ITTRE - Belgium

Ittre is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. It was the geographical center of Belgium until World War I.

Traditions mention the existence of the village of Ittre about the year 640, although the name is first documented in 877. But the site was already occupied in the Roman period and even in the Neolithic era.

I like Ittre very much and as there is also a very nice theatre I have a season ticket there. In Ittre it seems that the time stood still. The houses remained unchanged, and the little streets have still their cobble stones which makes it so difficult to walk with high heels. The people there are especially friendly and open and always have a little joke ready.

The main place is of course in front of the church, with restaurants, doctors and not far the theatre.



The foundation of the church of Ittre occurred around 640, and is principally known as the centre of the veneration of Our Lady of Ittre, which began in 1336, when a terrible plague was raging in the Low Countries. The statue of the Virgin, from the monastery at Bois-Seigneur-Isaac, was carried in procession from village to village and on her arrival in Ittre, the plague stopped. The inhabitants refused to return it to Bois-Seigneur-Isaac, and the Virgin remained in Ittre, despite subsequent litigation, in which the ecclesiastical courts always supported the church of Ittre. An annual procession was established in 1384 and has been held every year without interruption since then on August 15th. Our Lady of Ittre was especially invoked against hernias or ruptures.

I missed the carrying around of the Lady of Ittre, but went to another festival called "La fête de St. Remy" ! I couldn't find out who St. Remy was, but Ittre celebrated him  very much !






There was a flea market in front of the church and in all streets around.



Children had decorated trees with chicken and cows, it really looked funny



There was a lot to buy


The houses mostly are built with the same stone



That's a nice café for a drink



Ittre is quite hilly, and you walk up and down, later I felt it in my legs !



These had once been a trough for horses and now are used as flower pots !



The old pump is still working





The old forge which is now a museum




The well in the village middle was also nicely decorated

When we thought we had seen it all, we had a drink in the café and watched the people on the place looking for bargains.  Then we returned home.