Elewijt is a village in the municipality of Zemst, Flemish Brabant, Belgium.

History

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Roman period

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The village was first founded in the 1st century as a Roman vicus on a junction of roads. It kept existing until it was destroyed at the end of the third century. Hundreds of years later, a new village slowly began to arise, with the center half a mile to the south of the ruins of the old village.

post-Roman period

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Throughout most of the late Middle Ages, Elewijt and the nearby village of Perk formed a Herrschaft (territory) herrschaft. In the 11th century, a wooden fort was built in the southwestern part of the village. Later the Elewijt Castle (Het Steen) was modernised and in the 1630s it was a residence of the famous painter Pieter Paul Rubens.

Monuments

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Elewijt contains the castle of Het Steen, which was owned by Peter Paul Rubens from 1635 to his death in 1640, and featured in some of his paintings.

50°57′42″N 4°27′21″E / 50.9618°N 4.4557°E / 50.9618; 4.4557