Tielt, city in West Flanders, Belgium
Tielt is a small town in West Flanders, Belgium, made up of a main center and smaller villages with quiet streets and old buildings set along narrow lanes. The market square features the Belfry with 36 bells, the only remaining part of the historic Cloth Hall, surrounded by churches and a court building from the 1600s and 1700s.
Settlement in Tielt began around the 9th century, with the first written record appearing in 1105. In 1245 the town received city rights and began building a hospital and market square, leading to growth as a center for linen production and trade. The town later endured fires, plague outbreaks, and heavy bombing during the world wars before being freed by Polish soldiers in 1944.
The name Tielt may come from lime trees that grow in the area or from Roman tiles discovered from ancient times. The town preserves this connection to its past through buildings and monuments that visitors can see and experience today.
The best way to explore Tielt is on foot through the narrow streets or by bike through surrounding green spaces like Meikensbos forest. The town is suited for a walk of an hour or two and offers local restaurants serving simple meals near the market square.
A statue of General Stanislaw Maczek and a gate named after Saint Stanislas mark the town's liberation by Polish soldiers in 1944, with names of fallen soldiers carved nearby. Sculptor Jef Claerhout created works here including Olivier the Devil and Tanneken Sconyncx, a girl accused of witchcraft, which tell stories from the town's distant past.
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