Aalst, Belgium

Aalst Oilsjt (South Brabantian)
City and municipality
Montage of Aalst
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Aalst
Aalst Location in Belgium Location of Aalst in East Flanders
Coordinates: 50°56′18″N 04°02′21″E / 50.93833°N 4.03917°E / 50.93833; 4.03917
Country	Belgium
Community	Flemish Community
Region	Flemish Region
Province	East Flanders
Arrondissement	Aalst
Government
• Mayor	Christoph D'Haese (N-VA)
• Governing party/ies	N-VA, Open VLD, CD&V
Area
• Total	78.66 km2 (30.37 sq mi)
Population  (2022-01-01)[1]
• Total	88,854
• Density	1,100/km2 (2,900/sq mi)
Postal codes	9300, 9308, 9310, 9320
NIS code	41002
Area codes	053
Website	www.aalst.be

Aalst (Dutch pronunciation: [aːlst] ^ⓘ; West Flemish: Oalst; French: Alost, pronounced [alɔst]; Brabantian: Oilsjt) is a city and municipality on the Dender River, 31 kilometres (19 mi) northwest from Brussels in the Flemish province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Aalst itself and the villages of Baardegem, Erembodegem, Gijzegem, Herdersem, Hofstade, Meldert, Moorsel and Nieuwerkerken; it is the tenth largest city by population with 90.068 inhabitants.^[2] Aalst is crossed by the Molenbeek-Ter Erpenbeek in Aalst and Hofstade. The current mayor of Aalst is Christoph D'Haese, from the New-Flemish Alliance party. The town has a long-standing (folkloric) feud with Dendermonde (north along the river), which dates from the Middle Ages.