Sint-Truiden

Lore & Background

The municipality developed around an abbey founded in the 7th century by St. Trudo, a Frankish nobleman. Legend says that as a boy, Trudo built a small church with rocks; when a woman kicked them over, she was struck blind, but Trudo cured her after she asked forgiveness. He also allegedly found spring water and cured other illnesses. After his death, the abbey became a pilgrimage center, bringing wealth and population growth, especially in the 11th century. Abbot Adelardus built the abbey's main church and two additional churches, and the town received an earth wall with a wooden fence and fortified gates; a stone wall was built in 1129. The economy was based on the linen industry and trade with England, Champagne, and Germany. In the 13th century, Sint-Truiden became one of the 23 bonnes villes of the Bishopric of Liège, with a market hall, guilds, and a perron on the central square.

Reader's Guide

Sint-Truiden's significance lies in its long history as a religious, economic, and strategic center. From its 7th-century abbey founded by St. Trudo, it grew into a prosperous pilgrimage town and a key city of the Bishopric of Liège. Its linen industry and trade with foreign lands fueled its golden age in the 11th–13th centuries. The city later declined after capture by Charles the Bold in 1467, but revived in the 19th century as a center of fruit production. Today, its historical center features a 13th-century town hall with a UNESCO-listed belfry, a 15th-century Church of Our Lady, and a 13th-century beguinage also recognized by UNESCO. The city also played a role in both World Wars: in 1914, 20 civilians were executed during Germany's invasion, and in World War II, its airfield hosted Luftwaffe night fighter squadron NJG1, whose top pilot Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer was called 'The spook of St. Trond' by British bomber crews. The airport remains in use, and the city is home to professional football club Sint-Truidense V.V.

Did You Know?

• The city's airport was the base of Luftwaffe night fighter squadron NJG1 in 1944, operating Junkers Ju 88 and Heinkel He 219 aircraft.
• Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, the highest-scoring German night fighter pilot, was nicknamed 'The spook of St. Trond' by British bomber crews.
• On 9 August 1914, 20 civilians were executed in Sint-Truiden during Germany's invasion of Belgium.
• The statue of St. Trudo on the abbey square also functions as a sundial, with a meridian line traced on the ground.