Saint-Josse-ten-Noode (French, pronounced [sɛ̃ ʒɔs tɛn nod]) or Sint-Joost-ten-Node (Dutch, pronounced [sɪɲˌtɕoːstɛˈnoːdə] ), often simply called Saint-Josse in French or Sint-Joost in Dutch, is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the north-eastern part of the region, it is bordered by the City of Brussels and Schaerbeek.

Saint-Josse-ten-Noode
Sint-Joost-ten-Node (Dutch)
Saint-Josse-ten-Noode's Municipal Hall
Saint-Josse-ten-Noode's Municipal Hall
Flag of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode
Coat of arms of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode
Location of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode
Map
Saint-Josse-ten-Noode is located in Belgium
Saint-Josse-ten-Noode
Saint-Josse-ten-Noode
Location in Belgium
Location of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode
Coordinates: 50°51′N 04°23′E / 50.850°N 4.383°E / 50.850; 4.383
Country Belgium
CommunityFlemish Community
French Community
RegionBrussels-Capital
ArrondissementBrussels-Capital
Government
 • MayorEmir Kir[1]
 • Governing party/iesLB
Area
 • Total1.16 km2 (0.45 sq mi)
Population
 (2020-01-01)[2]
 • Total27,497
 • Density24,000/km2 (61,000/sq mi)
Postal codes
1210
NIS code
21014
Area codes02
Websitesjtn.brussels/en (in English)
sjtn.brussels/fr (in French)
sjtn.brussels/nl (in Dutch)

As of 1 January 2022, the municipality had a total population of 26,965.[3] The total area is 1.16 km2 (0.45 sq mi), which gives a population density of 23,234/km2 (60,180/sq mi).[3] From a total of 581 municipalities in Belgium, Saint-Josse is both the smallest in area size and the most densely populated. In common with all of Brussels' municipalities, it is legally bilingual (French–Dutch).

History

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A view along the Rue Royale/Koningsstraat in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode facing Saint Mary's Royal Church in neighbouring Schaerbeek

Named after Saint Judoc, Saint-Josse was originally a farming village on the outskirts of Brussels. In the centuries before the dismantling of the ramparts encircling Brussels, Saint-Josse was also the place where noblemen built country estates, the most notable amongst them the Castle of the Dukes of Brabant built by Philip the Good in 1456. The area surrounding that castle was planted with wine groves, which explains the presence of the bushel of grapes in the municipality's coat of arms.[4]

After the demolition of the ramparts, Saint-Josse was one of the first areas outside Brussels to urbanise. The rich built houses around the new boulevards and higher parts of the municipality, while industries and workman's cottages were built in the lower lying part close to the river Senne. In 1855, 58% of the land area of Saint-Joose was annexed by the municipality of the City of Brussels to make way for the Square Ambiorix/Ambiorixsquare, the Square Marguerite/Margaretasquare, the Square Marie-Louise/Maria-Louizasquare and the Avenue Palmerston/Palmerstonlaan of the newly created Leopold Quarter (now the European Quarter).[4]

According to an inventory of architecture commissioned by the Brussels Region, Saint-Josse has on average the oldest buildings of all 19 Brussels municipalities.[5]

Demographics

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While foreigners were a majority in 1995, in 2007 most of the population had Belgian citizenship, which has resulted in a sharp increase of municipal councillors with a foreign background, benefitting from the open proportional electoral system: from none in 1988 to two (from Morocco) in 1994, a near majority of 13 (seven from Morocco, five from Turkey) out of 27 in 2000 (including three aldermen) and a majority of 20 out of 27[6] in 2007 (including six aldermen out of seven, the seventh is a member of the Flemish minority[7]).

Nationalities[8]
Citizenship 1979 1995 2007
Belgium 12,222 54.5% 9,231 42.1% 14,656 61.6%
Turkey 2,304 10.3% 3,904 18.1% 1,527 6.4%
Morocco 2,664 11.9% 3,761 17.5% 1,482 6.2%
France 674 2.8%
Italy 1,661 7.4% 785 3.6% 458 1.9%
Congo (DRC) 198 0.9% 453 1.9%
Poland 432 1.8%
Romania 387 1.6%
Spain 840 3.7% 443 2.1% 317 1.3%
Bulgaria 251 1.1%
Total pop. 22,409 21,522 23,785

Politics

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Mayors

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Historical list of mayors or burgomasters of Saint-Josse:[9]

  • 1800–1808: André-Etienne-Joseph O'Kelly
  • 1808–1813: Jacques-Joseph De Glimes (GLIM)
  • 1813: Théodore-Nicolas-Joseph Aerts 1813
  • 1813–1823: Jean-François Wauvermans
  • 1823–1842: Urbain Henri Verbist
  • 1842–1846: Léonard Constant Willems
  • 1846–1867: Jacques Joseph Damas Gillon
  • 1867–1870: Louis Guillaume Felix Sainctelette
  • 1870–1884: Fritz Jottrand
  • 1885–1899: Armand Steurs
  • 1900–1926: Henri Frick
  • 1926–1942: Georges Petre (alderman, then mayor from 1926 until his destitution and assassination by the Rexists in 1942)
  • 1944–1947: Joseph Dery
  • 1947–1953: André Saint-Remi
  • 1953–1999: Guy Cudell
  • 1999–2012: Jean Demannez (councillor in 1976, alderman in 1977, mayor in 1999, reelected in 2000 and 2006)
  • 2012–present: Emir Kir

Culture

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References

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  1. ^ De Standaard (16 October 2012). "Emir Kir wordt burgemeester van Sint-Joost-ten-Node". De Standaard. Retrieved 18 October 2012.
  2. ^ "Bevolking per gemeente op 1 januari 2020". Statbel.
  3. ^ a b "Saint-Josse-ten-Noode | IBSA". ibsa.brussels. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Site officiel de la Commune de Saint-Josse-ten-Noode". irisnet.be.
  5. ^ "Sint-Joost: Jongste bevolking, oudste huizen | brusselnieuws.be". Archived from the original on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  6. ^ Conseil communal, Commune de Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, retrieved 2 October 2009
  7. ^ including alderman Eric Jassin, of mixed Belgian-Moroccan parentage Collège des Bourgmestre et Echevins, Commune de Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, retrieved 2 October 2009
  8. ^ Institut National de Statistiques
  9. ^ Histoire de Saint Josse Ten Noode et de Schaerbeek (Van Bemmel, 1869) and other sources available at the local public library
  10. ^ "Charlier Museum" (in Dutch). Charlier Museum. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  11. ^ Bruzz, Het ABC van Jean Demannez, 22 September 2015 (in Dutch)
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