Jette

Jette is ane o the nineteen municipalities locatit in the Brussels-Caipital Region o Belgium.

The Vrije Universiteit Brussel, the Dutch-speakin university o Brussels haes biggit its hospital an medical campus in Jette, while its ither biggins are in the so-cried Etterbeek campus actually locatit in Ixelles or Elsene.

Pronunciation

French: [ˈʒɛt]
Dutch: [ˈjɛtə] ( listen)

History

Oreegins tae Middle Ages

Neolithic tools an remains o a Gallo-Roman villa hae been foond on the territory o Jette, provin the auld age o the first settlements in this aurie. The fact that its first kirk wis dedicatit tae Saunt Peter an aa indicates early Christianization. Durin the Middle Ages, pairts o the territory wur feudal dependencies o the Duchy o Brabant. Unner the duke’s protection, the Abbey o Dieleghem wis foondit in 1095 bi the Bishop o Cambrai an admeenistered bi Augustinian canons. In 1140, the abbey’s monks switched tae the rules o the Premonstratensian order. In the 13t century, the abbey nou cried Dieleghem possessed hauf o the commune’s territory an played an important social an economic role till the French Revolution.

17t tae 20t century

Durin the “Auld Regime”, Jette wis pairt o the town of Merchtem. In the 17t century, the meenister o finances unner Airchdukes Albert an Isabella acquired an refurbished the auld 12t century Rivieren castle in Ganshoren, near Jette. In 1654, the meenister’s son made this estate intae a barony, then five years later intae a coonty, which includit Jette an several neighbourin veelages.

In the 1790s, the regime that wis put in pouer bi the French Revolution curtailed the releegious freedoms drastically. The monks wur expulsed frae the abbey in 1796 an maist o the biggins demolished the follaein year. Anerlie the abbott’s hoose wis kept, as a leisure hoose. In 1841, the veelage o Ganshoren split frae Jette. Durin the follaein decades, wha remained o Jette gradually lost its rural character tae become a Brussels suburb. Its population, which wis aroond 10,000 in 1900 grew tae mair nor 40,000 in 1971.

Sights

The Jette ceety haw, Jules Van Ysendyck’s maisterpiece, dates frae the beginnin o the 20t century.
The ae extant biggin o the Abbey of Dieleghem has been converted into a mostly historical museum.
Jette haes kept a few o its auld pubs an breweries, as well as a blacksmith’s wirkshop that still operatit till 1960.
The René Magritte museum wis set up in the hoose whaur the famous painter lived an wirked for twinty-fower years.