{{Geographic location
|Centre =  Puurs
|Northwest = [[Bornem]]
|North     = [[Niel, Belgium|Niel]]
|Northeast = [[Boom, Belgium|Boom]]
|East      = [[Willebroek]]
|Southeast = [[Kapelle-op-den-Bos]] ([[Flemish Brabant|VBR]])
|South     = [[Londerzeel]] ([[Flemish Brabant|VBR]])
|West      = [[Sint-Amands]]
}}

{{Belgian municipality Puurs-Sint-Amands}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Puurs-Sint-Amands]]
[[Category:Former municipalities of Antwerp Province]]
[[Category:Populated places in Antwerp Province]]