Laarne
Municipality
Castle of Laarne
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Laarne
Laarne Location in Belgium Location of Laarne in East Flanders
Coordinates: 51°01′N 03°51′E / 51.017°N 3.850°E / 51.017; 3.850
Country	Belgium
Community	Flemish Community
Region	Flemish Region
Province	East Flanders
Arrondissement	Dendermonde
Government
• Mayor	Andy De Cock (Open Vld)
• Governing party/ies	Open Vld, N-VA
Area
• Total	32.58 km2 (12.58 sq mi)
Population  (2018-01-01)[1]
• Total	12,487
• Density	380/km2 (990/sq mi)
Postal codes	9270
NIS code	42010
Area codes	09
Website	www.laarne.be

Laarne (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈlaːrnə]) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Kalken [nl] and Laarne proper. On 1 January 2018, Laarne had a total population of 12,487. The total area is 32.07 km².^[2] The current mayor of Laarne is Ignace De Baerdemaecker, from the VLD (Liberal) party.

History

The village lies to the east of Ghent, near a former course of the River the Scheldt and is notable for its castle. The castle dates from the twelfth and later centuries, notably, the seventeenth, and has been sympathetically restored and re-furnished.

The name arises from the Germanic hlaeri which signifies terrain seen as wooded and marshy. It is possible to speculate that the village originated in serving the castle, which in turn, guarded the river approach to Ghent from the sea. In the twelfth century, the river was less remote from the city than it is today. In 1040, Laarne was mentioned as Laren.

The lordship passed by inheritance through the families of Schoutheete, Van Vilsteren and others, finally to the counts of Ribaucourt. The castle is now owned by the Vereniging van Historische Woonsteden van België (the Union of Historic Homesteads of Belgium).

Gallery

• 
  Laarne, Church: Sint-Machariuskerk
• 
  Kalken, church: Sint-Denijskerk
• 
  Gate house of ten Cattenaye estate
• 
  Clergy house in Laarne