22 Facts About Hasselt

Hasselt is a Belgian city and municipality, and capital and largest city of the province of Limburg in the Flemish Region of Belgium.

Hasselt is located in between the Campine region, north of the Demer river, and the Hesbaye region, to the south.

Hasselt was founded in approximately the 7th century on the Helbeek, a tributary of the Demer river.

Hasselt became the provisional capital of the Belgian province of Limburg.

Name Hasselt is said to be derived from the Germanic word Hasaluth, meaning hazel forest.

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In 2004, Hasselt was the first city to receive the title "most sociable city of the region of Flanders", and has since claimed the title of "Capital City of Taste".

In 1977, Hasselt merged with several surrounding municipalites attaching the current boroughs of Kermt, Kuringen, Sint-Lambrechts-Herk, Stevoort and Wimmertingen and adding 22.

Hasselt is the main town of the diocese of Hasselt, which covers the entire Belgian province of Limburg.

An increase in excise duty, competition from cheap industrial alcohol, the confiscation of copper stills by the Germans during World War I, and the Vandervelde law against alcohol abuse caused most distilleries in Hasselt to disappear or to be taken over by larger competitors.

When United Hasselt Distillers was founded, it was agreed that the 'Fryns' brand would be transferred back by Bruggeman to Michel Fryns.

Hasselt speculaas is a famous type of speculaas originating and only produced in Hasselt, not to be confused with the brand Speculoos.

Hasselt is at the junction of important traffic arteries from several directions.

Hasselt made public transport by bus zero-fare from 1 July 1997 and bus use was said to be as much as "13 times higher" by 2006.

Plan for a new, attractive bus network in Hasselt was influenced by transport minister Eddy Baldewijns, who created an integrated transport policy framework in the middle of 1996 in which public transport was allocated a primary role.

The city of Hasselt was one of the first cities to subscribe to the plan.

The mobility policy in Hasselt developed into an example of cooperation between the bus line, the government and the city of Hasselt, under the motto "the city guarantees the right of mobility for everyone".

In 2013, Hasselt cancelled free public transportation due to financial reasons.

Hasselt has two university colleges: University College PXL and University Colleges Leuven-Limburg .

Hasselt University cooperates with Maastricht University, including in the Transnational University Limburg, and with Eindhoven University of Technology.

Some schools in Hasselt are the Institute Mariaburcht, Virga Jessecollege, Kindsheid Jesu, Atheneum Plus, Methodeschool Van Veldeke, Hotelschool KTA3, Topsportscholen MS3 and KA2, Level X, Provinciale Handelsschool, Provinciale Kunsthumaniora PIKOH, Provinciaal Instituut voor verpleegkunde PIVH and Technisch Instituut Heilig Hart.

The Provinciale Kunsthumaniora Hasselt is the largest homogeneous secondary art school in Flanders.

Hasselt is home to Limburg United, one of the country's top professional basketball teams.