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{{Infobox Belgium municipality
|name             = Lommel
|type             = city
|picture          = Lommel - Sint-Pietersbandenkerk.jpg
|picture-legend   = St. Peter in Chains Church
|map              = Lommel Limburg Belgium Map.svg
|map-legend       = Location of Lommel in Limburg
|arms             = Lommel wapen.svg
|flag             = Lommel vlag.svg
|province         = [[Limburg (Belgium)|Limburg]]
|arrondissement   = [[Arrondissement of Maaseik|Maaseik]]
|nis              = 72020
|mayor            = Bob Nijs ([[Christian Democratic and Flemish|CD&V]])
|majority         = [[Christian Democratic and Flemish|CD&V]], [[New Flemish Alliance|N-VA]]
|postal-codes     = 3920
|telephone-area   = 011
|web              = [http://www.lommel.be/ www.lommel.be]
|coordinates      = {{coord|51|14|N|05|18|E|region:BE|display=inline,title}}
}}
'''Lommel''' ({{IPA|nl|ˈlɔməl}}) is a [[Municipalities of Belgium|municipality]] and [[City status in Belgium|city]]<ref>{{Cite web |title= Wet tot toekenning van de titel van stad aan de gemeente Lommel |url=https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/wet/1990/12/28/1991000030/staatsblad |date=28 December 1990 |lang=nl |website=www.ejustice.just.fgov.be |publisher=[[Belgian Official Gazette]] |access-date=4 March 2025}}</ref> in the [[Belgium|Belgian]] province of [[Limburg (Belgium)|Limburg]]. Lying in the [[Campine|Kempen]], it has about 34,000 inhabitants and is part of the [[arrondissement of Maaseik]].

Besides the residential town, Lommel also has a number of nature reserves, such as the nature reserve De Watering, the Lommel Sahara, and numerous forests and heathlands. Lommel is the third shopping city in Belgian Limburg with a commercial and shopping center ''De Singel''. Importantly, the silver sand that is mined here for the benefit of the glass industry. Some [[sand mining]] quarries are transformed into nature reserves and recreational areas, including Lommel Sahara.

The city of Lommel is in the watershed of the basins of the [[Scheldt]], and [[Meuse]], and within these basins [[Nete (river)|Nete]] Dommel respectively.

[[Tamar (Lommel)|Tamar]], a [[maternity home]] for pregnant girls and unmarried mothers and their children run by the Congregation of Kindsheid Jesu, is located in Lommel. Despite its religious mission to help young women, Tamar was notorious for numerous scandals, including forced adoptions, unwanted sterilizations, and abuse of the women placed in its care.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.brusselstimes.com/838673/catholic-church-put-up-30000-children-for-adoption-without-mothers-consent|title=Catholic Church put up 30,000 children for adoption without mothers' consent |work=Brussels Times|date=14 December 2023|access-date=|archive-date=28 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250128145846/https://www.brusselstimes.com/838673/catholic-church-put-up-30000-children-for-adoption-without-mothers-consent|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Language ==
[[File:Lommelse Sahara (3).JPG|thumb|Lommelse Sahara]]
The dialect of Lommel is, despite its location in Limburg, part of the [[East Brabantian]], not the [[Limburgish]] dialects, reflecting the particular history of the city.

== Etymology ==
The name comes from Loemelo. Loem means moist, swampy and Lo is forest or woodland.{{cn|date=March 2025}}<!--ref in nlwiki doesn't say this-->

== Demographic development ==
All historical data relating to the current municipality, including towns such as arose after the merger of January 1, 1977.
{{historical populations
|align=none | cols = 2 | percentages = pagr
|1846|2486
|1866|3009
|1880|3042
|1890|3252
|1900|4431
|1910|7022
|1920|7811
|1930|9666
|1947|13487
|1961|17923
|1970|21984
|1981|25412
|1990|27427
|2000|30433
|2010|32917
|2015|33852

}}

== Politics ==

=== Structure ===
The city of Lommel is located in the [[arrondissement of Maaseik]] and the [[Limburg (Flemish Parliament constituency)|Limburg]] parliamentary constituency (which coincides with the [[Provinces of Belgium|province]] of [[Limburg (Belgium)|Limburg]]).

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!colspan="2" | Lommel ||[[Supranational union|Supranational]] || colspan="2" | [[Country|National]] || [[Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Communities|Community]] || [[Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions|Region]] || [[Provinces of Belgium|Province]] || [[Arrondissements of Belgium|Arrondissement]] || County district || [[Cantons of Belgium|Canton]] || [[Municipalities of Belgium|Municipality]]
|-
! rowspan="3" ! style="font-size:75%;" | Administration!!Level
| {{EU}} ||colspan="2" | {{BEL}} || colspan="2" | {{flag|Flanders}} || {{flag|Limburg (Belgium)|name=Limburg}} || [[Arrondissement Maaseik|Maaseik]] || colspan="2" | [[Cantons of Belgium#Limburg|Limburg]]||'''Lommel'''
|-
! Executive
|''[[European Commission]]''||colspan="2" | ''[[Federal Government of Belgium|Federal Government]]''|| colspan="2" | ''[[Flemish Government]]''|| colspan="4" | ''Provincial Executive'' ||''Mayor''
|-
! Elected body
|''[[European Parliament]]''||''[[Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)|Chamber of Representatives]]''|| colspan="3" | ''[[Flemish Parliament]]'' || colspan="4" | ''[[Provinces of Belgium#Provincial governments|Provincial Council]]'' || ''[[Municipalities of Belgium#Council|Municipal Council]]''
|-
!colspan="2"|Electoral area
|[[Dutch-speaking electoral college]]||colspan="2"|[[Limburg (Chamber of Representatives constituency)|Limburg]]||colspan="2"|[[Limburg (Flemish Parliament constituency)|Limburg]]||Hasselt-Tongeren-Maaseik||[[Arrondissement of Maaseik|Maaseik]]|| [[Neerpelt]]|| [[Neerpelt]]||'''Lommel'''
|-
!colspan="2"|[[Elections in Belgium|Elections]]
| ''[[Europe]]''||colspan="2" | ''[[Elections in Belgium#Federal elections|Federal]]''|| colspan="2" | ''[[Elections in Belgium#Regional elections|Regional]]''|| colspan="4" | ''[[Elections in Belgium#Provincial elections|Provincial]]'' || ''[[Elections in Belgium#Municipal elections|Municipal]]''
|}

=== List of mayors of Lommel ===
{{Div col}}
* 1808 – 1813: [[Joannes Aerts]], Catholic
* 1813 – 1847: [[William Karel Koek Court]], Catholic
* 1847 – 1857: [[Jan Daels]], Catholic
* 1857 – 1861: [[Jan Van Leemput]], Catholic
* 1861 – 1863: [[Henry Alen (mayor)|Henry Alen]], Catholic
* 1863 – 1872: [[Peter Slegers]], Catholic
* 1872 – 1879: [[Peter Stevens (mayor)|Peter Stevens]], Catholic
* 1879 – 1885: [[Jan Alen]], Catholic
* 1885 – 1890: [[Jan Vanden Boer]], Catholic
* 1891 – 1904: [[Peter Senders]], Catholic
* 1904 – 1921: [[François Van Ham]], Catholic
* 1921 – 1923: [[John Bouly]], Catholic
* 1924 – 1927: [[Peter Joosten]], Catholic
* 1927 – 1941: [[Joseph Tournier]], liberal Catholics
* 1941 – 1944: [[Peter Luykx (mayor)|Peter Luykx]], Flemish nationalist
* 1944 – 1945: [[Joseph Tournier]], liberal Catholics
* 1945 – 1958: [[Henri Van Reempts]], Catholic
* 1959 – 1979: [[René Verhoeven]], Catholic
* 1979 – 1988: [[Staff Matthijs]], Catholic
* 1989 – 2006: [[Louis Vanvelthoven]], socialist
* 2007 – 2018: [[Peter Vanvelthoven]], socialist
* 2019–present: [[Bob Nijs]], Catholic
{{Div col end}}

=== Results municipal elections since 1976 ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! style="text-align:left;"| Partij!! colspan="2"| 10-10-1976<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibzdgip.fgov.be/result/nl/main.html|title=Verkiezingsdatabase|work=fgov.be}}</ref>!! colspan="2"| 10-10-1982!! colspan="2"| 9-10-1988!! colspan="2"| 9-10-1994!! colspan="2"| 8-10-2000!! colspan="2"| 8-10-2006<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vlaanderenkiest.be/verkiezingen2006/lijsten.html?type=GE&nis=72020#tabevent_tab_uitslagen_GE|title=Verkiezingen van 8 oktober 2006 – Resultaten|work=vlaanderenkiest.be}}</ref>!! colspan="2"| 14-10-2012<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vlaanderenkiest.be/verkiezingen2012/index.html#/gemeente/72020/uitslagen|title=Startpagina – Lokale verkiezingen 2012|work=vlaanderenkiest.be}}</ref>
|-
! style="text-align:left;"| Stemmen / Zetels !!%!!27!!%!!29!!%!!29!!%!!29!!%!!31!!%!!31!!%!!31
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams|CVP]]<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>/[[Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams|CD&V]]<span style="color:red;"><sup>2</sup></span>||49,18<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>||'''14'''||38,03<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>||'''13'''||33,22<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>||11||26,79<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>||9||25,24<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>||9||-|| ||19,68<span style="color:red;"><sup>2</sup></span>||7
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams|CD&V]]+[[Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie|N-VA]]||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||28,55||9||-||
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Volksunie|VU]]<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>/[[VU&ID]]<span style="color:red;"><sup>2</sup></span>||9,72<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>||2||10,96<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>||'''3'''||9,08<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>||2||-|| ||3,73<span style="color:red;"><sup>2</sup></span>||0||-|| ||-||
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie|N-VA]]||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||17,20||6
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang|PVV]]<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>/[[Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten|VLD]]<span style="color:red;"><sup>2</sup></span>/VLD-[[Vivant|VIVANT]]<span style="color:red;"><sup>3</sup></span>/[[Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten|Open Vld]]<span style="color:red;"><sup>4</sup></span>||9,56<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>||2||6,55<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>||1||11,56<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>||'''3'''||13,18<span style="color:red;"><sup>2</sup></span>||'''3'''||12,69<span style="color:red;"><sup>2</sup></span>||4||10,90<span style="color:red;"><sup>3</sup></span>||'''3'''||9,29<span style="color:red;"><sup>4</sup></span>||'''2'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Socialistische Partij Anders|SP]]||31,55||9||37,57||12||39,51||'''13'''||46,21||'''16'''||47,75||'''17'''||-|| ||-||
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Socialistische Partij Anders|sp.a]]-[[Sociaal-Liberale Partij|spirit]]||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||42,44||'''15'''||-||
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| Burgemeester||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||40,33||'''15'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Groen (partij)|AGALEV<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>/Groen<span style="color:red;"><sup>2</sup></span>]]||-|| ||-|| ||3,2<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>||0||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||4,34<span style="color:red;"><sup>2</sup></span>||0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Partij van de Arbeid van België|PVDA]]||-|| ||4,55||0||3,44||0||4,11||0||-|| ||-|| ||-||
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| [[Vlaams Blok]]<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>/[[Vlaams Belang]]<span style="color:red;"><sup>2</sup></span>||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||7,17<span style="color:red;"><sup>1</sup></span>||1||9,77<span style="color:red;"><sup>2</sup></span>||2||3,98<span style="color:red;"><sup>2</sup></span>||0
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| LGB||-|| ||2,34||0||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||-||
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| BOOS||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||7,86||1||-|| ||-|| ||-||
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| HOOP||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||1,85||0||-|| ||-|| ||-||
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| LEL||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||3,42||0||-|| ||-||
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| AKTIEF||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||-|| ||8,33||2||5,19||1
|-
! style="text-align:left;"|{{nowrap|Totaal stemmen}} !!colspan="2"|14873!!colspan="2"| 16710!!colspan="2"|18306!!colspan="2"|19495!!colspan="2"|20598!!colspan="2"|20452!!colspan="2"|21465
|-
! style="text-align:left;"|Opkomst % !!colspan="2"| !!colspan="2"| !!colspan="2"|97,07!!colspan="2"|95,9!!colspan="2"|95,32!!colspan="2"|95,71 !!colspan="2"|93,70
|-
! style="text-align:left;"|Blanco en ongeldig %!!colspan="2"|3,68!!colspan="2"| 4,84!!colspan="2"|4,23!!colspan="2"|4,41!!colspan="2"|3,71!!colspan="2"|4,2!!colspan="2"|2,47
|}
{{refbegin}}seats formed coalition '' 'bold' '' printed{{refend}}

== Sporting events ==
Since 2017 the [[European Open (snooker)|European Open]] a [[Snooker]] ranking tournament of the [[World Snooker Tour]] took place in Lommel.

Lommel is home to the Belgian Motocross Grand Prix, part of the [[Motocross World Championship]]. The track at Lommel is among the most famous in the motocross world and is known for its deep and unforgiving sand surface. Notable motocross racers such as [[Jeffrey Herlings]] and [[Ryan Villopoto]] have said that Lommel is the most physically demanding motocross track to ride in the world, and many top European motocross riders live in or around the city to hone their skills at the track.

== Notable people ==
* [[Kevin Hulsmans]], road bicycle racer
* [[Peter Luykx]], federal representative 
* [[Peter Maes]], former footballer, coach of [[Sporting Lokeren]]
* [[Roy Meeus]] (born 1989), professional [[association football|footballer]]
* [[Wim Mennes]], footballer
* [[Pieter Mertens]], road bicycle racer
* [[Steve Ramon]], motocross world champion
* [[Kathleen Smet]], triathlete
* [[Buscemi (DJ)|Dirk Swartenbroekx]], DJ Buscemi
* [[Johan Vansummeren]], road bicycle racer
* [[Marcel Vanthilt]], musician, [[TV presenter]]
* [[Louis Vanvelthoven]], honorary-mayor, former chairman of the [[Flemish Parliament]]
* [[Peter Vanvelthoven]], mayor, former Belgian Minister for Employment and Informatisation
* [[Steven Van Broeckhoven]], windsurfer, two-time champion on the European Freestyle Pro Tour
* [[Stefano Marzo]], footballer

==See also==
*[[Lommel Proving Grounds]] – Lommel Proving Grounds
*[[Lommel German war cemetery]] – Located along N764, on the road from Lommel to [[Leopoldsburg]] is the largest German military cemetery in Western Europe outside Germany itself. Established after World War II, the 16 ha cemetery holds 39,102 burials, mainly from World War II.
*[[RC Murphy's Lommel]] – [[Rugby football|Rugby]] club

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.lommel.be Official website]
*[http://www.toerismelommel.be Website tourism Lommel]

{{Geographic location
|Centre = Lommel
|N  = [[Bergeijk]] ([[Netherlands|NL]]-[[North Brabant|NB]])
|E  = [[Neerpelt]]<br/>[[Overpelt]]
|S  = [[Hechtel-Eksel]]
|SW = [[Balen]] ([[Antwerp (province)|VAN]])
|W  = [[Mol, Belgium|Mol]] ([[Antwerp (province)|VAN]])
}}
{{Municipalities in Limburg}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Lommel| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Limburg (Belgium)]]