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{{Short description|City in Walloon Brabant province, Wallonia, Belgium}}
{{Infobox Belgium municipality
|name             = Nivelles
|native_name      = {{native_name|wa|Nivele}}
|namenl           = Nijvel
|picture          = Nivelles2011.JPG
|picture-legend   =
|map              = Nivelles Brabant-Wallon Belgium Map.svg
|map-legend       = Location of Nivelles in [[Walloon Brabant]]
|arms             = CommunesBelgique-Nivelles.svg
|flag             = Nivelles Belgium.svg
|arrondissement   = [[Arrondissement of Nivelles|Nivelles]]
|nis              = 25072
|mayor = Bernard De Ro<br>[[Les Engagés (parti politique)|Les Engagés]]
|majority = [[Les Engagés (parti politique)|LE]] - [[Parti socialiste (Belgique)|PS]] - [[Ecolo]]
|postal-codes     = 1400, 1401, 1402, 1404
|telephone-area   = 067
|web              = [http://www.nivelles.be/ www.nivelles.be]
|coordinates      = {{coord|50|35|N|04|19|E|region:BE|display=inline,title}}
}}

'''Nivelles''' ({{IPA|fr|nivɛl|lang|LL-Q150 (fra)-Madehub-Nivelles.wav}}; {{langx|nl|Nijvel}} {{IPA|nl|ˈnɛivəl||Nl-Nijvel.ogg}}; {{langx|wa|Nivele}}) is a [[city]] and [[Municipalities in Belgium|municipality]] of [[Wallonia]] located in the [[Belgium|Belgian]] [[Provinces of Belgium|province]] of [[Walloon Brabant]]. The Nivelles municipality includes the former municipalities of Baulers, [[Bornival]], [[Thines]], and Monstreux.

The Nivelles arrondissement includes all the municipalities in Walloon Brabant.

The [[Collegiate Church of Saint Gertrude, Nivelles|Collegiate Church of St. Gertrude]] has been classified as a heritage site of [[Wallonia]].

==History==

===The rise of Nivelles===
Starting in 4,000 BC, the Nivelles region was gradually turned into agricultural land by the Danubian settlers. Most of their ancestral Rubanean civilization was destroyed by the [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] invaders during the first century AD. In turn, most of the Roman constructions, including [[villa]]s, were destroyed during the [[Germanic peoples|Germanic]] invasions of the 3rd century.

In the 7th century, the territory was part of the [[Austrasia]]n [[Franks|Frankish]] kingdom, and the [[Mayor of the Palace]], [[Pippin of Landen]], rebuilt a villa there that covered more than 78&nbsp;km². After Pippin's death in 640, the [[bishop of Maastricht]], the future [[Saint Amand]], urged Pippin's widow, [[Itta]], to found an abbey in their villa. Itta's daughter, [[Gertrude of Nivelles|Gertrude]], became the monastery's first abbess and was venerated as a saint upon her death. The growing influx of pilgrims necessitated the construction of ever-bigger churches, which culminated in the huge [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] structure that still stands today. The dedication of the church took place in 1046 in the presence of [[Wazo, Prince-Bishop of Liège]], and [[Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor]]. This was the golden age of the Nivelles monastery, which now owned territories as far as [[Friesland]], the [[Moselle]] and the [[Rhine]].

[[File:Nivelles JPG00 (9).jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Collegiate Church of Saint Gertrude, Nivelles|Collegiate Church of St. Gertrude]]]]

===13th century to 1830===
In the 13th century, the city that grew around the church became part of the [[Duchy of Brabant]]. The population was mainly artisans and [[guild]] members, who did not hesitate to fight the abbesses and the dukes to obtain their rights. These rights were finally granted by [[Joanna, Duchess of Brabant]] in the 14th century. In 1647, an important uprising by the thread manufacturers resulted in many of the city's entrepreneurs leaving for France, leading to the city's economic decline. The wars of the 17th century between France and the [[Spanish Netherlands]] made the situation worse as Nivelles went through successive sieges and military occupations. The [[Austrian Netherlands|Austrian]] and [[French First Republic|French]] regimes of the 18th century brought religious and administrative reforms to the city.

===1830 to the present day===
In 1830, Nivelles was one of the first cities to send patriotic troops to [[Brussels]] to fight in the [[Belgian Revolution]]. The following years were marked by the growth of [[heavy industry]], including metallurgy and railway construction. The bombing of the city during [[World War I]] brought some damage to buildings, but greater devastation occurred during [[World War II]] on 14 May 1940, when almost the entire city centre was destroyed, leaving only the walls of the collegiate church standing. The rebuilding of the church was completed in 1984, but remains can be seen of wall fragments on the south side of the collegiate.

==Main sights==
* The [[Collegiate Church of Saint Gertrude, Nivelles|Collegiate Church of St. Gertrude]], [[patron saint]] of the city, dates from the 11th to the 13th century and is one of the best examples of Romanesque style in Belgium. It has been classified as one of Europe's major heritage sites. Tombs from the [[Merovingian]] (7th century) and [[Carolingian]] (9th century) periods have been found under the church. The Romanesque [[crypt]] is one of the largest of its kind in Europe. 
* The two-meter-tall statue that strikes the hours in one of the towers ({{langx|fr|jacquemart}}) is affectionately known as "Jean de Nivelles". Jean dates from around 1400.
* The [[Recollets]] convent and its church date from the 16th century.
* Nivelles also has an archaeological museum, which complements the visit at Saint Gertrude.
* The "Dodaine" park provides a welcome green space on the southern side of the town.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="170px">
File:Nivelles JPG00 (12).jpg|Jean de Nivelles
File:Couvent des Récollets de Nivelles 01.JPG|[[Recollect]] convent
File:Nivelles JPG02.jpg|Palace of Justice
</gallery>

==Folklore==
* Like [[Ath]], Nivelles boasts a collection of [[processional giant]]s, one of which, [[Goliath]], dates from 1365. The Goliath family (husband, wife and son) is usually accompanied by an odd collection of giant animals, including a lion, a camel, a unicorn, and a dragon.
* Originating in the 13th century, the well-attended Saint-Gertrude religious [[procession]] is held annually.
* The [[Nivelles Carnival]] is more recent (19th century) and takes place on the [[Quadregesima Sunday|first weekend of Lent]]. Like the [[Binche Carnival]], that of Nivelles includes the famous [[Gilles]].
* The city's gastronomic specialty is the ''tarte al d'jote'', a type of [[quiche]] including local cheese, onions, greens, eggs and butter.
* Nivelles is also known for its 49-bell [[carillon]] and its four named canons.

==Sports==
In {{f1|1972}} and {{f1|1974}}, the [[Belgian Grand Prix]] was hosted at the [[Nivelles-Baulers]] circuit. [[Emerson Fittipaldi]] won the race both times. The circuit ultimately proved unpopular and has since been demolished.

In September 2007, Nivelles jointly hosted the [[Handball International Championships, 2007|VII European Handball Championship]] of [[Frisian handball|Ballpelote]], [[International fronton]] and [[International game]] with [[Buizingen]].

==Famous inhabitants==
* [[Wilfretrudis|St Wilfretrudis of Nivelles]] – Abbess and niece of Gertrude (7th century)
* [[Pippin of Landen]], [[Mayor of the Palace]] of [[Austrasia]] under the [[Merovingian]] kings (7th century)
* [[Gertrude of Nivelles]], Pippin's daughter and abbess of the Nivelles monastery (626–659)
* [[Johann Tserclaes]], [[Holy Roman Empire]] general in the [[Thirty Years' War]] (1559–1632)
* [[Louis-Joseph Seutin]], doctor and surgeon (1793–1862)
* [[Jules Louis Guillery]], lawyer and politician (1824–1902)
* [[Henri Delmotte]], novelist (1822–1884)
* [[Didier Theys]], racing driver (b. 1956)
* [[André Lotterer]], racing driver (b. 1981)
* [[Ange de Nivelles]], Capuchin friar in the 1600s

==Twin city==
* {{FRA}}: [[Saintes, Charente-Maritime|Saintes]]

==See also==
* [[Brabant killers]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.nivelles.be/ Official town website], in French.

{{Geographic location
|Centre = Nivelles
|N  = [[Braine-l'Alleud]]
|E  = [[Genappe]]
|SE = [[Les Bons Villers]] ([[Hainaut (province)|WHT]])
|S  = [[Seneffe]] ([[Hainaut (province)|WHT]]), [[Pont-à-Celles]] ([[Hainaut (province)|WHT]])
|W  = [[Braine-le-Comte]] ([[Hainaut (province)|WHT]])
|NW = [[Ittre]]
}}
{{Walloon Brabant}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Nivelles| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Wallonia]]
[[Category:Burial sites of the Pippinids]]
[[Category:Municipalities of Walloon Brabant]]