# Tielt > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tielt > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tielt.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tielt > Source revision: 1311829132 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Tielt** (tilt; French: *Thielt*) is a [Belgian](/source/Belgium) [city](/source/City_status_in_Belgium) and [municipality](/source/Municipalities_in_Belgium) in the [province](/source/Provinces_of_Belgium) of [West Flanders](/source/West_Flanders). The municipality comprises the town of Tielt proper and the villages of [Aarsele](/source/Aarsele), Kanegem, and Schuiferskapelle. ## History Some traces of [Gallo-Roman](/source/Gallo-Roman) occupation have been found in this area. The region was invaded by the Viking [Rikiwulf](/source/Rikiwulf) of the [Wulfing](/source/Wulfing) dynasty in 880 AD, who built Rikiwulfinga-haim, which survives as the Rijkegem-kouter today. The first written mention of *Tiletum*, dates from 1105, when [Baldric of Noyon](/source/Baldric_of_Noyon), [Bishop of Tournai](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Tournai), awarded the [right of presentment](/source/Jus_patronatus#Right_of_presentation) for the parish church to the chapter of St Salvator in [Harelbeke](/source/Harelbeke).[1] In 1245, [Margaret of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders](/source/Margaret_II,_Countess_of_Flanders) gave the city its [charter](/source/Charter) and decided to found a hospital here. A few years later, a market place and cloth hall were built as well. Like neighbouring [Roeselare](/source/Roeselare), Tielt was made part of the [Kortrijk](/source/Kortrijk) province of [Flanders](/source/Flanders_(county)). In the 13th and 14th century, the economy of most [Flemish](/source/Flemish_Region) cities was based on the cloth industry, while the rural areas lived on the products of agriculture. In 1393, [Philip the Bold](/source/Philip_II,_Duke_of_Burgundy) decided to hold an annual fair in Tielt, which resulted in the city becoming the booming centre of the [flax](/source/Flax) industry until the end of the 16th century. The following decades, however, were hard on Tielt as it suffered two major fires and a couple of epidemics, including the [plague](/source/Bubonic_plague). Tielt also went through a severe famine at the end of the 17th century. From about 1700 until the [Belgian Revolution](/source/Belgian_Revolution) of 1830, the city prospered again, this time as a regional center for the construction industry. During [World War I](/source/World_War_I), the city became the headquarters for the [German](/source/Germany) army. The bombing of the [Second World War](/source/World_War_II) was a lot more destructive. Most of the city centre had to be rebuilt. Today Tielt is a typical province town, which offers commercial, medical and educational services to the surrounding region. ## Economy Industries: - [Seyntex](/source/Seyntex), textile manufacturer - Mistubishi Chemical Advanced Materials - Balta Tielt Media: - [Lannoo](/source/Lannoo), publishing group ## Sights - The [Belfry (*Hallentoren*), Cloth Hall, and Aldermen's Chamber](/source/Belfries_of_Belgium_and_France) are classified by [UNESCO](/source/UNESCO) as a [World Heritage Site](/source/World_Heritage_Site) because of their architecture and civic importance in the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Baroque periods.[2] - The city also houses some interesting churches such as Saint-Peter's. - From Tielt, there are several strolling and biking paths that allow the visitor to discover the region and see some of the windmills that still dot the landscape. ## Festivities Every year, on the first week-end of July, the city celebrates the *Europafeesten* (feast of Europe). This is the occasion for a *braderie* (a street clearance sale), street theatre, a blues festival, fireworks and expanded café terraces for further merriment. ## People born in Tielt - [Olivier Le Daim](/source/Olivier_Le_Daim), originally de Neckere a 15th-century barber and valet to [Louis XI](/source/Louis_XI), known in France as Olivier le Mauvais - [Josse Ravesteyn](/source/Josse_Ravesteyn), 16th-century theologian - [Godfried Danneels](/source/Godfried_Danneels), cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church - [Briek Schotte](/source/Briek_Schotte), two-time World Champion cyclist - [Gianni Meersman](/source/Gianni_Meersman), professional road racing cyclist - [Enzo Ide](/source/Enzo_Ide), racing driver - [Kurt Martens](/source/Kurt_Martens), professor and canon lawyer ## International relations See also: [List of twin towns and sister cities in Belgium](/source/List_of_twin_towns_and_sister_cities_in_Belgium) ### Twin towns — Sister cities Tielt is [twinned](/source/Town_twinning) with:[3] Groß-Gerau, Germany Bruneck, Italy Brignoles, France Szamotuły, Poland ## References 1. K. Maddens, "Schenking van het altaar van Tielt aan het Sint-Salvatorskapittel van Harelbeke, 1105", in *Doorheen de nationale geschiedenis* (Brussels, 1980), pp. 15-17. 1. ["Belfries of Belgium and France"](http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/943). *UNESCO World Heritage Centre*. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 5 November 2021. 1. ["Europastad"](https://www.tielt.be/product/80/europastad) (in nl-BE). *Stad Tielt*. Retrieved 2023-05-31. ## External links - [Official website](http://www.tielt.be) - Information available in [Dutch](/source/Dutch_language) and limited information available in [English](/source/English_language) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tielt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tielt) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tielt?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.